That's a blue 4.2 although without the heads/intake etc they are the same thing just painted different colours (unless its one of the first 5 or so VB 4.2 which are the same block as earlier HZ).

The stamped numbers could be anything even something done when it was rebuilt at some stage.

Someone has put HQ heads on it and a KC intake. Keep that intake if it isn't rotted out. You can use it on any HT-VL heads, fits all of them. And it is basically a copy of the V5H engine intake except some have ribs in the plenum floor (the V5H engines were all smoothed out when ported to copy L34 type mods).

If its a HQ head it will be 1974. The centre bolts in the intake will give it up. One bolt 1974 and from a HJ or an LH. Two bolts 1984 and from a VK.

Yes. The top one is basically 1980 onwards. There is only the 4 basic heads:

HT-HG.
HQ-HJ which includes LH and LX until 6/76.
HX-HZ which includes LX 6/76 onwards and VB.
WB and VC-VL. Also includes Bedford trucks with the silver 4.2 and 5.0L engines.

The first two types are essentially interchangeable, difference is the early type is missing the holes in the ends for power steer and aircon setups. They use the same intake design.
The 3rd type uses a single centre bolt in the same location as the first two types but has a U shaped EGR port. HX and HZ intakes look different but they interchange.
The last type is like your first picture.

The KC manifold is designed to fit all of the heads.

I can't see the ends of the heads in those lower images but they are both the first or second type.

Yes, that U shaped port is the ADR27A red head introduced with HX mid 1976. The intake manifold with these was a shocker. Dropped the 5.0L from 250hp down to 216hp SAE Gross.

Yes, those are HQ-HJ heads with the bracket holes. The earlier ones were missing the boss up high under the rocker cover. Later HG might have migrated to HQ heads though, like they did for rocker covers (just not pressed out for the filler cap). The date coding changed during 1973. If its got a 28 cast number its late 60's or early 70's. Anything after that will be 99 or 92 or similar.

Can you please explain to me why there is the cutout on the fwd end of a manual shift floor console? remove heat from the gearbox being trapped under the console? I can only find one part number for the ventilation ducting under the dash to marry up with the console. If this was the same component for all models then how did they put the hole in the ducting to accommodate the console?