aug0202

i have a 69 mustang coupe and i have either a 428 or a 429 installed in it now how can i find out which one it is. Please help!!!

Paul Kane

Ford Motor Company has several different engine families of which the parts are not interchangeable between the different engine families. The Ford 428 is from the FE Engine family and the 429 is from the 385 Series engine family.

Big Block FE engines include the 352, 390, 410, 427, and 428 for example. The 385 Series engines include the 370, 429, and 460. Even if we determine which engine family is under the hood of your Mustang, I still cannot tell you what that exact displacement is.

The best way to determine if your engine is a 385 Series or an FE Series is by looking at the cylinder head casting numbers. They are located on the outside of the cylinder head, along the valve cover mounting rail and between the 3rd & 4th the exhaust ports. Tell us what the aphanumeric number is at that location and we'll go from there.

Paul

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aug0202

I checked with an inspection mirror and I found it on the drivers side right above the #3 exhaust port. what saw looked like it said D0VE-C now it could be backwards. altough i am pretty sure that is what it says.

Paul Kane

D0VE-C is an engineering revision of the Ford 385 series cylinder head as used on the 429 & 460 Thunderjet engines. They are considered to be the high compression passenger car head. Nice head, nice engine....which can still be either a 429 or a 460 but is definitely a 385 Series engine and not a 428 FE Series.

Paul

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aug0202

awesome thank you is there any way to tell what size 429 or 460 without disassembling the engine?

Paul Kane

If the engine identification tag is not on the engine (usually the case), then it is rather difficult to determine the engine's displacement without some disassmebly. For more info, click HERE.

Paul

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aug0202

The engine id tag where would that be located at? From what I understand all the parts are interchangeable between the 460 and the 429 except for the pistons and crankshaft. every thing else should just bolt up just fine i.e brackets water pump manifolds etc... My only concern would be the power capabilities of this motor, now obviously it already can handle a descent amount of power but how much can it handle with out failures? Obviously, I want to have it produce a ton of power. Just where doI draw the line without sacrificing reliability?