Please identify this V8

Hi guys,

I am in the middle of purchasing a 1934 Hupmobile and it has some sort of Ford V8 in it. Could you please identify what it may be? It hasn't run in atleast 10 years, it may have never ran...I think I am going to pull the heads when the car arrives.

Thank you, Steve

It's a small block Ford, a 289 or 302.

Thanks man, I was thinking that's what it was but the only Ford I owned had the inline 6. The Hupmobile has a Ford body so I am thinking I'll stick to a Ford driveline of some sort.

Cheers, Steve

I could be wrong, but from the photo it looks like the Ford 289 CID that I had in my '65 Mustang. I wouldn't start tearing it apart right away, I'd first try to turn the engine over with a large socket on the harmonic balancer bolt, after removing the spark plugs. Examine the spark plug electrodes as a possible indication of the condition of the cylinders. Oily and sooty may be okay but rust may indicate moisture infiltration and a seized piston. Pour some Marvel Mystery Oil down the carburetor and squirt some in each spark plug hole. The crank should turn at least one revolution. If it doesn't, use a large flat blade screwdriver or small pry bar on the ring gear. If the engine turns over by hand, take a 12 volt battery and a pair of jumper cables and attach the positive post of the battery to the heavy cable terminal on the starter. Connect one end of the negative cable to the battery negative post, and touch the opposite end anywhere on a cast iron part of the engine, away from the fan and pulleys. If the engine spins over, connect a jumper wire between the positive post of the battery to the plus terminal of the coil, and remove the coil wire from the distributor cap and hold it about 1/4 inch away from the intake manifold. Again, crank the engine over as before and observe if you have spark at the end of the coil wire. Immediately disconnect the jumper wire from the battery. If you have spark, re-insert the coil wire into the distributor cap, re-install the spark plugs and cables, pour an ounce of fuel down the carburetor, reconnect the battery to coil jumper wire, and fire that sucker up!

Hey Bleach, I really like your '56 Ford. I once had one just like it, Buckskin Tan and White. 312 with 3 speed and overdrive. It still holds a place in my heart!

Thanks for the compliment Larry.

Steve, definitely try what Larry suggests. Good luck.