Finding the Engine VIN

[ironman16nc]

I have a 4.6L Mustang GT 1997 engine and for the life of me I can't find the engine VIN. From what I've read it should be on the lower part of the block, driver side, near the bell housing. There is a nice flat surface there, a bit of corrosion, but I don't see any VIN. Am I looking in the right spot? Could the corrosion have distroyed the markings? Any help would be appreciated. See attached pic.
2354

[ironman16nc]

Update: I went (with picture) to my local Ford service center. They told me that it's very likely that the engine was never marked with a VIN. They sometimes afix a tag, but that's long gone. They consider that the engine is a replaceable part and that the car's VIN is something to mark the uniqueness of the frame and not the engine.

All this is centered around doing whatever I can now to make sure obtaining a title goes smoothly. Also I don't want to buy a bunch of parts for an engine that a state inspector might bauk at because I can't produce a VIN for the original car. Guess I'll just cross my fingers, and as someone recently posted...relax, and have a homebrew.

[gtcobra]

Mine is a DOHC, so I am not sure it is the same, but it is on the block boss above the oil pan in the back on the drivers side. Not ledgable at all, but that is it.....
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz220/gtfireftr/2003%20Mach%201%20Donor/SANY0099.jpg

[ironman16nc]

Great pic, thanks. I'm definitely looking in the right place but there's nothing there. Mine is the GT SOHC engine so maybe they were not as picky as the SVT Cobra engine you have. In either case, doesn't look like something I should worry about. Thanks.

[FFR-HamptonVa]

Our '98 SOHC also has nothing in this area... & by all appearances never had it.
We'll see how Virginia DMV handles it down the road.
Cheers,

[kinneyb]

My donor was a 96 sohc and the # was invisible; however after a judicious applacation of elbow grease, and WD_40 with 4-0 steel wool it miracously appeared

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/Kinney_Beisel/F5R6079%20Build/engine%20SN/enginesn004.jpg
I could not get the second pic to paste so here is a link to the album ...you can look at all of the pics.
http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/Kinney_Beisel/F5R6079%20Build/engine%20SN/

When the trooper brought my title and VIN tag all he was concerned about was that the vin # on the title and vin tag matched the serial # on the frame of the roadster under the steering wheel and where the vin tag was mounted. He preferred the driver side door post ... we used the verticle 2" post the door hinge was attached to.

Kinney

[3kcarbon]

Our NC DMV will freak out over missing numbers. They even claim motors and transmissions are sold with titles which is utter BS. My Ford Racing crate motor had a tag glued to the block and I got a receipt from the vendor with the numbers on the tag to tie it to the vendor sale. They took that.

[Jeff Collins]

A lot of times the motors are not marked. Where did you get the engine? If you have a clear cradle to grave ownership trail you may be OK. Worst case you will need to purchase a bond, a little more money but it won't keep you from being able to register.