[Woodz428]

For longtime members, some may recall a couple years ago that I purchased an original GT500 engine from an old friend that has had it for several decades. I thought it may have had some value for the current owner of the car and attempted, through the Shelby registry, to locate the car it came from...no luck. I do a good amount of Shelby and early performance Mustang work and am in the process of detailing the engine and other components of a '67 GT500. When the engine was removed I noticed the casting # was too late for the early car (about #200) and the date code was a year later than the production date of the car. When the owner came in and we were discussing the shortblock, I began asking background questions regarding the car (he's had it probably 20+ years). I had disassembled ours and balanced it de-burred it and modified the oiling system and it is waiting for me to have enough time to reassemble it and stick it in the Cobra. As we started looking at the block and comparing it with his and he ran down the background of the car, a common detail emerged....it had been owned by an airman at a local base. He is doing some more investigations in the next few days, but it appears that I have his original engine. The engine in it was a Ford remanufactured engine from 1971, which turns out is a very early CJ block(cast in late '67). So after some negotiations on values, it looks like he will get his original block back and I will get his early CJ block. Funny how it was so close all this time, he's a good friend of my apprentice's father and we have known each other several years. He is EXTREMELY tickled( apparently "giddy" from what our mutual friend just said). So now I have an extremely early CJ block w/all the correct indicators(C scratched into the rear casting mold,428 cast into the water jacket area and reinforced mains). I have to decide whether to sell the early CJ block and bore another 428 block I have or just build the CJ block for the Cobra. I'm thinking the very early block might be more valuable to a 68 1/2 CJ Mustang or 500KR owner than as an engine in a replica Cobra. If anyone knows a 68 1/2 CJ owner needing a block send them my way. I love it when a plan comes together...or falls together...whatever.