"Aged" blocks?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: "Aged" blocks?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joe Van Evera on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 06:12 pm:

I tried searching, but way too much came up which didn't help me. My question is, what seems to be the norm for the casting date on a block related to the serial number stamping date, or date of installation in a chassis?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Darel J. Leipold on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 06:30 pm:

It all depends when and where the block was cast. Ford did not own a foundry until about 1908-09. The Dodge Bros. Company cast most of the early Model T blocks until perhaps 1912. Ford cast blocks were used locally or shipped elsewhere. Serial numbers were assigned to the various assembly plants. At the River Rouge plant a block could have been used in a day to two, or might have sat for weeks or months. The block had to be machined before use. The block in my 1910 was cast 2/23/10. The serial number and the build sheet indicates May 8, 1910 assembly.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 06:43 pm:

The casting date and serial number on my block are two days apart - 5/25/17 and 5/27/17 respectively.

My car was most likely assembled in Minneapolis as my car was purchased new by a resident of Cokato, MN and there was a paper tag on one of the top bows indicating Minneapolis (see below).

Groups of sequential serial numbers may have been assigned to the various assembly plants but I believe a majority of fully assembled blocks were stamped in Detroit. Then, groups of assembled blocks with sequential serial numbers were assigned/shipped to the various assembly plants.

1


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gavin Harris (Napier, NZ) on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 06:54 pm:

I have read somewhere in the last couple of weeks (will check the source tonight) that they refined the process to the stage that the engine blocks had only cooled off enough (after casting) to enable handling before being machined.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By R.V. Anderson on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 06:56 pm:

The norm is that there isn't one. The Ford Shops (Arnold/Faurote) indicate that at least during 1913-14, and most likely before then, the blocks were "aged" outside for a length of time before machining. Darel's 1910's information, and my own '14 block supports this: cast 4-22, assembled 8-11. Other early blocks had assembly dates much closer to their cast dates, so there apparently was no "standard". Later numbers, such as yours, indicate that either the practice was dropped completely or else the "aging" time was drastically reduced. Then, of course, the branches' individual practices must be taken into account. Finally, many of the methods outlined in the book were changed; some, radically so, in later years.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 07:19 pm:

1926 Ford Industries

Production Schedule

Tuesday 4:10 AM The raw engine block casting is poured.

Tuesday 12:50 PM The completed motor is loaded into freight cars to be sent to an assembly branch.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Thursday, August 30, 2012 - 04:02 am:

If I recall correctly, my early '14/September '13 block is less than a week between cast and serial number.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Patterson, OZ on Thursday, August 30, 2012 - 05:45 am:

Well the block on in my Canadian '21 is certainly well aged.
It was cast on July 18th 1921 but the C320*** engine number indicates a late October shipping date. More than 3 months curing time.
I expect this adds to the confusion.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Hatch on Thursday, August 30, 2012 - 05:48 am:

I was wondering, is the date on blocks the date the block was cast, or is that the date that the pattern was last worked on? How many patterns do you think that Ford had? Hundreds, maybe thousands and they had someone go out each morning and change the date on each one of them? That would take all day by itself. Just an idea. Has anyone seen where the "casting date" is said to be the date the block was cast? Dan


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Thursday, August 30, 2012 - 06:19 am:

The front axle forging dies were marked with the day the die was last resunk, thus the same axle can have different dates on front and back.

Casting dates could have been different - they were screwed on to the patterns I think and easily changed.

I've read a theory about blocks being cast and stored in a ware house for later machining at some times - thus the last ones in were the first ones out. The blocks in the corner may have been months old when sales were slow during winter season in Canada and engines perhaps were prepared in advance to keep the factory running?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Thursday, August 30, 2012 - 06:45 am:

The date on the block is the date it was cast. Ford had no holding areas to speak of in Highland Park so blocks would have typically been machined within a day or two of casting. I have seen many documented cases of the car leaving the factory in the Accounts Receivables Ledgers within a week of the casting date on the block.

Canada was a different story, the blocks in the early years - before Canada started casting blocks - were cast in the USA and shipped to Canada for machining and assembly, after which the number would have been stamped.

One thing for sure, all Model T blocks are now "aged".


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