The "Pickled" V12 Engine Block

[Guest Lindyhop]

Hello Everyone,

For the past several years I have been searching for a "spare" engine block for my 1939 LZ sedan. I finally got lucky and found one nearby in Northern California. For $400.00 I got the block, intake manifold, wire loom, distributor, flywheel, crankshaft, camshaft and a few other minor parts.

The block is in prefect condition with no rust and no visible cracks. The story I got from the seller of the block is that this block came from an estate sale of an avid car collector. This block had been stored in a vat of diesel for about 30 years so it was perfectly prevserved! The only bad part is that it looks grungy and smells like diesel.

The other amazing thing is that the block has a stamp (see attached photos) that says: 96H BO40. I understand that 96H is a designation for 1939 model year. The block looks identical to the block in my '39. The cylinders in the block I bought are the pre-1940 diameter. Also there are very faint numbers on the bell housing.

I am guessing that this block was rebuilt at the factory. If anyone knows anything about blocks that have a stamping such as this please let me know.

[peecher]

Believe the practice at the time was that dealers sent engines to various Ford authorized rebuilders and they probably identified it by stamping the intake face? May have been common practice especially for engines that had no serial numbers?

[Guest Lindyhop]

Peecher,

Thanks for the information. That makes sense that Ford would have a local "authorized" shop rebuild the engine block. I was lucky to find this block and other parts for so cheap. The last decent block I looked at was selling for $800. and that was several years ago. Most the blocks that I have seen for sale have been sitting in field for the last 30-40 years and full of rust. I am thankful that someone had the foresight to keep this block in a perfect state of preservation.

[Guest notnow]

Lindyhop , Your Quote;

The block is in prefect condition with no rust and no visible cracks. The story I got from the seller of the block is that this block came from an estate sale of an avid car collector. This block had been stored in a vat of diesel for about 30 years so it was perfectly prevserved! The only bad part is that it looks grungy and smells like diesel. End Quote.. You must have put the Wrong Pictures in your First Message ..The Block I see has Rusty Cylinder Walls, Carboned up Intake Ports and Dried up Gunk in the Valve spring Valleys. Best not to Define it As a 'Block in Perfect Condition'..

[Guest frenchy dehoux]

Hello Everyone,

For the past several years I have been searching for a "spare" engine block for my 1939 LZ sedan. I finally got lucky and found one nearby in Northern California. For $400.00 I got the block, intake manifold, wire loom, distributor, flywheel, crankshaft, camshaft and a few other minor parts.

The block is in prefect condition with no rust and no visible cracks. The story I got from the seller of the block is that this block came from an estate sale of an avid car collector. This block had been stored in a vat of diesel for about 30 years so it was perfectly prevserved! The only bad part is that it looks grungy and smells like diesel.

The other amazing thing is that the block has a stamp (see attached photos) that says: 96H BO40. I understand that 96H is a designation for 1939 model year. The block looks identical to the block in my '39. The cylinders in the block I bought are the pre-1940 diameter. Also there are very faint numbers on the bell housing.

I am guessing that this block was rebuilt at the factory. If anyone knows anything about blocks that have a stamping such as this please let me know.

If you can could you post pictures showing a view of the side of the block. Also on the marking on the face where you mentioned it was a 1939 block the number next to that B0 040 it maybe that it was bored out to 040 over possibly I am just guessing.

Thanks

Frenchy