What Ford casting number is this D1VE 601SA2B?

With Ford, they began using this form of block casting in the late 1950's. They assigned each decade a letter which begins the casting number. 1950 began the coding with letter 'B'. Each subsequent decade received the following letter. The first number after the first letter is the year of that decade in which the part was modeled for.

This means that your block casting number D1VE 601SA2B is for a:

D = 1970's

1 = 1971

This piece has a casting number for 1971.

V = the model is a Lincoln

E = the part is an engine component

6015 = [your 's' is actually a 5] it is an engine base assembly piece (or the actual engine itself)

A2B = the engineering version

In conclusion, this casting number tells you that the part is for the engine of 1 1971 Lincoln Continental Mark III. Probably a 460 cu in, 7.5 L, V8 engine.