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Decoding Ford Small block

26K views 16 replies 5 participants last post by  KULTULZ 
#1 ·
Hello all, I would appreciate any help in decoding a ford small block and heads,none of my books are helpfull.
I bought a 64 Falcon Sprint and the motor was already pulled it is supposed to be a 260 ci. but before I do anything with it I want to know exactly what I have. A nosey neighbor told me the heads are high performance but you know how that goes with the experts :D .Anyway here is all the info. I could find on the block and heads
Block: found on a machined surface at the front of the block - 3J301
Block located at the rear Tag reading - 3J21
Stamped - C40E-6015B
Heads - Rt. side (Pass) - Tag- 3J10 ... circular stamp with 53197
Heads - Lt. side Driver)- Tag - 3J18....Circular stamp with 53197

This motor also is the 5 bolt transmission type. What type of performance could I resonably expect and how durable is this block?
Sorry, :pain: just one more question, this car has the 2-spd trans and of coarse I would like to replace that with a c-4 or c-6 , is are the parts I would need to do this even available anymore?
Any info. or suggestions would be appreciated thanks, Ben
 
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#2 · (Edited)
hotrodgs said:
Hello all, I would appreciate any help in decoding a ford small block and heads,none of my books are helpfull.
I bought a 64 Falcon Sprint and the motor was already pulled it is supposed to be a 260 ci. but before I do anything with it I want to know exactly what I have. A nosey neighbor told me the heads are high performance but you know how that goes with the experts :D .Anyway here is all the info. I could find on the block and heads
Block: found on a machined surface at the front of the block - 3J301
Block located at the rear Tag reading - 3J21
Stamped - C40E-6015B
Heads - Rt. side (Pass) - Tag- 3J10 ... circular stamp with 53197
Heads - Lt. side Driver)- Tag - 3J18....Circular stamp with 53197

This motor also is the 5 bolt transmission type. What type of performance could I resonably expect and how durable is this block?
Sorry, :pain: just one more question, this car has the 2-spd trans and of coarse I would like to replace that with a c-4 or c-6 , is are the parts I would need to do this even available anymore?
Any info. or suggestions would be appreciated thanks, Ben

Ford numbering system:

example 3J101......

3 is the year of the decade (1963)
J is the 9th month of the year = A through M (ususally) NO "I" used to avoid confusion with # 1
10 is the date of the month.
The last one is probably 1 st shift/ day shift.

Your C4OE-6015B block casting code should be cast into the block also, but B might be a running production engine assembly detail on a stamped tag.
260 engines have 3 3/4 bore. 289 engines have 4 inch bore.

http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod/engine2.html

C is decade.... the 1960s (B= 1950s, C= 1960s, D= 70s, etc)
4 is the year....... 1964
Letter O is for car line Fairlane/Falcon
E means engine parts
6015 means blocks
B will denote which block type and production change

Heads will also have a casting number on them like C40E and suffix such as A, B, AA etc.. on the pushrod valley side. Later heads have the engine size cast into the rocker arm side of the heads.

Circular stamp ? or casting? is irrelavent.

High performance heads have screw in rocker arm studs and cast in pockets for the valve springs to sit into. Used on 289 HIPO engines only, supposedly.

5 bolt bellhousings are 1 inch smaller than the 6s.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the Info. I also appreciate the Web site lots of good info. there, looks like the heads are stock.
One more question though, with a block of that age, will 289/302 heads fit? I am trying to give the impression of a stock car, :) Thanks again,Ben
 
#4 ·
hotrodgs said:
with a block of that age, will 289/302 heads fit? I am trying to give the impression of a stock car...
FORD issued a TOTAL PERFORMANCE CATALOG years ago that will give you the engine components interchange and what to look for (final CR-valve relief). A guy has an issue on his webpage and of course I have lost it.

If you want to upgrade from the F/2/S to a C4, you will have to find an early C4 five bolt bell.

Is your 260 PCV? There were two styles, one that had the valve on the rocker cover and the early style that had it on the rear of the intake (neater looking installation).

I had a 64 SPRINT that came through with the dress-up kit (brite rocker covers-low restriction air cleaner).
 
#5 · (Edited)
these attached might help and there are more "where and what" articles in the knowledge base link above under engine specifications

yes you do need a very early C4 with 5 bolt for the 260 (see chart)

there is alot of mix and match you can do,

if you swap to a 302 you can use a 197X stronger better C4 as an example, all is a bolt in

Note: these charts are from Tom Monroe's excellent SBF rebuild book ($16 autozone, books a million, or any speed parts house) which does detail results for mix and match parts

(xntrik, notice I posted cranks first so he will see the disclaimer...
hotrodgs, chart shows alot of 289 heads with 1.67 valves.....some say most 289 heads had the 1.78's period....measure if your shopping)
 

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#6 ·
hotrodgs said:
Thanks for the Info. I also appreciate the Web site lots of good info. there, looks like the heads are stock.
One more question though, with a block of that age, will 289/302 heads fit? I am trying to give the impression of a stock car, :) Thanks again,Ben

Red65....... SOME not MOST :welcome:

Later heads might lower your compression. Why do you consider changing heads?

I have a set of 260 heads that came off a running 63 Fairlane engine just lying here on the shelf. Trouble is, the shipping cost is probably more than the heads are actually worth. :rolleyes:
 
#8 · (Edited)
red65mustang said:
LOL xyntrik.....let me guess....your 54cc 260 heads have 1.78's also...heck I was trying to be kind to "cliff" saying "most".....

LOL thanks for the laugh :welcome: .... naw.....but the car became W.


Ford listed their SBF heads at 52-55 cc. with a design of 53.5 cc. Three cc variation....... hhhhhhmmmmmmmm? :rolleyes:

I have measured head and deck milling variations of more than .025". Blueprinting had a much more appropriate meaning in the "old days". Ford or GM, they just shoved them out the door to the customer. Back then two absolutely identical cars, one could be 6 car lengths quicker through the quarter mile. :cool:

I think that chart is referring to direct interchange. Remember that there were piston dish cc variations and deck height variations in some of those applications.
 
#10 ·
Hey all,
Wow!! thanks for the assistance, I see that most info is available here.
I am learning the oddities of the early Ford .The motor is in my garage but the valve covers are in storage ,looks like the pvc valve is in the valve covers though unless the pvc is a screw in angled in the back of the intake towards the firewall, remember I bought the car with the motor out of it and boxes of parts I have not pulled the heads to measure the valves and probally won't untill I decide what I want to do with it.
I curently have a 69 GS 455 and after looking at the exhaust ports and comparing the 260 to it :nono: all I can say is they just look small on the 260 and I was wanting to get some good breathing stock heads ,you know to try to get the stock look thing going on.
Also, am I to understand that the Ford has a bellhousing, even for a automatic? :confused:
Thanks again, Ben
 
#11 ·
your welcome,

the rear of your block is set up with the pre-1965 and a 1/2' 5 bolt pattern (see attached), yes there are 3 speed C4 bell housings with a 5 bolt pattern

64' falcons/mustangs/comets are all the same car/same bell housing /same C4 so you can shop any/all "parts for sale"....(about 70%+ same for "any" parts 64-66)

have no idea if your drive shaft will be a match with a C4 (kultulz...???...2 speed drive shaft?) and "which" rear you have, elcheapo Falcon (7.5"?) or a much stronger 8"

food for thought:
never have come across a V8 sprint with a 2 spd, very possibly a very early first model?
whacko to me, but a "true" first year Mustang, (641/2' 260 motor) sells for ridiculous money as a "correct parts matching restore" (they are as bad as vette guys for correct details)
???? your car may be worth more than you know??? motor is worth bucks to a 64' mustang restore project (or a Sunbeam Tiger owner)?

stick a complete 302 6 bolt drive train in it for now to use it as a daily driver?
 

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#12 ·
hotrodgs said:
Hey all,
Wow!! thanks for the assistance, I see that most info is available here.
I am learning the oddities of the early Ford .The motor is in my garage but the valve covers are in storage ,looks like the pvc valve is in the valve covers though unless the pvc is a screw in angled in the back of the intake towards the firewall, remember I bought the car with the motor out of it and boxes of parts I have not pulled the heads to measure the valves and probally won't untill I decide what I want to do with it.
I curently have a 69 GS 455 and after looking at the exhaust ports and comparing the 260 to it :nono: all I can say is they just look small on the 260 and I was wanting to get some good breathing stock heads ,you know to try to get the stock look thing going on.
Also, am I to understand that the Ford has a bellhousing, even for a automatic? :confused:
Thanks again, Ben

There are NO better breathing "stock heads" that will not knock the compression ratio one full point. The only better breathing stock heads are the 69-70 351W head at 60+ cc. Loss of compression will offset any power increases that could be made by better flow. The flow differences between a 260 and a 289 head are minimal, the ports are identical, basicly only the valves differ.

What I would do is take used stock chevy valves (might get free from machine shop), cut them to 184 or 178 and install them (or even use used 178 Ford valves at 174) and 1.5 (no bigger/ ruins short turn) exhaust valves. Then I would home pocket port and polish.

I would stick with a 2 barrel carb for a 302 on your manifold, or the smallest dual plane with a 400 cfm 4 barrel and small headers.

You could probably gain 15 hp doing this, plus another 8 or so with a tiny cam (it is a 260, easy does it).
 
#13 ·
Hey, you guys are killin' me :D
With all this good info., let me see if I got this straight:
1. If I can find a 5-bolt bellhousing I would not be able to us a better/stronger/newer c-4 transmission.
2. I am most likely better off working with the stock 260 heads because of the better compresion ratio.


Where can I research the production #s for the Falcon, I have found tons of stuff for my GS but Falcon info has eluded me. HMMMM, I wonder if I have a million dollar car..lol
Ben
 
#14 · (Edited)
better stronger 7X' C4= 6 bolt pattern (they were behind some 460cube motors)

the 5 bolt C4 is a plenty strong plenty good tranny...behind your 260

which heads?.....which tranny?....which motor?....what gears? ya gotta make a plan for what it will be.....we're just pointing out options to consider

mama's daily driver?.....500hp nitro?....."strong" weekend car?

how to de-code the build info is in the knowledge base and type in the gooogle box: 1964 Falcon Sprint will get you links to Falcon web sites (there are lots)
 
#16 ·
Kultulz,
your "service parts only" chart lists 1.78/1.45 valves in a 260 head?

hey xyntrik, bet that's why cliff's books says 1.78 for all

hotrodgs....
his chart points out why I posted "measure and check"....!
you may have (?) 54cc chambers and (?) 1.78/145 valves already if the chart is (?)correct and you have factory (?) replacement heads (definitely possible) (or converted to 1.78 by somebody)
 
#17 ·
I believe the later (and current) FORD RACING PARTS catalog has about the same basic information plus head specifications for later years. It seems to me this early chart would only be good for restoration as most of it has been junked over the years and later EFI heads flow so much better.

I was never interested in SBF when young. Had to be BIG BLOCK FE's... :D
 
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