Well, after about 5 weeks of waiting, in my mailbox today was my build sheet from Ford telling me when Big Red was built, where (although I already knew that) and with what options. It came in the form of a letter.

Here's the text of the letter, verbatim (except for the last part of the VIN):



Dear Mr. Newkirk:

Thank you for your recent contact with the Customer Relationship Center. You asked the CRC to provide you with the original specifications and optional equipment for your vehicle at the time of manufacture. Your Vehicle Identification Number 1FTCF15NXHL****** decodes as follows:

1FT Ford Truck Manufactured by Ford USA
C Hydraulic Brake GVWR Class C
F15 F-150 4x2, Regular Cab/Styleside
N 5.0L EFI 302 C.I.D. V-8 Engine
X Check Digit
H 1987 Model Year
L Michigan Truck (Wayne, Michigan) Assembly Plant
****** Consecutive Unit Number

This vehicle was produced on 12/11/1986 with the following options:

• 133" Wheelbase
• AOD Automatic Transmission
• 3.55 Regular Locking Rear Axle Ratio (I don't think it's a locking)
• P235/75Rx15XL BSW Steel Belted Tires
• Stainless Aero Head Low Mount Mirrors
• Sport Wheel Covers
• Optional with Standard Fuel Tank (huh?)
• Tinted Windshield
• Convenience Group (what is this?)
• Medium Dark Fire Red Exterior Paint
• Smoke Interior Trim Color
• Vinyl (Bench) Seat Trim

I hope this information helps you.

Sincerely,

John Albano
Research Unit Representative
North American Customer Relationship Center


Interestingly, the letter arrived bearing a Canada Post postmark because it was sent from Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited in Oakville, Ontario. Has anyone else gotten a build sheet from there? Just thought that was something ... maybe not.

The wording they used is a little odd on some of the features my truck has. For example: "3.55 Regular Locking Rear Axle Ratio." Is it regular, or is it locking? Having been in mud before, I don't believe it's a locking axle. Could it be? Possibly, but I doubt it. There is no evidence it's ever been changed, either.

And then the "Optional with Standard Fuel Tank." It's got dual tanks. Would it have been so hard to just put "Dual Fuel Tanks"???

I'm guessing here, but since my truck has intermittent wipers, I bet that's part of the "Convenience Group," but what would the other features be? Anyone???

I was glad to see Red had the sport wheel covers when she was new, because that's what I picked up from the boneyard last spring. I think they look really fine on there, especially since I painted them.

Well, that's all I've got for now. Enjoy reading this and by all means, if you want to know what your truck was when it was new, get in touch with FoMoCo. It's free, and yeah, it takes a while, but is definitely worth waiting for.

 

cool thing! on the rear axle, check your door jamb sticker, if its a 3.55 locker it should have a H9 open rear is 19. if it is a locker, the clutch packs in the rear could be shot and it seems like an open rear. this happens after a lot of miles.

 

Mine has 19 on the sticker, so I guess their files are wrong, or they just didn't word it correctly.

 

Convenience Group back then probably consisted of tilt wheel, mirror on the visor auto door locks and windows.

 

Not in Red's case. No tilt, no visor mirror, no power locks or windows ... the sheet doesn't even mention a radio, which stands to reason. I'm thinking it had to be the intermittent wipers, but being a "group," you'd think there would be more.

 

There build sheets are always a little wierd, on my 94 they sent me one saying that my truck was an XL, but all of the dash trim, and symbols say XLT, and on my 78 it said it was a red truck and it is brown. I double checked the vins to.