VIN decipher help needed

S

steve fritz

Well-known member
I am thinking about buying a 55 Ford 2 dr Station Wagon project car. Some of you may know how to decipher this data plate?
Here's how it reads:

A5KR 101044

59A C AD 4L NB2026A

The part that puzzles me is the R in the first row VIN number translates to Body Style Customline Ranch Wagon. But the 59A in the second row on the data plate translates to Body Type Ranch Wagon Mainline, with 59B being a Custom Ranch Wagon Customline. So what is the difference between BODY STYLE in the first row and BODY TYPE in the second row??
If i remember right the Mainline series did not have side stainless mouldings , while the Customline series did have a single stainless moulding runing from fenders, doors and quarters.
So do I have the MAINLINE ( no side stainless) or the Customline (single side stainless strip)???
Thanks!
Steve
 
One more puzzle on the last digits of the second line.....what is the PRODUCTION CODE NB2026A translate into???
Steve
 
Steve,


I just looked at the title for the wagon, and it is the same. Has an R for the body style code. Don't understand that, but the wagon is definitely a base (Mainline) Ranch Wagon, without stainless trim down the side, and rubber seal only around the windshield and rear liftgate glass. Plus it has no bright strip on the dash board (Customline level had it), plus it has a Mainline only style steering wheel with the horn button instead of a horn ring. Maybe a mistake in stamping the plate ? Or maybe just the way they did it.
Maybe someone on the Ford Barn has a '55 or '56 Ford Base Ranch Wagon built in Kansas City to compare the 4th digit of the VIN.


Sal
 
The production code breaks down as follows.

"The production code consists of a number signaling the day of the month the unit was completed, a letter signaling the month of the year, and a scheduled item number.

The scheduled item number is a number that is assigned to the body at the assembly plant"

On yours it should be a number a letter then a series of numbers. I don't know why your production code has two letters.

But to use my 56 which is the same as a 55 as an example mine is 3A3525E.

So mine breaks down as the 3rd day of January with a assembly plant body scheduled number of 3525. The E at the end is not common from what I have found out, the letter at the end of the production code signaled a group order. For example mine being E my vehicle was vehicle number 5 in a group order my dealership placed.

So for yours the A at the end would be car number 1 in a group order placed by the dealership that sold your vehicle. the N I cant say but the B is signaling a February completion month.

Maybe your dealership went different and used lettering for the day code as well but the Ford paperwork says it should be a number for the day 14. Maybe they went to a letter for double numbered days to make it easier I couldn't say.



For your vin number of A5KR 101044 it breaks down as follows.

A : 223 I6 Cylinder
5 : 1955 year model
K : Kansas City Plant
R : Ranch Wagon
101044 : 1,044th built

For the rest of your data plate as follows. 59A C AD 4L

59A : Ranch Wagon
C : Aquatone Blue
AD : Medium Copper Vinyl & Dark Copper Woven Plastic
4L : I don't know this, What does it say next to this number? Cause 59A is body, C is Color, AD is Trim, the only thing left on a 55/56 data plate is the Production Code.
 
Last edited:
alt63bird said:
NB = Nebraska IIRC
Click to expand...

if the NB = Nebraska then they did not follow ford manufacturing routine cause for 1955 and 1956 it was the same the first two digits for the production code is a number for a day of the month and a letter following it for the month of the year when production was completed on the vehicle.
 
Rusty_S85 said:
The production code breaks down as follows.

"The production code consists of a number signaling the day of the month the unit was completed, a letter signaling the month of the year, and a scheduled item number.

The scheduled item number is a number that is assigned to the body at the assembly plant"

On yours it should be a number a letter then a series of numbers. I don't know why your production code has two letters.

But to use my 56 which is the same as a 55 as an example mine is 3A3525E.

So mine breaks down as the 3rd day of January with a assembly plant body scheduled number of 3525. The E at the end is not common from what I have found out, the letter at the end of the production code signaled a group order. For example mine being E my vehicle was vehicle number 5 in a group order my dealership placed.

So for yours the A at the end would be car number 1 in a group order placed by the dealership that sold your vehicle. the N I cant say but the B is signaling a February completion month.

Maybe your dealership went different and used lettering for the day code as well but the Ford paperwork says it should be a number for the day 14. Maybe they went to a letter for double numbered days to make it easier I couldn't say.



For your vin number of A5KR 101044 it breaks down as follows.

A : 223 I6 Cylinder
5 : 1955 year model
K : Kansas City Plant
R : Ranch Wagon
101044 : 1,044th built

For the rest of your data plate as follows. 59A C AD 4L

59A : Ranch Wagon
C : Aquatone Blue
AD : Medium Copper Vinyl & Dark Copper Woven Plastic
4L : I don't know this, What does it say next to this number? Cause 59A is body, C is Color, AD is Trim, the only thing left on a 55/56 data plate is the Production Code.
Click to expand...





I am the owner of the '55 Ranch Wagon that Steve is referring to, and I agree with all of the code desiphering in Rusty_S85's post. The car is originaly from Nebraska, and still has the original medium and dark copper vinyl seats.


Sal
 
It is also a six cylinder 3 speed overdrive car with the original 4.27 Dana 44 rear axle.


Sal
 
4L is the production date for November 4, 1954. 4=4th day of month, L=November. NB would be for the Omaha sales district (DSO). Cars that got a DSO code usually meant that it was ordered by a dealer (usually for a customer) vs general production that went into a pool for distribution to dealerships (maybe oversimplified description but general idea). May also help explain how car was set up.
 
alt63bird said:
4L is the production date for November 4, 1954. 4=4th day of month, L=November. NB would be for the Omaha sales district (DSO). Cars that got a DSO code usually meant that it was ordered by a dealer (usually for a customer) vs general production that went into a pool for distribution to dealerships (maybe oversimplified description but general idea). May also help explain how car was set up.
Click to expand...

Interesting first Ive heard of that. not even a mention of that in the decoding documents I have.

So if it doesn't have a DSO code then it wasn't a special order by a dealership for a customer?

But that doesn't make sense to me either because the letter at the end of the production code number is what vehicle it was in a order placed by the dealership. Like mine for example doesn't have no DSO code it just has the date code, the numeral digits and then a E at the end signifying that it was the 5th car in a order for the dealership mine was bought from.
 
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