Help with 426 Block ID

How would you diagnose which way it turns(head scratch )

If it turns opposite direction could the crank still be used?

Research what you have.

The stampings reflect how it was originally built, & the arrow is a great clue.

If the engine has ever been rebuilt, the original built data is out the window though.

If you put a LH starter into a RH block in a boat, you will suck water from the exhaust into the cylinders.

I hear what your saying Alaskan ....Thanks to you all for the help

It had some oddball stuff on it.. had a unique oil pump from memory (no pic of it) but did take a pic of the cast aluminum oil pan with swinging pickup, and cast iron timing cover. (I kept all the marine stuff off it at the time)

The pan went to AndyF here actually might still have the timing cover stashed away somewhere?

While I'm here ...what is this engine block just listed on eBay? Real or a Street Wedge??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111585037273?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

It looks like it has the max wedge notches in the cylinders.

Not all notches are created equal...

Another one

And now your ebay example.

This example is NOT typical of an original Max Wedge stamping. It has the small font stamping as was used in regular production (as correct on a Street Wedge). That said, it does have what appears to be original broach marks in the cast iron and does not appear to have been re stamped. The sideways "I"s are not unusual, I've seen them used in place of dashes or "1"s before, from the factory, so I wouldn't call BS on those. Street Wedges were stamped V 42. V stood for 1964, 42 was for 426 cid (no "6" was used for 1964 engines) and had HP (but not MP).

Notice how your ebay example has the EXACT same date as my original example and is just ONE engine before it in build sequence? Does that seem odd to you? It does me!

What I would question is;

Did someone add some markings to a Street Wedge block to make it appear to be a Max Wedge? Possible, but if they did, they did a great job.

The other possibility is that it was built as a replacement or something and was built using different stamping tools to I.D. it than normal production versions.

Also to be questioned is the casting date which is pretty early for a 1964 engine.

Tough call from just the pics (I'd rather see it in person) I'd be highly skeptical of this one.

Yes everything points to it being Bogus,especially with that picture of the following built engine!!.... .Scott,remember that max wedge (warranty block) that came across Moparts last year? That also had a strange I'd pad if I remember and you where adamant it was a genuine max wedge Block......seems very peculiar considering the other parts in the auction look legit?(that fan & clutch are rare), also the sumps correct with the obvious mod they did back then....
I don't think it will find a high price but there is still some nice parts.

One thing I just noticed....look at the intake bolt hole,it has no chamfer ,also notice around the distributor boss!! That looks like it's been machined down??

I was just looking at one of my 440 blocks and that spot by the distributor.I would make a pretty heavy bet that the block in question has been milled quite a bit to remove numbers stamped on the pad.

If you look at the ebay block it doesn't have broach marks, those marks are from really large diameter insert mill, they have a circular pattern

Pistons are not original TP pistons.Thompson products(forerunner to trw). Those are replacement TRW's from the 70's

There was a small run run of Maxi blocks in about 71 for Nascar and NHRA . IIRC about 100 were made.