... just wonder where my 4V 312 ended up...!

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

The "P" at the end of the plate means the car was shipped out of the Mahwah, NJ assembly plant sales district, the 256 means it was the 256th 57 ford car shipped to that sales district that month.

thanks Ted; the car is now red and white (always been my favorite color combo from the 50's) and with a 272 2V under the hood!  Wonder where the 312 went??!!

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

Decodes as a 312 245HP 4V engine, 1957, built in Mahwah NJ, Fairlane 500 tudor, 65,631 production number, Raven Black and Colonial White exterior color, Gray cloth interior, scheduled production day January 14^th, 256^th car produced.
 
No information on the % sign but could indicate a reversal of the colors on the exterior.  No information on the P at the end of the production code.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

yeah... "Fast and Loud" should be "Fast-talking Loud-mouth".  Sorry that Texas has been the backdrop of such a one as RR!
anyway... back to my VIN, here goes:
D7ET165631
Body: 64B
Color: AE%
Trim: R
production code: 14A0256P

interpretations welcomed...!
thanks, Mark


"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

And then you watch Fast and Loud or Overhaulin etc and they get a car in and exclaim how good it is as it is a numbers matching car, and then cut the whole front off and put a crate motor and gearbox in it.


Gary - 1958 Star Customline and 1940 Ford Deluxe Hotrod

Vehicle Serial Number and Vehicle Identification Number are  the same thing.  Just different nominclature.  The early numbers identified the year as well as the serial number just as the later numbers did.  Model T's may have had only the "T" before the number so the year ID started with the Model A or the 32.   Over the years Ford added additional info to the number, such as an engine code, most likely because they were using different engines in the same model year.  The engine code may have started with 1932, when the V8 and  4 cylinder were both offered (not sure).





54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

thanks to all!
Mark

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

62bigwindow.  At first blush your statement is totally correct.  -There is no serial number on the y-block Ford engines or transmissions that corresponds to the vehicle serial number that it came out of.

For the purist however, there are engine component casting numbers AND some components have casting dates that are 'correct' for the vehicle the engine or transmission came from.  This also comes into play with transmissions.

I am not a numbers guy, but for someone putting together something like an E code or F code car, this information can affect the value of what they are restoring.

You are totally correct that the purists working on the restoration of something like a Corvette, this serial number stuff has got to be hard.  


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

One thing that always makes me chuckle is when you hear a vintage Ford as being numbers matching engine and transmission.

Durham Missouri