I found a 351c eng for my 70 mach1 project. The casting # on block is D0AE-1. Is this eng actually a 1970 model? and on Ford cars,does #s matching mean that the serial# on block match the vin#?
Thanks,
WD in KY  

Hmm.  There can be a partial VIN stamped on the block, sometimes in the rear of the head deck.  Not all get it.  Ford didn't do that a lot.  I've had several 351Cs, the only one with a partial VIN is my D0AE block that's fixing to get decked.  D0AE - L or J is more like it, not 1.  Ford didn't use number suffixes.  This is a CASTING number and refers to the mold.  Not to be confused with a part number.  The D0AE casting was likely used up through the 71 model year, then 351C blocks went D2AE-CA mostly.  If you want to match up parts, look at the casting date which is above the casting number on the block near the pan rail.  Compare that to your car's build date.  It'll look something like OJ12, which for this example would be September 12, 1970.  HTH.  

Falcon67:
Hmm.  There can be a partial VIN stamped on the block, sometimes in the rear of the head deck.  Not all get it.  Ford didn't do that a lot.  I've had several 351Cs, the only one with a partial VIN is my D0AE block that's fixing to get decked.  D0AE - L or J is more like it, not 1.  Ford didn't use number suffixes.  This is a CASTING number and refers to the mold.  Not to be confused with a part number.  The D0AE casting was likely used up through the 71 model year, then 351C blocks went D2AE-CA mostly.  If you want to match up parts, look at the casting date which is above the casting number on the block near the pan rail.  Compare that to your car's build date.  It'll look something like OJ12, which for this example would be September 12, 1970.  HTH.

Thanks for the info...I pulled the starter and found the mold # DOAE-L, above that there is a smaller #. The first character looks like a backwards 5 and then 70. I guess the 70 might be the year? And the backwards 5? When I pull the headers and get the eng on a stand I will be able to look it over to see if there are any other #'s
Thanks again,
Joe  

The date code runs Year Last Digit, Letter (month), one or two digits (day), typically.  Could be a 9 as casting for the 70 model year would have started in late 1969.  The Year will be the first digit - either a zero or nine.  Ah - Might be upside down, meaning it's 0L5 - which would be 1970, December, 5th.  

I'm going to the machine shop tonight to finish my crank balancing - my new block is over there and it's a D0AE-L, so I'll look at the date code and try to remember where the partial VIN is and report back here.  

Falcon67, I appreciate the info..  

Here's what mine says:

D0AE-J
9L12  (December 12, 1969)

On the rear of the left cylinder bank (driver's side), level with the deck, are some stamped numbers: 0F143645

I read that to be 1970, ?, car #43645.  Could be mistaken about the F - it was cold and not much light in the store room.  Looked like an F.  

Oops, L=November.  No "I" used.  D'oh!  

sooo..my eng # 0L2 would be nov 2, 1970. My car was built july 1970. Very close match, much better than the 302 thats in it now. I want to build it as close to original as possible. TTYL, Joe  

Pretty close.  I had a lead on a head that would match one I already owned (D0AE-N) that would give me a set of closely dated heads for my block.  Too bad, the owner had been watching too much Barrett-Jackson and thought the head (one single head) was worth big ***  

How much did he want for the single head? I will keep my eyes open and if I find one I'll let you know.