This question may be primarily for Number dummy but anyone may know. I had some trouble this weekend figuring out the carb on my truck. What year the motor was mainly.

The question is this, when you see a ford part number on something does it denote the year it was made? Example would be the emissions sticker on the side of my valve cover starts with D6. Would that mean 1976? Im a bit befuddled.

 

Ford updates part numbers so often, it's hopeless in most cases using the part number prefix to determine the year. On specific body parts it works out, most other parts, it doesn't.

Ford also used the same part numbers for years for certain parts: Example: B-1012 = lug nut / fits all 1932/68 light truck/F1/F100, most of the cars. Then Ford updated B-1012 to C9AZ-1012-A in 1969...same dang part. This lug nut fits all the previous years and was used till 1986. In 1986 E6DZ-1012-A replaced C9AZ-1012-A. This lug nut fit all previous years and was used thru...?

Here's the decode for the part number prefixes. Uh...Ford changed to this system in 1955, then retroactively changed a few earlier prefixes to these new ones. Don't ask.

First digit: A = 1940'S / B = 1950's / C = 1960's / D = 1970's / E = 1980's / F = 1990's

Second digit is the year / Third digit is the model (but that doesn't mean a whole lot, either) / Fourth digit really means nothing. It was announced to refer to a Ford or L/M part, but there's so much interchange between the two, it really doesn't matter.

How does one know what's what? In many cases looking at a part number on mechanical parts doesn't mean scheiss, body parts...that's different.

Here's a run down on pre 1955 part number prefixes = Ford cars only, the trucks are a maze of numbers/letters.

T = Model T / A = Model A / B = 1932 4 cylinder / 18 = 1932 V8 / C = 1933/34 4 cylinder / 40 = 1933/34 V8 / 48 = 1935 / 68 = 1936 / 78 = 1937 / 81A = 1938 / 91A = 1939 / 01A = 1940 / 11A = 1941 / 21A = 1942 / 59A, 79A, 89A, 6A = 1946/48 / 8A = 1949 / 0A = 1950 / 1A = 1951 / BA = 1952 / BM (!) = 1953 / BF = 1954.

There's variations of all these, too...

Ford basic part numbers (the number between the prefix and suffix) have been the same for decades. Example: T-16005 is a right front fender for a Model T / D7TZ-16005-A is a right front fender for a 1973/79 F100/350 = note that D7TZ is an updated Ford part number, it replaced D3TZ.

D3TZ: See what I mean....if you saw that fender at a swap meet, you might think it fits 1973 only...it doesn't.

 

Thanks for that answer. That does clear up the mud a bit on the motor. Guess I am gonna have to climb under and try and find the castings on the block.