Data plate decoding help 1957

[WallyDog13]

Hello,
Looking at a 55 Thunderbird with dealer code BU? That code does not seem to show up on any of decoding charts or tables. Does anyone know there BU is? I'd like to know where this Bird started life.
Thank you!
WD13

 

[doug7740]

If you attached a picture of your VIN plate I'll be happy to decode the VIN for you.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[Ward 57]

It's apparent that is not just a rumor. Probably to simplify the top end and better gas milage not realizing they are loosing the originality. If even available what would the manifold & carbs go for now? Almost priceless like parts for the 'F' birds.

What I've learned here, the valley pan was also different to accommodate the shallower intake manifold on the dual carb set up. When we got ahold of our gems most have been messed with. My car was 20yo when I bought it 40+ years ago and at that time people just considered it was 'just an old car' not knowing it's potential value.

 

[D Jones]

Looking at purchasing a 57 with the following data plate codes, could not find anything in the earlier posts: 40 NE XH 6M710936P. Get the first three; 40 tbird, NE Gunmetal Grey/white top, interior Red. its the 6M710936P I can't figure out as M would be the 13th month. Any help is appreciated, Thanks

 

[Ward 57]

Hills catalog has a pretty good data plate decoder. From what I can tell the production was the 6th of Dec. It's interesting as that is about the time they started to introduce '58 trim in the interior and there was another suffix on the interior code to indicate as such. Well documented. You may have one of the last before they ran out of '57 trim as they sold better than expected and ran out of regular trim.

 

[D Jones]

Thanks Ward57! Was not paying attention that Ford skipped the letter 'I' when counting off the months...
So no trans or axle code in this number, correct?

 

[jgarydilaura]

Sorry...I''m new guy, figured how to post photo of tag , hope you can blow up bottom # is 40 E XH 1B4301263 can someone explain numbers or put me in the right direction...I'm sure there's probably a chart of some sort .THKS Gary

 

[TBR]

Confused a bit by my 1957 data plate

Code is : 40 FF XK 24 E 3 1

My question is on the date. 24 for day of the month, E for May. However A-M supposedly designates 1955-56 with N-Z designating vehicles from 1957.

My car is definitely a 1957, not 1955. Any ideas on why the data plate doesn't seem to line up?

My first post here, thank you in advance for your answers!

You have some incorrect assumptions. A-M is used for the first 12 months of production, regardless of year. We see starting months usually as J (September) so a typical year with 12 months or less of production runs J-K-L-M-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H. Letters I and O are never used in date codes. If a model year goes into the 13th month, then the second set of letters N-Z is used, starting with whatever month is the 13th. In the case of 1957, the 13th month was September 1957, so the letter W was used; the last month of production was December 1957 so the letter Z was used. The complete run of month letters for 1957 in order is J-K-L-M-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-W-X-Y-Z. In any event the date stamped on the plate is a scheduled date, it was not meant to represent the actual build day although in some cases the actual build date fell on the scheduled date. That run of 1957 month letters is just that, 1957. It cannot be applied to every year or Ford product. You always have to consider the year of the car, the start of production, and how long production lasted. Lesson #2 will be about the integration of 1968 Lincolns and 1969 Mark IIIs from the same assembly plant, with different start dates, with an engine changeover, using the same set of "last six" of the VIN. As far as the data plate, these things were produced 1 at a time, with a hand-operated press. It's called human inconsistency.

 

[dmsfrr]

Sorry...I''m new guy, figured how to post photo of tag , hope you can blow up bottom # is 40 E XH 1B4301263 can someone explain numbers or put me in the right direction...I'm sure there's probably a chart of some sort .THKS Gary

Here's a link to a decoder page...

DATA PLATE REVISITED

PATENT DATA PLATES The following article is reprinted from the July-August issue of the Early Bird. It is one of the best explanations and...

ctcc9.blogspot.com

.

 

[StevoWilson]

Gathering info for my late father-in-law's 1956 Thunderbird. I have decoded the data plate except the production code has me baffled. The code is 9HNU33. That tells me it was scheduled for production on August 9th, and the 33rd produced unit that day. But I can't find a reference for the NU sales district. In 1957 there was a Newark district (15). Any chance NU was Newark in 1956?

 

[Rust]

Attached document will explain the month codes.

 

[StevoWilson]

Gathering info for my late father-in-law's 1956 Thunderbird. I have decoded the data plate except the production code has me baffled. The code is 9HNU33. That tells me it was scheduled for production on August 9th, and the 33rd produced unit that day. But I can't find a reference for the NU sales district. In 1957 there was a Newark district (15). Any chance NU was Newark in 1956?

View attachment 28736

I want to correct my statement re: the 33 at the end of the production code. After reading a bit more I see that it was the 33rd Tbird produced for Sales District NU in '56. Still don't know where NU was.

 

[farmerdick]

My production code is: 5K240015P. I know the 5K to be Oct 5th. What is the rest mean?
Thank you
farmerdick

 

[doug7740]

5K = Production Date Code – October 5th

24 = Jacksonville

0015 = The 15th Thunderbird shipped to the Jacksonville district

P = The "P" at the end is a code for regular production (not special ordered). The Special ordered cars had the letters A, B, or C depending on several things such as factory discount, etc.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[Ward 57]

My data plate paint is really scuffed up. I misread the 8 as a 'B' so it was built Nov 18 1956 production run # 5343 so a VERY early '57 4 weeks into the whole Ford production lineage. I bought a new decal for it but impossible to line up with the original markings. Apparently the original was paint and is there a way to clean it up and then apply the decal or best to leave alone and let it age with the car. The stampings are quite legible now that I lightly scuffed them.