When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I just signed up for the forum although I've been lurking here for years. FTE is a great resource for Ford knowledge in general but I just sold off my Fox Mustang and picked up a '66 F100 2wd short bed so I'm legit now, lol. In the 2 weeks I've owned it, besides driving the heck out of it, I've straightened out the ignition timing, added a Pertronix, new plugs and a good set of wires from my Mustang project. I also corrected some of the underhood wiring fixing the oil warning light and windshield washer motor, plus I cobbled the fuel tank sending unit back together so the fuel gauge works again. The current plans are to drive and enjoy it while getting it back to mostly original condition as funds allow. Here are the general details:
Originally a 352/2 barrel, prior owner swapped in a '65 Lincoln 430 MEL
New Process 4 speed
Dana 60 locking rear w/ 3.54 gears
Built in early June in the San Jose plant
I've learned a ton about the truck already from the forum and other resources out there but one thing that has my stymied is the original paint color. I believe it was painted Silver Frost at the factory as the color is in all the places that usually don't get touched in a repaint. It looks to have a factory grease pencil "80" on the firewall and also behind the gauge cluster fascia reinforcing my belief that the color is original. I'd like to get everyone's thoughts on it: were other factory colors optional on Ford trucks in 1966?
If data plate has a blank color code then we won't know for sure what it was, but for sure they did have colors for trucks other than those listed in the buyers brochures. My one truck was a two-tone with Sauterne Gold as the primary color which was a 1966 Ford car color but not offered on a truck without special order.
Post a pic like mentioned and I can decode what is there.
No paint code - it would be between the "115" and the "F100" on that second line - so it's blank and it was painted a custom color as the 6 digit DSO - last line far right - shows it was a custom order which goes along with the blank color code.
Good news is you can paint it any color you want and it's not wrong. But, I agree the "80" is the ROT number from the assembly line and anything around it is original.
Welcome to FTE. Silver frost sounds like a nice colour. Do you have a closeup that is clean and shiny such as under the seat or behind the gas tank? You could maybe get a paint chip scanned for the correct colour mix when you get that far along.
No paint code - it would be between the "115" and the "F100" on that second line - so it's blank and it was painted a custom color as the 6 digit DSO - last line far right - shows it was a custom order which goes along with the blank color code.
Good news is you can paint it any color you want and it's not wrong. But, I agree the "80" is the ROT number from the assembly line and anything around it is original.
Forgive my ignorance but can you expound on what an ROT number is? The best preserved paint seems to be on the dash which brings up another question: The literature I've seen alludes to a dash pad being standard equipment in '66 but this truck doesn't seem to have had one. I assume that was optional as well?
The ROT (Rotation) number was used to track trucks and their associated parts at the factory. Below is the build sheet from my one truck and the ROT number of 0152 (152) is in the upper right corner. This is the same number they wrote in various locations.
Top of the gas tank
Top of the instrument cluster bezel
etc.
The padded dash was non-optional standard equipment on an F100, but the glue they used dried out and the dash pads are easily removed once that happens.
Only the F250 4WD had a Padded Dash Delete option in 1966. Although, with it being special order you never know.
Here's the full decode. Cool little truck with the Dana 60.3 locker rear end. If that is still there make sure to preserve that. 3.54 is a nice ratio. With that 352 tuned right you should have no problems on the freeway. Sweet little Custom Cab short bed.
F10 - F100 4x2
Y - 352 2V 8 cylinder
R - San Jose, CA assembly plant
872526 - 1966 - Assembled June 1966
115" Wheelbase.
* - Blank color code - requires special order
F100 - F100 4x2 5,000 Lbs GVWR
D81 - D = Medium beige crush vinyl and medium beige cody pattern woven plastic - 81 = 81B = Custom Cab
A - New Process 435 4-speed standard transmission
A9 - Dana 60.3 3.54:1 (3.3M load capacity) locking differential
TA455HO,
Thank you so much for all the info, that is so much more than I hoped for and I appreciate it greatly. And thank you to everyone else for your replies, that's what makes this forum great!
Yes, the Dana 60 is still in place along with its ID tag and now that the Lincoln motor is running right (the timing pointer was upside down and it only got worse from there) it cruises incredibly well. According the PO, the 352 was recently rebuilt but the rings didn't seat for some reason and it burned oil pretty bad. Once I get through some other projects I'll tear into it and see what's going on inside. It may be hard to go back to the original motor though—the '65 Lincoln 430 has a factory gross rating of 320 hp @ 4800 rpm and 465 ft lb of torque with a 10.1:1 compression ratio. It'll pull hills in 4th gear like nothing else I've driven, you just can't lug this thing down.
The truck came from Nevada so it's pretty well preserved except for a couple minor spots. Also, the previous owner said the heater fan didn't work, perhaps he didn't know how to turn it on but it worked for me and kicked out a ton of sand. Guess they don't use heaters much in Nevada, lol.
05-15-2020, 10:47 AM
