VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Motor Identification

Good Morning All,

I recently bought a spare motor for my 1936 Town Car Sedan, sight unseen.

I'm hoping to confirm that it's for my 36. The block has a casting number of 838941.

And a pix of the motor.



Thanks in advance.

According to the block casting number, your engine is a 1939.

Thanks, I was afraid of that. It looks a little different than the one I have which is technically a 1938 block with 36 parts. My existing engine was partially disassembled when I got so I wasn't sure.

Are some of the parts interchangeable? I also got the starter, transmission ect. with it. Just wondering what I can use between engines.

There is no way you can have a 1938 block with 1936 parts in it. They are two completely different engines. The 1938 and 1939 starter is completely different from a 1936.

To ID your present engine....if it is a 1936 engine the oil filler and dip stick will be on the drivers side.
From 1937 and up they are on the passengers side.
1938 and 1939 engines are the same.

Ahh, well I'm misremebering the answer I got here some time ago.

"836010 is the casting number for a 1936 engine, however, the casting date indicates that your engine was cast on October 29, 1938. Based on the casting date, it appears that your engine block is a replacement since it was not cast in 1936."

I have a 38 casting of a 36 block. Not a 38.
My bad.

Any parts off the 39 engine I should save as replacements for my 36 or just try and resell it to someone with a 39?
I also got the trans with it.

Or is the 39 is a far superior engine and I should swap it out for my 36?? Just playing devils advocate.

Thanks again for the advice.

Really nothing will fit so sell it including the trans.

Thanks