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Mexican 302 Engine Block????

BoureeOne

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I have read that my block may be either a Holman Moody Block, or a Mexican Block.

C8AM-6015*B

I have also read that if it is the Mexican Block, then I have gotten very lucky. It is in my 1966. PO told me the engine was out of a 1980 Mustang, but I think he was really off. I know the C8 means the engine is a 1968 Block. I will be looking later tonight to see if the words " hecho mexico " are stamped in the lifter valley. Anyone have any thoughts???

Thanks,
Scott
 

shamu

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You do not have to pull the intake to verify that you have a mexico 302. Google mexico 302 and look for the boss that sticks out of the block on the passenger side just above the oil pressure line. Give me a minute and I find the link. I have one but my p/s pump hides the boss.
 
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BoureeOne

BoureeOne

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Lifter valley does say "hecho en Mexico". My understanding these blocks had thicker castings and maybe a better crank. Anyone have any more info about the Mexican 302 engines?
 

ren71

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Oct 13, 2010
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supposedly has higher nickel content, but people have weighed them and the difference is negligible from a standard 302. IIRC the main caps are a little beefier than standard ones though but they're still not 4 bolt mains.


I gave one away a few years back to a friend. In a bronco application with relatively low hp requirements there's really no need for it. If I were you I'd sell it to someone who buys into all the hype about them and use the profits for more useful bronco parts, like a locker or something.
 

kayakersteve

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The only thing I know for sure is that Mexican Tequila is superior to other countries! So, You must have gotten real lucky if that is the case!
 
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BoureeOne

BoureeOne

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Are there any problems with components fitting on this block? I will be having the engine and heads rebuilt. Mostly stock with a mild cam. Have performer 2121 intake, Edelbrock 1404 500cfm carb, Mallory Unilite ignition. Will there be any issues that I might not be thinking about?
 

blubuckaroo

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All your accessories will work.
The engine was actually an order boo-boo. Ford engineers were concerned about quality and strength of a product from that foundary and requested the heavier main webs. Someone else requested the higher nickel content for the same reason. Both orders were sent to the foundary. The rest is racer legend.;)
 

Broncobowsher

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I remember some story about Ford wanting to start 302 production in Mexico. They sent down some patterns and the local foundry made a few engines. Total garbage. The foundery didn't control the material process, patterns were not set up right, etc. Well there was a deadline to get production up and running. So they threw everything at it. Figuring that the metal was crap they tweaked the molds to beef them up (hipo caps for example) and they also told the foundery to get it right or they would go elsewhere. So the foundery realizing they would loose a nice contract got there act together and went to better iron. It all came together, the blocks were good, better then american blocks. Production started and they never bothered to go back and cheapen the castings up.

So they are good blocks. those trying to make high HP with a junkyard block want them. Not really anything a Bronco really needs. If you have it, use it. If you are selling it, it might be worth an extra $50. They are the easier to find version of the 289 hipo block and cost less. But you didn't find a boss 302 block, those are much different and really worth a lot more.
 
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BoureeOne

BoureeOne

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The dates on the block say it was made in 68. The heads say 69. There is also an engine sticker on the glove box saying this came out of a 69 mustang. It ran pretty good when I took it out. I have the orig intake and two barrel. Wonder if there is any interest in those? Also have the ford valve covers, Dist and Coil and the stock exhaust manifolds. I will list them when I get pics.
 
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BoureeOne

BoureeOne

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Sticker on Glove Box
Bureau of Automotive Repair
Engine Indentification
Vin No. L1C73221
Year 1969
MFG Ford
Size 302

Anyone know how I can search the Vin No. It makes sense, because the Engine Code says it was made in 68 and the heads were made in 69. It is a Mexican Cast Block. Just trying to track down what it came out of. It is in my 1966 EB that I bought 2 months ago.
 

Broncobowsher

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Did any of the Boss 302's come out of Mexico? If so, how can you identify them?

No boss 302s came out of Mexico.
You can tell them becuase they are worth there weight in gold. Considering they only made a few thousand of them you won't just find one. 4-bolt mains and screw in freeze plugs, also the heads look like they came off a cleavland.
 

BwoncoHowie

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If it had a vin# it would be stamped in the block in the right front side just above where the oil pan bolts-up and a inch or so back from where the timing cover bolts-up, but just below where the ground cable attaches. It's doubtful if it had a stamp at all though because very few 1960's 302 blocks actually had serial No's.

I also heard that the blocks were warranty replacements for a lot of cars & trucks back in the day. They were said to have been cast using slightly modified old high-perf 289 tooling.
D1ZM-6015-AA and 75ZY-6015-AA were also supposed to be casting numbers found on later production Mex-302's.

They are nice blocks though, All things considered equal, i'd choose a Mex over US block If I had the choice.
 

bmc69

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They are nice blocks though, All things considered equal, i'd choose a Mex over US block If I had the choice.

All of the 302 racing engines I built back in the 90s for our EB MX/TT trucks were based on the Mex 302 blocks. Typical (dyno-proven) power output in the 450+HP range at 7000-7500m RPM with 8500 RPM redlines. Solid-lifter, of course, with a number of important oiling system mods... Screamers in other words.

Never..ever did we hurt the bottom end in one. Myths abound as to what the real differences are; frankly the only noticeable one is the larger main caps. But they have proven over time to be stouter than their US cousins..which have been known to experience bottom end problems and even block structural failures when routinely pushed to the extremes we pushed them to (one peaked at 486HP at 7300 RPM and was overrevved to nearly 10K numerous times. That engine, built in '98, still lives..in my 16' Donzi..after the truck was long ago worn out and retired.:cool:

The only 'fitment' problem we ever had with them is that the large-diaphragm Carter hipo fuel pumps won't fit without grinding a large portion of the unusual "bosses" that protrude from the blcok casting on the Mex 302s.
 

broncnaz

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May 22, 2003
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24,341
Sticker on Glove Box
Bureau of Automotive Repair
Engine Indentification
Vin No. L1C73221
Year 1969
MFG Ford
Size 302

Anyone know how I can search the Vin No. It makes sense, because the Engine Code says it was made in 68 and the heads were made in 69. It is a Mexican Cast Block. Just trying to track down what it came out of. It is in my 1966 EB that I bought 2 months ago.

What I would think is that because it has a sticker by the Bureau of Automotive Repair(which I believe is just for california vehicles that maybe your engine was swapped out at some piont and had to be recertified for cali emissions.) Are you sure that VIN on the sticker is not similar to your broncos vin code? A they may have used the broncos production number in there version of the vin code for that engine.
If it doesnt match that then you may never know what it came out of as engine codes dont always match up to vehicles and even more true for mexican blocks.
 
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