Identifying an engine

[Steve McDonald Formally known as Mcdonas]

at a local car show last week a young man with a 1965 Fastback came and he says his car has the 289 HiPo. He went on to explain his great grandfather built the car in the 80's and is was originally a 289 2V ( Vin supports that) A look at the engine show it to have the correct looking Alternator, fuel pump ( 65 style) and harmonic balancer. The intake and distributor were aftermarket. Looking further the car had an aluminum water pump and what appears to be an early front cover with the oil fill opening plugged with a large freeze plug. The exhaust manifolds appear to be Hipo style
The question is did any Mustang have the oil fill tube on the front cover, I know the Fairlanes did but have never seen one on a Mustang. I know also the Cobra's did use this style and my questions is, what if any VIN was stamped on engines designated for a Cobra.
I told where to look for casting dates and the VIN stamp  and to pull the valve covers and take pictures
I found out his grandfather is the original owner of my GT350 and his great grandfather I also knew.
Anything else he should search for as we try and determine where the engine came form
PS
I'm still searching for my original block for 6S1431, I believe it is in Solana Beach Calf. and was removed by a Scott Martin in 2000 from car 6S1855

[shelbydoug]

I remember two 65 (64-1/2) Mustang Convertibles I saw in '67 that did have the front oil fills. They were 289 4v's. Both had A/C and automatics. I thought that entire combination as very strange.

I test drove one, and if it hadn't ridden like a buckboard with concrete tires would have bought it.

I assume that they were very early cars but at the time things like that just were noted and not investigated. There is probably a change over date that a parts department would have had a documentation of?