Build sequence number

[jodrod]

Thanks to redbird we have found that the build sequence (rotation) number of your car is on one of the VIN stickers located in one of the following places. Hood, trunk, fenders (front and rear, left and right) and the doors. There may be more that I have not spotted. Most people have found it on the vin sticker on the left front fender in the engine compartment.

The sequence (rotation) number is a number Ford assigns when the car is being built. My VIN is 102532 but it was actually the 2167th 2002 Thunderbird to be produced.

The rotation numbers rolled over at 9960, so if you have a high vin and a low rotation number add 9960 to it to get your build sequence number.

Start looking.



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[Tommy Tbird Blue]

Cool...I'll check it out tomorrow.

 

[greenwr]

Joe, the difference in you 2 numbers is 365. I checked mine and the Vin# is 4359 with a sequence # of 4254, or 105 difference. So they must jump around!! Located mine on the left front fender and in the center at the front of the engine compartment.

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Bill's Red and White #4359

 

[rt2esq]

Is that little white label the build sequence?? What other evidence is there other than that label.

What happens when it wear's off?? I am taking a pic of this label up close because it doesn't appear anywher else.

In any event, I now just changed from Triple Black #1049 to Triple Black #748.

RT2ESQ
Triple Black #748

 

[redbird]

Those labels are the government mandated markings on the body panels to deter theft, they are designed to be permanent. The sequence number is on one of the labels so the installer can pick the correct label sheet for the car. All the workers on the line ID the car by the rotation (sequence) number, not the VIN number.

About 10% of the VIN numbers are never built, that's why the build sequence number is usually lower than the VIN number plus the VIN numbers on the line jump around a lot.

The sequence number made it to 9960 Tuesday and then started over at 0001, so for the birds being built now, add 9960.

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[rt2esq]

So the build sequence is unique only to the 1000th? So, in my case 748 of a vin 1049 means what it says, whereas, 245 of a vin 2530 means it was 2245 built?

Correctomundo?

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RT2ESQ
Triple Black #748

 

[jodrod]

Close, try 2285.

The numbers rolled over at 9960, ie the 9961st car will be rotation # 0001.

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[Gobird]

I checked the trunk today and I have that lable on each side of my trunk. The number there is the same as my Vin #. 109293.

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02 T-Bird
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond

 

[jodrod]

Gobird,

Check around some more. The one with the rotation number will have the VIN on the bottom and the rotation number will be on the top, it should be a 4 digit number. They are on each fender (left, right, front, rear), trunk lid, hood, and both doors that I know of. It will likely be several hundred below your vin (9293).

 

[LON O'CONNELL]

I checked out my sequence number and found it to be 942. VIN: Y101396. I always wanted one of the first 1000 and thought I had missed it by 396 but now find that I made it with 58 to spare.

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Yellow/Yellow Prem. 02 Bird w/full accent
1999 F150 Super Cab 4x4 Off Road
1998 Taurus SE Sport 24V

 

[jodrod]

I'm thinking of adding a column to the database for rotation/sequence number, so if you all find them, please post them here or in the "VINs/Dates..." thread.

Thanks

 

[GABIRD]

I checked out my sequence number and found it to be 1276. VIN: 000201. Interesting to note that one of the NM cars shifted down so far in the build sequence. Wonder if all were that way. Found build number under the hood on the driver's side.

 

[thenewtbird2]

GABIRD,
since many of the NM 'birds were built in July & August, I would suspect that most NM owners will see the higher build sequence #. That will be an interesting stat to gather for those cars.

 

[jodrod]

GABIRD,

What is the digit right after P64A in your VIN?

 

[thenewtbird2]

If someone could post a photo (or email it to me) of one of the build sequence tags, I'd put it on the dataplate decoder page in the newtbirddata files.

 

[Mark501]

Jod....

I found mine, it is only off one digit. VIN 5138 sequence 5139.

Mark

 

[GABIRD]

jodrod,

That would be 62Y

 

[Gobird]

jodrod, found it 9264 front fender drivers side.

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02 T-Bird
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond

 

[DavidA]

Mine was on the driver's front fender, seq 1199, serial # 1429.

 

[2K2BIRD]

Found mine on the driver's side front fender. Sequential # is 3801 compared to VIN of 3739. "Jewel" must have been bad and held after class, LOL. Interesting that only one of the several stickers I found had the sequence # on it.

Paul

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#3739 Premium
Torch Red w/matching top
Standard Interior