[DeTomaso] engine question

[Barry Seib]

Chris
If I remember right your Pantera is an April-ish 1972 model, most came with
a 351 Cobra Jet engine. That engine had open chamber 4V heads, 4 bolt mains,
dual point distributor and spreadbore Motorcraft 4300D carb. From what I've
seen of your car in photos, it was pretty original until you got it, so
chances are very good that is the engine you have. Obviously the carb and
intake were changed. There is a plate in your engine compartment with a 4
digit engine # stamped in it. That number is stamped in the rear of the
block on the left hand side. If it matches, I'd bet on it being 4 bolt
mains. If the heads haven't been changed, they will be open chamber 4V
heads.

I think you mean 72AE-CA, which is another sign you have the block used from
72 on. Virtually all the first year or two of CJ engines seemed to have the
four bolt main caps in them and then got a little haphazard toward the end
of US production in 1974. The 71 4V engines with closed chamber heads came
with single point distributor and square bore Motorcraft 4300A carbs. None
of these had 4 bolt mains, as far as I I know.

The Boss 351 was the only 351C to get the 4 bolt mains, dual point
distributor and spreadbore Motorcraft 4300D carb in 1971, so all other 4V
engines with closed chamber heads came with 2 bolt mains until the 72 Cobra
Jet began production in 1972. Some people have said that some 1971 4V
engines found there way into very early 72 Panteras, but probably only in
the early January 72 cars?

Barry
Pantera originality freak




Christopher Kimball chrisvkimball at msn.com wrote:

I have someone interested in my old engine, but he asked whether or not it
was a four-bolt with four barrell heads.  At least, I think that's what he
said.



I'm not exactly sure what that means, but my motor has certain numbers on it
which may tell those of you that know these sort of things.



On the block, there is a raised circle with a 10 on it, and elsewhere on the
block these numbers are shown:  231, and below that 92AE-CA.  The Edelbrock
manifold has the numbers F3514V.



Do these numbers reveal the four bolt & heads questions?



Thanks,



Chris