Ford Division 11-character warranty (vehicle identification) number, 1960–1969

Character by character

Where to find it: The warranty plate is riveted to the rear (lock) face of the left front door (1963 onward it is marked 'not for title or registration'); the official number for title is stamped on a tab or panel in the engine compartment, whose location varies by car line and year (for example the 1964 Falcon's left cowl-to-front-spring-pocket strut). The 1960–1962 plate is on the left front door pillar per the club pages. Locations are as stated by the cited pages for their car lines only.

Model year codes

Assembly plant codes

Body serial code codes

Engine codes

Where the sources disagree

• {"topic":"1968 engine code W","claims":[{"claim":"W = 8 Cyl. 427 Cu. In. (4V) Hi-Perf.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1968-ford-mercury-shop-manual","locator":"Vehicle identification, engine code chart"}},{"claim":"W = 427 (4V) Hi-Perf. in the 1968 intermediate/compact manual as well.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1968-compact-shop-manual","locator":"Vehicle identification, engine code chart"}},{"claim":"W = 8 Cyl. 428 Cu. In. (4V) Hi-Perf., in a transcription that cites the same Form 7098-68 manual.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-mercurystuff-1968-ford-mercury","locator":"Engine Codes table"}}],"resolution":"Both factory manual scans print 427; the transcription is treated as a copying error and the table reads 427."}
• {"topic":"1965 engine codes C and 3","claims":[{"claim":"C = 8 Cylinder 289 Cu. In. (4V Prem.) and 3 = 8 Cylinder *289 Cu. In. (4V) low compression; no A is listed.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1965-ford-mercury-shop-manual","locator":"Vehicle Identification p. 1-4, Engine Codes"}},{"claim":"C = 8-Cyl 289 (4V Prem.) and 3 = 8-Cyl 289 (4V) low compression (a faithful transcription of the same manual).","source":{"id":"vin-ford-mercurystuff-1965-ford-mercury","locator":"Engine Codes table"}},{"claim":"C = 8-Cyl 289 - 2V and 3 = 8-Cyl 289 - 2V low compression, with A = 289 - 4V.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-mercurystuff-1965-comet","locator":"Engine Codes table"}},{"claim":"A = 289 4V premium fuel (1965-1967), C = 289 2V (1965-1968), D = 289 4V (1965 only); the low-compression numerals are on catalog p. 30, which the licensed demo omits.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1965-72-master-parts-catalog","locator":"General Information p. 29, Engine Codes"}}],"resolution":"The factory Master Parts Catalog and the Lincoln-Mercury specifications handbook agree that C is the 289 2V and A the 289 4V premium-fuel engine, and the 1966 factory manuals continue that assignment; the table publishes A and C for 1965 on that basis and records the first-printing shop manual\u0027s C = 4V as a disagreement. 3 is still not published for 1965: the shop manual and the handbook disagree on its carburetor and the catalog page that lists it is not held."}
• {"topic":"1969 engine code W","claims":[{"claim":"W = 8 Cyl. 427 (4V) is listed.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1969-preliminary-shop-manual","locator":"Vehicle identification, engine code chart"}},{"claim":"The engine code list has no W.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1969-car-shop-manual-vol1","locator":"Vehicle identification, engine code chart"}}],"resolution":"Published from the preliminary manual with a note that the later printing omits it."}
• {"topic":"1966 Falcon example plate","claims":[{"claim":"The Falcon plate figure prints 6F11C 100001 but its caption says Lorain; the manual\u0027s own plant chart gives F = Dearborn and H = Lorain.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1966-compact-shop-manual","locator":"Vehicle identification, Falcon warranty plate figure"}}],"resolution":"Treated as a misprint; the example is not used as a golden example."}
• {"topic":"1965 plant code L","claims":[{"claim":"L = Michigan Truck.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1965-ford-mercury-shop-manual","locator":"Vehicle Identification p. 1-4, Assembly Plant Codes"}},{"claim":"L = Long Beach (1965), in a combined 1965-1972 plant list.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1965-72-master-parts-catalog","locator":"General Information p. 24, Assembly Plant Codes"}}],"resolution":"The contemporary 1965 table is followed (Michigan Truck); the catalog reading is not published."}
• {"topic":"1965 Falcon Futura bucket-seat body codes","claims":[{"claim":"11 = 63C 2-door hardtop (RPO bucket), 12 = 76B convertible (RPO bucket); 17 = 63B (bench) and 63H (bucket, less console); 15 = 76A (bench).","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1965-compact-shop-manual","locator":"Vehicle Identification p. 1-3, Falcon body serial and style codes"}},{"claim":"17 = 63B, 63C and 63D hardtops; 15 = 76A, 76B and 76D convertibles; no 11 or 12 for 1965.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1965-72-master-parts-catalog","locator":"General Information p. 28, (X) Falcon"}}],"resolution":"Both agree that 17 is a Futura hardtop and 15 a Futura convertible. 11 and 12 are published for 1965 from the contemporary shop manual, with their body style named, because the later catalog files those styles under 17 and 15."}
• {"topic":"1966 Falcon and Fairlane body codes","claims":[{"claim":"Falcon 14 = Futura Sport Coupe (62C), 22 = 71A wagon, 24 = 71B wagon deluxe, 27 = Ranchero (66A, 66B, 66D); Fairlane 46 = 500 XL hardtop (63C), 47 = 500 XL convertible (76C).","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1966-compact-shop-manual","locator":"Vehicle identification p. 1-3, Body Serial and Style Codes (also read on the Forel licensed demo, Demo10003)"}},{"claim":"Falcon 06 = 71A 4-door wagon, 13 = 62C 2-door sedan (bucket seats), 16 = 71B 4-door deluxe wagon, 29 = 66B/66D Custom Ranchero; Fairlane 46 = 76C 500XL convertible, 47 = 63C 500XL 2-door hardtop.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1965-72-master-parts-catalog","locator":"General Information pp. 26 and 28, Series Codes"}}],"resolution":"The table keeps the contemporary 1966 shop-manual readings. The catalog is a later, cumulative listing that may record running changes or errors; neither reading is confirmed by a third factory document, so these 1966 codes should be treated with caution."}
• {"topic":"1964 Falcon engine code F and the example plates","claims":[{"claim":"The engine table marks F (8-cylinder 260) with the low-compression asterisk; the plate figure caption for 4H19F100001 reads \u0022Engine 170 CID 6-cylinder\u0022 while the text decodes F as the 260 V-8.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1964-car-shop-manual-falcon","locator":"Falcon Identification, pp. 5-6"}},{"claim":"The Comet table in the same manual lists F = 8-Cylinder 260 without an asterisk and gives 6 as the low-compression 260; its figure caption for 4H12F500001 also reads \u0022Engine 170 CID 6-cylinder\u0022.","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1964-car-shop-manual-falcon","locator":"Comet Identification, pp. 3-4"}}],"resolution":"F is published for 1964 as the 260 V-8 without a compression claim. The Falcon example is used as a golden example for year, plant and body only."}
• {"topic":"1962 Thunderbird example plate","claims":[{"claim":"The plate figure shows serial 2Y71Z100001, while the manual\u0027s Serial Number example and model list give 2Y83Z100001 and 83 = Tudor Hardtop (71 is not a 1962 Thunderbird code).","source":{"id":"vin-ford-1962-thunderbird-shop-manual","locator":"Thunderbird Identification, Fig. 1 and Serial Number example"}}],"resolution":"The text example 2Y83Z100001 is used; the figure is treated as a reused or misprinted plate."}

Decoded in full elsewhere

• Mustang Car Facts: Mustang VINs are decoded in full by Mustang Car Facts.