Engine #LF9001

[vstibbard]

I’ve been tidying and cataloging my parts and came across this engine. Head and block share LF9001 stamping.
Can anyone help me confirm if this was a Mk2 Lotus Cortina engine or identify what model it came out of pls. Is a square cap L block with 6 bolt crank, 125E rods and head is late version with stiffening gusset between 2 and 3 cylinders, no letter stamped in plug valley behind timing chain case, and later pre Sprint cam cover with no boss for stromberg throttle cable guide.
Cheers
Vaughan

[trw99]

Vaughan,

LF (Lotus Ford) was the engine prefix used for the Lotus Cortina.

Engine numbers in the 9### series tended to be fitted to Elans in the second half of 1967.

Tim

[vstibbard]

Thanks Tim, so generally Lotus Cortina but could also be from an Elan is that correct interpretation? Cheers Vaughan

[trw99]

Highly doubtful it was fitted to an Elan at the factory. From memory I think there were only 2 Elans with LF engines in the records.

I’m away from home at the moment so unable to double check. I did run your engine number through the records yesterday and it did not come up.

All in all, it’s pretty certain your engine was from a LoCort.

Tim

[Elanintheforest]

Have a look at the casting date on the block Vaughan. It is located on the left side just above the generator mounting area. Simple to de-code, for example, 8D14 is from 1968, April 14th.

As Tim says, it's from a Lotus Cortina, and the cast date will give you (within 4 weeks or so) the build date of the engine. The block had to be shipped from Dagenham to Hethel before it could be built!

It's a good check on a 'matching numbers' car to ensure that the original engine numbers haven't been ground off and over-stamped.

Mark

[pharriso]

As Tim says, it's from a Lotus Cortina, and the cast date will give you (within 4 weeks or so) the build date of the engine. The block had to be shipped from Dagenham to Hethel before it could be built!

Mark

Blocks were cast at Ford's Foundry at Leamington Spa, then shipped for Machining at Dagenham.

[Elanintheforest]

Only from 1984 I believe Phil. There would have been a lot of trains / trucks travelling from the Midlands to Essex to feed Dagenham with all their casting needs in the 1950 and 1960s!


Mark

[vstibbard]

Thanks all, im away and will check in my return, I have too many spares so will see if I can find the car it came from
V

[2cams70]

Is it a 3020E, 681F or 701M casting block?

It seems the 701M block was produced by Ford mainly for service replacement of pre-crossflow blocks. The fact that it also happened to also be used in Lotuses and late Twin Cam Escorts is incidental to it's main purpose of existence. There's even 701M 3 main bearing short block versions of the 701M block existing. These were probably produced by Ford for service replacement of 105E and 109E blocks. Anglia production finished in 1967 - i.e well before the 1970 production of the 701M block.