Matching vin 351 Windsor 1974 bronco

[fordfan]

It’s a 1974 bronco with 351w installed in 1978 from the ford factory all with matching vins

If it was installed in '78, it was dealer installed, not 'Ford Factory' installed. It is next to impossible to stop the assembly line process and run a 4 year old model that is used down the line for an engine swap.

Dealers can do about whatever they want, so it is very possible that 'Factory Fresh 351W' was installed and a dealer made a data plate to say such and attach to the vehicle. There is and was specialty shops that were used by or owned by Ford to do custom mods ( like Kar Kraft and the Boss 429 Mustangs), but this wasn't done at the factory or assembly line.

As others have said, give us a few pictures..... they are worth thousands of words...

 

[markatherton]

engine vins

The only engines that were stamped with vin's were the Hipo 289 engines from 1965 to 1968. This was because thesevehicles had a different (more limited warranty) from Ford. And even then it was only done at the Detroit plant, not the West coast plant. Hence hipo 289's from west coast hipo mustangs fairlanes etc will not have a stamped vin on the engine. There was NEVER a hipo 289 in a bronco from the factory. There certainly was never a 351 W from the factory in a bronco (except boss bronco). I agree this was stamped by an owner somewhere along the line..

 

[DirtDonk]

Yeah I got sidetracked. Even though it says '74 clearly in the title, and I was thinking of that when I said Stroppe, I somehow had it in my mind that it was a '77 and that an engine being put in at the factory by someone shortly after production had ceased was not out of the realm of the possible.

Never on the assembly line though. This kind of project, even if it had been done at the same period of time as the manufacture, would have been done either somewhere else in the plant, by a specialty team, or elsewhere at one of the factory-authorized custom shops mentioned. Likely for an executive.

But now with the clearing of the cobwebs, obviously a '74 model year to have had anything done at the factory by Ford in '78, would have been a very strange thing indeed. Executive decision or not!
I'm with you on a dealer installed item with a Ford tag on the door.

Still way cool in my mind. Even though dealer installed accessories are common, any 351 installed that far back, and by a dealer no less(!) is still cool in my book.

Paul

 

[Timmy390]

Or a 1974 bronco with a dealer installed 351 and a warranty tag on the truck and Engine for dealer to identify warranty status in future.

Most likely.

The only engines that were stamped with vin's were the Hipo 289 engines from 1965 to 1968. This was because thesevehicles had a different (more limited warranty) from Ford. And even then it was only done at the Detroit plant, not the West coast plant. Hence hipo 289's from west coast hipo mustangs fairlanes etc will not have a stamped vin on the engine. There was NEVER a hipo 289 in a bronco from the factory. There certainly was never a 351 W from the factory in a bronco (except boss bronco). I agree this was stamped by an owner somewhere along the line..

YUP This.......Don't pay any attention to those idiot announcers at barrett jackson that keep saying "matching numbers" on every ford that rolls across the block. Matching date codes TRUE but not matching numbers.

That said....I did find the last 5 digits of my 69 Mach 1 vin stamped on the back of one of the original heads. It's factory 390FE car. Still got the heads.

My guess is someone did this AFTER it left Ford.

Tim

 

[bmc69]

It’s a 1974 bronco with 351w installed in 1978 from the ford factory all with matching vins

How on earth did a '74 Bronco end up back at a non-existent assembly line (closed in '77) to receive a "factory" '78 351W??

 

[rmk57]

I've got two vin stamped blocks. One is from a 1971 460 Lincoln and the other is from a 1970 Boss 429 Mustang. It's really a partial vin stamp, not the whole number located on driver side upper part of the block. Theres a machined pad where the letters / numbers are stamped.

 

[lulu]

It’s hard to see but the replacement engine plate vin matches the original vin.

 

[Rustytruck]

That's an EPA engine swap exemption plate issued here in California to get smog certification. Back when that plate was issued in order to have your truck smogged with an engine swap it had to be certified by the smog cops. After that plate was issued then any regular smog shop could do the biannual smog check.

 

[fordfan]

That's an EPA engine swap exemption plate issued here in California to get smog certification. Back when that plate was issued in order to have your truck smogged with an engine swap it had to be certified by the smog cops. After that plate was issued then any regular smog shop could do the biannual smog check.

Yes. That's correct. I have a Bronco with the exact same tag except it is a 351C and its from California. The owner told me the story of getting it OK'd to do the swap and the sticker had to go by the original.

 

[lulu]

Thanks guys. At least I know now!!!

 

[DirtDonk]

In other words, even if it doesn't do anything for you in GA, don't take it off or paint over it anyway!
Unless of course you know you'll never be selling it to someone in CA or other state that does regularly scheduled checkups.

Paul

 

[sprdv1]

Thanks guys. At least I know now!!!

yes sir, good to know things about our stuff "obsessions" haha

 

[sprdv1]

In other words, even if it doesn't do anything for you in GA, don't take it off or paint over it anyway!
Unless of course you know you'll never be selling it to someone in CA or other state that does regularly scheduled checkups.

Paul

This..^^^

 

[Rustytruck]

Thanks guys. At least I know now!!!

Hey that doesnt get you off the hook, lets see some pictures of the Bronco.

 

[lulu]

100% original paint. 99k Miles. I’ve had a ton of these and this is mint. My buddy has restored over 100 broncos and he said it’s the cleanest bronco he has seen.

 

[lulu]

Pics

Pictures

 

[Rustytruck]

Thank you very nice Bronco. Like the first picture of the kids. The calendar guys should put a collage of Bronco and kids as one page of the calendar.