1964 and 1965 VINs

[Lew Ledyard]

How many characters were in a VIN from 1964? How many for 1965? Is CSX2*** or CSX3*** (i.e. seven characters) the VIN number?

Thanks,

Lew

[Ron61]

Lew,

Yes CSX2XXX is the vin number for the original Cobras. They had seven ( 7 ) digits counting the CSX. The CSX2000 series was the 260/289 bunch and the CSX3000 series was the 427/428 group.

Ron

[computerworks]

All cars and light trucks built after 1981 have a unique 17-character number that contains information about that vehicle's history. This number is called the vehicle identification number (VIN#).

There was no such thing as a standardized "VIN" in the Sixties; cars had Vehicle Serial Numbers, where the length and composition was at the discretion of the manufacturer.

[Ron61]

Computerworks,

A question about vins. My 1969 Daytona Torino Cobra has a 12 or 18 digit & letter vin if you count each one seperately that breaks down into everything about the car . On the title it shows this number as a vin number. Also a friend has a 1966 Shelby Mustang and it has what is listed as the Ford vin number under the tag Shelby put over it. I know the new cars have long numbers but what would you refer to the older cars identification numbers as since the state refers to them as vin numbers ? This is just a question to satisfy my own curosity about these numbers as I have seen the CSX cars here in Calif. with the title listing the CSX number as the vin. Remember I am in the Republic of California and everything here seems to go against the rest of the world.

Thanks,

Ron

[computerworks]

I guess it's really semantics. Car serial numbers may have been referred to as Identification Numbers prior to 1981, but the industry wide, 17-digit "VIN" system wasn't in place back then.

Detroit mfg's would use each alphanumeric digit to indicate a configuration item or choice, then end it with a sequence number.

You saw them more likely called serial numbers back then:

[Ron61]

Computerworks,

That explains a lot of the confusion around here between people with older cars and newer ones. Our DMV will ask for the vin number of any car that you talk to them about even if it is a 1918 something or other. And I knew that my 1965 Comet number broke down to tell me the features of the car and colors & etc. and was lsited on the title as a vin number, so I really wasn't sure what they mean when they would say vehicle serial number. The picture that you posted looks similar to the Shelby tag on that guy's Shelby GT-350, but his title says vin SFM something or other. Semantics and Calif. doesn't go well together.

Ron

[Mark IV]

...the VIN, serial number or whatever you want to call it on your Comet DID not break down the options or color. A Ford VIN up to 1981 had 11 characters and they designated the year, assembly plant, body type, engine and the six digit consecutive number for that assembly plant....and the numbers were NOT always issued in the order of build! I am VERY familiar with these numbers and how Ford assigned them. The 11 characters went Number (year) Alpha (plant) Number/number (body type) Alpha (engine) and the six number unit ID.

The "data" plate or tag that was riveted to the door post or door had ALL the data, trim code, body code, color code, axle, transmission, District Sales Office (or Domestic Special Order depending upon situation) and build date. You cannot determine a color, trim, date, etc. from an older Ford VIN.

Shelby assigned their own VIN as they wwere the manufacturer of record, the cars WERE NOT Fords, they were Shelbys.

Rick

[Ron61]

Rick,

Sorry that I upset you. I am not nor did I claim I know all of this stuff. This is what I was trying to find out. The reason I said vin was the paint shop told me to look at the vin tag on the door. Sorry I didn't make that part clear.

As for the Shelby's I didn't say they were Fords per sae. Ford delivered the Mustangs to Shelby in L.A. and they do have Ford numbers on them. Then as Shelby's bunch finished doing one they would get the next Shelby number and stick it on car over the Ford number. And they aren't in sequence as Shelby's guys didn't finish them in the order they were delivered. Example, Mustang #1 in the Ford sequence may be # 12 in the Shelby sequence depending on who finished which one first. That is the only way you can have a Shelby Mustang certified is by going to the SAAC and giving them your Shelby # and the Ford # and they have rthe records of which numbers should be together. That is what makes it almost impossible to pass a clone off as a real Shelby. This I know for a fact as they closed a classic car place down here a few years back for trying this. They had gotten hold of a Shelby tag somewhere and then fixed a clone Mustang and put the Shelby tag on the inner fender over the Ford number. That was ok but when a possible buyer called the numbers in to the SAAC to have them verified the craphit the fan.

I did mistate in my post about the Comet as they asked for the door tag but called it a vin. And I was asking about the Shelby numbers, I did not say that was what they were or that this state is even correct but I can read and I know what I saw on the title that guy showed me. I didn't state my question as clearly as I should have, but I was not making a statement of fact, just trying to clear up my own confusion over why one time out here it is one way and the next time it is something different.

Ron

[Mark IV]

Dude,





Chill!!! I am NOT upset, I use the upper case too easily!

When I AM upset, you WILL know it!

Best,

Rick