1940 Ford convertible body tags

[Kube]

Terry<OH has kindly shared a photo of a tag found on a convertible.

It is more than apparent that Ford tagged "some" wagons and "some" convertibles. There appears to have been variations in the style / format of those tags. Still to be determined is when were these tags utilized and why on some vehicles and not others.

In post #40, Terry makes a very valid point in regard to outside suppliers of bodies. However, at least from my research, (only) Ford was making the bodies by 1940.

 

[fcompoccio]

Sorry Kube no tags on my Convert. When I bought had an after market firewall is there anyplace else the number may be stamped?

 

[fcompoccio]

Hi Yours looks in much better shape than the one I bought. Mine has been a 2 year nightmare and still going. please keep in touch and let me know your progress. I would be happy to send you any pics of my progress but mine is a restomod with a brand new Chevy drive train. Ive had no reference where anything goes because mine has a new floor and firewall with no holes so Ive had to do my own figuring with some help from guys on here especially Kube.
Frank

 

[Mike1940ford]

My convertible has a tag in the upper left coroner of the firewall write above where the wire conduit goes through. It was attached with the original drive nails.The tag number is O1A66-971 i have never seen any numbers stamped on my original firewall. If any one would please tell me what these numbers mean. I would like to know. My frame number is star 18 - 5591758 star.

 

[Kube]

My convertible has a tag in the upper left coroner of the firewall write above where the wire conduit goes through. It was attached with the original drive nails.The tag number is O1A66-971 i have never seen any numbers stamped on my original firewall. If any one would please tell me what these numbers mean. I would like to know. My frame number is star 18 - 5591758 star.

The 971 is indicative of the sequential build of the body (shell).
That makes it an early body. Please note that is the body only. No doors, fenders, hood, etc. JUST the body.
The serial number of your car places it with a probable build date sometime during March 1940.
The two numbers don't appear to coincide: a very early body with a mid-year chassis.
The issue remains we have no way of telling how long the body sat around before it was "made into a car".

During my research, I took the proverbial deep dive into these plates. There were zero definitive notes, etc. that explained them. Also, some bodies got them, others did not.

By the way, numbers stamped INTO the dash panel (aka firewall) were super confusing. Quite scarce and ZERO notes as to why / how / etc.
Different assembly plants occasionally did things differently. Not necessarily according to Ford Motor CO. prescribed methods.
I had restored a well-documented '40 convertible a few years ago with a factory installed Mercury engine, one of 111 built that way. that car had 99 stamped into the dash panel.
That tag, seen in an attached photo is body 4848.
To add to that confusion, I had restored a deluxe coupe, also a well-documented Mercury install at the factory that did NOT have 99 stamped. However, it had a body tag that started with PC.
Again, no idea why and no answers found in the research center.

 

[rockfla]

Seems to be consistant with the "use" OR "not" with 39/40 Mercury's as well
My 39 Mercury 4 door, yes. My 39 Mercury Coupe, no. My 40 Mercury 4 door convertible, yes.

 

[Kube]

Seems to be consistant with the "use" OR "not" with 39/40 Mercury's as well
My 39 Mercury 4 door, yes. My 39 Mercury Coupe, no. My 40 Mercury 4 door convertible, yes.

Body tags were much more common in '39. Most of the Ford station wagons, convertible coupes and convertible sedans I'd inspected had a body tag.
Photo is of the '39 wagon I'd restored.
From what I understand, tags were for bodies produced FOR Ford, not BY Ford. Of course there are the anomalies like my '40 deluxe coupe. Body built BY Ford.
This body tag "thing" was supposed to have been phased out in 1940.
Just another wild guess but methinks not all plants got that memo.
I never researched Mercury unless there was an overlap to Ford so can't offer much on them.

 

[rockfla]

AS for the Mercury, it contradicts TerryOH claim of "only" outside suppliers used the body tag and NOT Ford directly....AS My understanding is that the 39 Mercury was the FIRST totally in house produce car by FOMOCO? ie NO Murray or Briggs bodies.

 

[Kube]

AS for the Mercury, it contradicts TerryOH claim of "only" outside suppliers used the body tag and NOT Ford directly....AS My understanding is that the 39 Mercury was the FIRST totally in house produce car by FOMOCO? ie NO Murray or Briggs bodies.

Conventical wisdom and some documents do indicate only outside body suppliers got tags.
However, there are instances when this did not ring true.
I firmly believe we will never have a definitive answer to this.

 

[TerryOH]

The PC tag is not a typical body number plate that would have been added by an outside supplier.

 

[Kube]

The PC tag is not a typical body number plate that would have been added by an outside supplier

Hmmm... perhaps you could explain how you came to that conclusion.
The tag is the exact size & style of the other tags I have witnessed, fastened in the exact location of the others.
That particular car was factory built with a Mercury engine. The tag number matches the number on a Telegram to the dealer advising the car was ready to be picked up in Dearborn.

 

[marko39]

My 39 deluxe sedan has a stamping under the voltage regulator: 14C 102 CHE. Would love to know its meaning.

 

[Kube]

My 39 deluxe sedan has a stamping under the voltage regulator: 14C 102 CHE. Would love to know its meaning.

Those stampings, deep into the dash, remain a mystery of sorts. They are thought to be some sort of identifying sequence of the factory location / build.
They are so rare and as far as I know, no logical sequence to them, well, sadly, I don't believe we will ever be able to clarify exactly what they were for.

 

[TerryOH]

The PC tag is not of the same style as the typical "body tags" used by outside Mfg. It may have been added by Ford?? I am not aware of every one of the "police " modifications but don't the majority of them seem to be related to the chassis, which was not assembled by outside Mfg. The typical Body tags were attached to the body by the outside Mfg. not by Ford. It is possible the PC body was assembled by Ford. You will note it also does not conform to the number font or the sequence of the numbers which for a typical "Body tag" included the model number before the sequence number.

 

[Kube]

The PC tag is not of the same style as the typical "body tags" used by outside Mfg. It may have been added by Ford?? I am not aware of every one of the "police " modifications but don't the majority of them seem to be related to the chassis, which was not assembled by outside Mfg. The typical Body tags were attached to the body by the outside Mfg. not by Ford. It is possible the PC body was assembled by Ford. You will note it also does not conform to the number font or the sequence of the numbers which for a typical "Body tag" included the model number before the sequence number.

Terry, I agree with you in regard to the "PC". I was NEVER able to figure that out.
However, this car came from the family of the officer who had ordered it new. There were papers, a lot of them, that proved its provenance.
ALL of the paperwork was between the Ford Motor CO. and the dealership with but two exceptions. One? The Telegram from Ford to the dealer stating the car was ready to be picked up in Dearborn with notes as to what was required at that time. That Telegram had the serial number on it.
Two? The letter to the dealer from the officer requesting this car to be built.

And yes, the only modifications of these special builds that are definitively known was the engine and related parts thereof.

 

[fordv8j]

Not a 40, our 38 conv had part of a body tag on drivers side firewall, when I got it, I asked Dennis Carpenter if he could make some; he said they did'nt have a tag

 

[TerryOH]

Kube: Your saying the tag is not a body tag it is a serial number tag?

 

[Kube]

Kube: Your saying the tag is not a body tag it is a serial number tag?

Correct.

Terry, rest assured I did the proverbial "deep dive" into this when visiting the BFRC. Not a note to be found...
As you most likely know, the "program" to get a Mercury engine in 1940 was still kept "quiet" by the Ford Motor CO.
It wasn't until 1941 that Ford stopped discouraging this "option".