Is there a simple, foolproof way for someone to tell? The crank I have is out of a 1974 car, but I need to be sure it is forged steel, rather than cast.

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Restored '62 Signet, 229 4bl, Offy intake, auto, Dual Dutra exhausts, shaved head and block, high stall converter, 1.6 roller rockers, etc.

The journals on a forged crank are wider than a cast. Also the counter weights are larger.

Stand the crank on its end and tap lightly with a hammer. Rings like a church bell, if it's forged. Cast cranks have a dull sound.

Jerry

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There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

I could be totally in left field, but I was always told that cast cranks have very thin parting lines; visible on the throws and counterweights, whereas forged cranks have wide parting lines, and usually they have visible evidence that there was some grinding performed at the factory on those parting lines....
just my .02

The moparts website has a really good couple of pictures that show the difference. here is a link to the page. This should tell you everything.
http://www.moparts.com/Tech/Archive/motor/8.html

Nick