Been awhile since I worked on one of these Mexican blocks - but what is this bolt hole for? This is found on only #3 main web, just the right side - looks to be a 3/8" course thread. The block casting is made with extra material in this spot for the hole. And no place else on any other main bearing web does this occur. Hole seems to be blind. Block is a 302 - C8AM - 1969 - the good Mexico made ones ......
That is a thought I had - but why only 1 hole? How would that be stable? I just don't remember seeing this hole on other blocks.
Ditto, as for the myth that the Mex is a better block than the others, that's just a myth. The only difference is the thicker main caps. Everything else about the block is the same as all other 68-79 302 blocks. They all weigh the same: 136 lbs. (bare with the mains bolted in place)
Cool - so it is where the oil pickup tube for a rear pan bolts up. Makes sense now. THANK YOU! Yes, the extra nickel in the iron is a myth, but I'll take the thicker webbing anytime. My machinist said it was a better block and that is good enough for me!
I wasn't refering to the nickel part of the myth. The myth that the Mex block is somehow beefier than the other earlier 302 blocks is the myth I was talking about. There's nothing different about it other than the main caps. It's essentially a Mexican casting of the 289 Hi-Po block, which was also later recast again as the D8VE-A3A in the late 70's. I've had all these blocks in my hands this past year and they're all identical except for a few extra bolt bosses cast in them (the Mex). The D8VE has a crankshaft position sensor cast above the rear main.
I know what you are saying. I've read countless argument threads about it over the years. Go to a Mustang forum - they fight like cats and dogs about them. Put a regular block and a Mexican block on ebay and see which one sells for bigger money. Fact is they have a mystique about them and right or wrong, that lends a little cool factor into having a Mexican block. The engine machinist that did the work for me, said that he could tell when working with it that it was a stronger block and he really liked the way it machined up. That is good enough for me. If he was happy - I'm happy. I like the block. It came out of a Cougar I owned once. It cleaned up nicely, tested and machined well and will have a nice new home soon.
I read for years too about the Mex being somehow the better block. Then one day last year, one fell into my lap, along with a C8 block, and the D8VE-A3A, A D2 bock. I already had the D8VE-3A I stripped all of them down to the bare block and weighed them all and took pictures. That's how I busted that myth. Guess which block sold first ?.........................that's right, the Mex and for $200. I recently sold the D8VE-A3A for $100 even though it was at 60 over. Now if I could just get the 3A and the C8 blocks sold...................
The Mexico block has extra material in the main webs that will allow you to drill for 4 bolt mains...........a standard block does not have the material to allow holes to be drilled for the outboard bolts on 4 bolt mains........... This is just like the early 351w blocks, late 70 through early 74 have the extra material for 4 bolt mains..............I have one under my bench and one in the Maverick...............both have 4 bolt mains. Just a little added insurance for making the motor live at 650hp.
