I noticed a few things from the VIN for my crew cab and wondered if you guys had any help for me:

First of all, the truck is a conversion 1965 F-100 crew cab with exposed rear door hinges. All indications are it was originally a custom cab (sweep gauges, door pocket on driver door, door trim on all 4 doors, etc.). The truck has the original (though shortened) 8' bed. All is mounted on an unmodified 129" wheelbase frame.

The VIN indicates it was maybe the first or second truck produced in January 1965.

I have had trouble finding what the body type is. The plate indicates C81. Can someone confirm what that means? I have seen conflicting info.

Thank you
Rich

 

In 1965 Trim Codes - C81


C = Medium green crush vinyl and medium green ladder pattern woven plastic


81 = 81B = Custom Cab


This is from the 1964-1972 MPC


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Thank you. I thought it could have been a reference to cab and chassis according to some information I saw.

Does 81 and 81B both refer to custom cab, or just 81B?

Rich

 

81A is Standard Cab


81B is Custom Cab


If you look at the snippet of a list that I sent you C4 is 81A so that would be a Standard Cab. It would look like


C481

on the warranty plate. Maybe not a great example since most are 3 characters that we commonly see.


You have to have the MPC to decode what the 3 or 4 characters mean - and it's part of that info that states if it is 81A or 81B - as you can see.


Like I've said before - the MPC is a bargain for $22 - gives part numbers, exploded diagrams and lots of info, most of which is invaluable. I've got the


1928-48 Car and Truck (1928-48 Cars and 1928-47 Trucks)
1948-56 Truck
1957-63 Truck
1964-72 Truck
1973-79 Truck Series 100/500
1973-79 Truck Series 600/900


And on my wish list are the rest of them that HiPo Parts offers.

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There is such a thing. It's how they distinguished C from 4 from C4.


481 is on page A2 - about the 8th one down the page (not shown here)
C81 is on page A3 - about the 7th one down the page
C481 is also on page A3 - about the 9th one down the page (circled in red)


I've seen both 1965 and 1966 trucks with 4 character BODY codes...and so have you.


.

 

Here's one you did yourself - Now you owe me a big favor- like let me make a copy of your 1990's OSI disk. I'll send it right back to you.


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...50-decode.html


If you look there is even an AB81 #1 and an AB81 #2, but I don't know how they distinguished between those on the Warranty Plate. Do you?



.

 

Here's what sounds like an AC81 that was never decoded back in 2005. Oh, Chihuahua....


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...ml#post2973444



An AE81 - this one has the actual Warranty Plate in a picture


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...oder-ring.html





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Guys, Thanks for the comments so far.

But, I think I'm still a little foggy.

I guess I can't determine for sure whether or not my truck was originally a custom cab since the VIN does not indicate A or B after the 81. Or, can I assume it was a custom cab since the info above only indicates the C color to follow with 81B, a custom cab designation. Which Is more likely?
Rich

 

Yours is C81 so it was Custom Cab. No doubt there.


Consider this - None of our trucks - not one - says A or B on the Warranty Plate on the end of the BODY code - You have to have the Master Parts Catalog or some other equivalent reference to properly decode. If you don't have any documentation then decoding is next to impossible.


No documentation = foggy.


Only you can solve the no documentation problem yourself. And it's not the VIN or WARRANTY NUMBER that decodes to Standard or Custom Cab, but the BODY code. They are both on the Warranty Plate, but the VIN or WARRANTY NUMBER is different than the BODY code.

.

 

Great help. Thanks so much for taking the time to help me.
Rich