Hi all,

I am a new member and proud new owner of a '54 F100 project.I have been fortunately able to find a very clearly stamped VIN on the radiator cross member right next to the passenger side frame rail, but I have also found a second stamping on top of the cowl lip where it meets the firewall on the passenger's side. It is only 7 digits and does not appear to be a partial VIN. The stampings a quite large (roughly 2-2.5 times as large as the numbers in the VIN stamping) and with the paint buildup, I first thought them to be welds.

The exact stamping is: F (or possibly P) A 5 4 0 0 9

My thought was the F could be Ford or FA (PA) might have some other meaning related to the build, and the 009 would be the rotation number on the assembly line. I know that chalk was used to add the 3-digit assembly line rotation number on the firewall or radiator support on vehicles built in the 60s and later.

I also ran across this thread (https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...s-it-mean.html) for some earlier trucks that seems to confirm my thoughts, but doesn't fully answer my question.

Does anyone know how to decode this stamping?

Thanks in advance for any help.
Paul

 

I'm sorting thru production codes trying to make this come to life.
Here's my best guess, but I won't argue is someone tells me I'm full of it. This is out of my league, I usually stay with 48-50 numbers.

F is code for Assembly Plant at Dearborn, MI
A5 could be Jan 5 assembly date
4009 number assigned to that production unit down the line

By the way, welcome! Reading thru that old thread was a blast from the past!

 

Welcome to FTE the best Ford truck Forum on the world wide web!

I think MT Flat is on the right track. In the mean time show us pictures of your truck and tell us it's history if you know it.

 

I too have a 54. welcome to FTE. so tell ME more about your 54 please.