[Harry Connors]

As I noted before I picked up the 48 Connie Coupe from the German that I have been negotiating for some time on. I have the build sheet that I order from the Ford historical folks but I have a question on the engine number. The car's chassis number is 8H180913 but the engine number is 39-46828B. From what I understand the engine number should be the same as the chassis or? Is there any way to find out the year of manufacture for this engine. I want to be sure to order the right parts for it should I need parts for it.
This weekend we stripped out the interior and primed and painted the roof so we can get the new headliner installed.
I still have to make up my mind if I want to install the brown leatherette interior that came in boxes with the car or if I should bite the bullet and buy the proper cloth and leather interior. The car was repainted black on 4 Sep 1972 according to the receipts that came out of a small box of paper work I am sorting through. Originally it was Valley metallic Green.
Please provide me your thoughts on the engine serial number. Thanks Harry

[peecher]

Harry, that number sounds like a "re-builders" number? Ford did not assign any specific numbers to their engines. During the 40's Ford had a rebuilt engine exchange program and that may be where this number came from? The fact that engines were rebuilt/exchanged regularly may be why Ford did not assign engine numbers ( title issues?). The large vertical ridge on either side of the cylinder block would identify it as a post war engine and most likely the 292 ci version.
The Valley Green color was a new option for the '47-'48 cars and suited the lines of the Lincoln but beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. If the car is to be repainted I would surely consider bring it back to original. The Cabriolets did have a Tan leather option, however the coupe only had a cloth and a leather/ whipcord option. I suppose as long as you have the "new" interior panels you could install it for now with the idea of redoing later.
The upholstery choices for the '48 coupes ( Valley Green) were Green shadow strip and Tan shadow strip in cloth. The only leather/whipcord combination was Green.

[Harry Connors]

Thanks Peecher According to the build sheet the car originally had the leather/whipcord combination in Green. I have seen several photographs of Continentals in Valley Metallic Green that look good. To repaint it here would cost over 5,000 Euro which is over $7,000 so it will remain black until I get it home to Arizona. Harry

[Mssr. Bwatoe]

It is fair to say that any hv12 kincoln has had engine service / replaced block in its lifetime.
The matching numbers occur on the trans ablove inspection window... I have never seen an intellegent, consistant breakdown of engine block pt numbers or standard marking on blocks.
It is likely that you have a post war 2.7/8 bore engine, in a variety of oversizes. The postwar has larger bumps sides for larger cooling jacket ports..(seen externally) and a "flex" flywheel that is only used with postwar style crank.. There may be a date plate on intake..behind carb..in sight or under neath..


see pics for serial number spot

look at side this has small bump and is a prewar engine

[Harry Connors]

I had a chance to spend several hours with the car today and went looking for the engine number (the one I posted is the one on my sale's receipt) while cleaning all of the "crud" that had accumulated on the transmission and other places. What a mess. At any rate I did look on the transmission as shown on the photograph and now I am more confused. The number on the transmission bell housing is 8H I 78011 (number followed by a star and the letter I is behind the 8H not a 1) and on the small plate beneath it is 8H 180913.
At the back of the engine just above where the transmission bell housing is bolted on is cast into the metal 58H A31622.
The heads also have numbers cast onto them and they are (right side) 26H 6049 with a cast on tag underneath it with L1-7. The left side has 26 H 6050 cast onto the head with the tag K267 underneath it.
Where do I look for the engine number? I cleaned the area above both water pumps - no numbers. Just to the upper rear of the right water pump is a milled out area on the side of the engine that looks like where a serial number should be but again no number.
The original question still is what do I have here?

[peecher]

Harry, As stated before Ford did not assign serial numbers to the engine block.
Serial numbers for the '48 Model cars ran from 8H 174,290 to 8H 182,129. Does the number stamped in the frame next to the left motor mount match either of the numbers on the transmission case ( above the inspection plate) or on the plate it'self? The casting number 58H A31622 on the bell housing appears to be one of the last ones used for V12's? I have a Known '47 engine with a casting number of 56H A31622. The 26H numbers on the heads are what they used on all post-war cars . Another item you can check is the date tag embedded on the top of the intake manifold. This will tell when the manifold was manufactured. The "extra" numbers maybe either factory assigned "export"or rebuilders designations? All V12 engines used from serial number H 138051 ( early 1946) were 292 cu/in engines and basically the same. I think the casting number 58H A31622 would be the clearest indication that you have the lastest V12 and perhaps it was a factory replacement engine.

[Harry Connors]

Thanks Peecher I think you may be right as the car was assembled in Jan 48 and delivered in Feb 48 so it may be correct for the car. The number stamped at the top of the bell housing is 8H I 78011 (number followed by a star and the letter I is behind the 8H not a 1) and on the small plate beneath it is 8H 180913, this last number is the same as the chassis number stamped by the left motor mount. I will check the intake manifold for the date tag. Thanks Harry

[Harry Connors]

I checked the date on the intake manifold today and it is 11.21.47 so it fits into the time period the car was manufactured. Next time I am down at the shop I will be doing some work to get it running if my new battery is in. Thanks again all Harry

[CBoz]

Don't sweat the "I" for "1". They did that on my '37 as well.