I got a call today inquiring about an engine with a serial number stamped into the block that I have never seen. It is "11POD". Anyone ever seen something like this before? Is it a replacement block?

Jerry, that's a modern reproduction. You read it as 1 I-pod.

Allan from down under.

Is you pullin' my leg Mr Allan B????


Ford sold engines to many companies to be used for many different industrial, marine, and farming uses. Some, not all, such engines were given special serial numbers for their specific uses. Often those numbers (if there were any) would have two to several letters, usually the company's initials. There was no standard approach to this, so almost anything is possible for the serial codes.
Some of these engines were purchased from Ford complete, some incomplete requiring special pans and drive assemblies (like most boat motors). Engines whether sold complete or incomplete from Ford may or may not have then been modified.
Most people don't realize that their prized high compression head or magneto drive was likely originally used on farm machinery. Several companies making things like threshers or hay balers liked using the Ford engine because maintenance and parts were available to the farmers, but they needed just a bit more power than the standard T engine provided. So they souped them up a bit as new.

Regardless of who or how an engine got out into the world, these "backdoor" engines did find their way into the general population. Local businesses rebuilt and sold model T engines, sometimes by the hundreds. They were often sold on an exchange basis, and shops would buy engines to build their supply.
I have looked at a lot of T engines over the years. I have personally seen about a dozen such numbers on T blocks.
Many year ago, I knew a fellow that ran a business selling model A Ford parts (HEY, Pete!). He once bought about 50 tow-motor tractors (used in factories to pull parts around), for the model A, many model B, and some model C engines in them. Most of them had odd serial numbers on them also. He had said there were some tow-motor tractors with model T engines, but only a few. He hadn't bought them because he was strictly a model A and early V8 guy. I have no idea who did get the T stuff.

So, yeah, odd serial numbers are around.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2

(Message edited by wayne sheldon on April 14, 2016)

Wayne, Thanks so much for the info. I will pass it along. Jerry