My truck's VIN tag lists that it was built in July 1981. When my dad bought it used several years ago, it came with the non-lettered hood and a grill with the Ford oval in the center.

I know that the 1980 models had the lettering on the hood like the earlier trucks did, and the grill was without the Ford oval. Being a mid-year model, is it possible that my truck came from the factory with the '82-style hood and grill, or is it more likely that they're not the originals?

 

possible.
more than likely.

82 was the first year for the new front end of the 7th gen. trucks, so it's very likely.


and how do you know it came without that front end design?

someone could have easily swapped that out between now and 1981..

 

Anything built after July 1st is considered a new model for the following year. My truck was built Sept. 83 and is VINed as an 84.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheKirbyMan

My truck's VIN tag lists that it was built in July 1981.

Included in the VIN will be the model year for which the truck was built, the
production date doesn't matter so much for these purposes (although I suspect
July 1st is about 2 months too early to be building for the next model year, I'm
not an authority and would refer you to an industry expert, e.g.
81-F-150-Explorer or NumberDummy). If your VIN says you have a MY1981
but you don't have F-O-R-D across the hood and have a blue oval on the grille
instead, I would suspect somebody swapped parts.

Most importantly, look at the MY in your VIN. Here's a decoder that may or
may not work real well for you (it claims an entirely different engine in my
truck) but it's readily available.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/vin-decoder/index.php

 

I had a 88 Bronco II the vin decode on its build was Aug 87 so I know it's late July early August at the very least. Read up on vins, 1980 was the year a lot of things changed as far as what all a vin meant.

 

I get the info for my 1981 F350 from the Ford factory shop manual, I don't really
trust online decoders much.

 

I use LMC. It's hard to trust anything on the net. You could say the Earth is flat and somebody somewhere will agree. It is, isn't it. Ha Ha

 

LMC is notorious for having blatant errors on their part numbers, model years and a lot of items.

I would never go by what they say....

 

July and/or August is usually a transitional month between the previous and new year models. There are exceptions however.

I need the Vin number or the 10th position letter from the vin to tell you what year model it is.

1981 = B
1982 = C
1983 = D

Etc...

 

FWIW: I happen to like the early hoods with the F-O-R-D letters and the plain grille. It makes them look older IMO and much cleaner.

Both of my trucks have the early grille and hood and neither of them came with them. One is an 84 and the other is an 85.

 

Sorry, that's incorrect.

Vehicles assembled thru July are prior year models (*), this can also hold true for portions of August.

New vehicle production usually begins the second week of August since new vehicle introduction time begins in September.

E4TZ16612B .. Hood Panel / Fits: 1980/86 F100/350 & Bronco (E4TZ16612B replaced EOTZ16612A).

Replacement sheet metal from Ford usually does not come with punched out holes for emblems, letters or side mouldings (all-if applicable).

1982 was the first year the Blue Oval appeared on the F100/350's & Bronco's grilles.

E2TZ9842528A .. Blue Oval Emblem / Fits the grilles of 1982/86 F100/350's and Bronco's, the tailgates of 1982/86 Bronco's.

* There are exceptions...especially when it come to FoMoCo.

The 1983 Ranger was introduced Spring 1982, the 1970 Maverick in June 1969, the 1969 Econoline in February 1968, the 1969 Continental Mark III in March 1968, the 1965 Mustang on 4/23/64.

None of these vehicles are considered to be the year models they were introduced.

According to FoMoCo, there's no such thing as a 1964 Mustang, 1968 Mark III, 1968 Econoline, 1969 Maverick or 1982 Ranger.

Oh...and...btw...Here's something else y'all prolly aren't aware of (unless you worked in the biz back then, and/or have the 1980/89 light truck parts catalog).

When the 1982 models were introduced with the Blue Oval in the grilles, Ford OBSOLETED the 1980/81 grilles, replaced them with 1982 grilles for use as service part replacements.

Now...y'all know why some 1980/81 F100/350 & Bronco's grilles have the Blue Oval emblem, because after September 1981...

The ONLY grilles available at the parts counter were 1982 grilles!

Spenneyman84: You use the LMC catalog to decode VIN's? I wouldn't trust anything LMC sez.

For starters, try decoding the truck/Bronco/Econoline ELEVEN digit VIN's used in 1980.

Unless LMC woke up recently, you cannot...because they show 17 digit VIN's for 1980.

Only passenger cars had 17 digit VIN's in 1980, the trucks do not have 17 digit VIN's until 1981.

That being said, as far as VIN decoders go, the decoders here on FTE are rife with errors. You want the facts, decode using Ford parts catalogs.

In less than three years, I've decoded well over 700 VIN's, Warranty Plates, Certification Labels, Axle codes, and etc..here on FTE, doing just that.

 

what would we do without you!

thanks for all the info and a little history lesson!

 

FTE wouldn't be the same without Bill, we can all say that.

Ford Obsoleting parts like the grille, and making you buy the newer versions, always used to erk me. Still does actually. Especially if they look different than the original.

I'm like stosh, the 1980-1981 grille is by far a better looking grille.

The 1980-1981 specific grilles are being reproduced however if you need one.

 

I agree 100%, and here are two more outrageous examples:

In September 1965, Ford OBSOLETED the 1965 F100/1100 grilles, replaced them with the 1966 grilles for use as service part replacements.

Do 1966 grilles resemble 1965 grilles? Not in the slightest.

In September 1966, Ford OBSOLETED the 1964/66 F100/250 2WD Styleside tailgate (1966 F100 4WD Styleside tailgate): C4TZ9940700A, and...

Replaced it with the 1967 (1967/72) F100/350 Styleside tailgate: C7TZ9940700A for use as service part replacements.

Do 1967/72 tailgates resemble 1964/66 tailgates? Somewhat.

Now you know why original grilles are very hard to find for 1965's...and original tailgates for 1964/66's.

 

There are a few 1980/81 F100/350 & Bronco Gen-U-ine Ford original grilles still around.

I suspect the repops are prolly made in China.

EOTZ8150A .. Argent Grille / Obsolete

GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH has THREE = 800-543-4959.

No Ford Dealer, or other obsolete parts vendor has any.
------------------------------------------------------
EOTZ8150B .. Chrome (Plastic) Grille / Obsolete

DON SANDERSON FORD in Glendale AZ has TWO = 623-842-8762.

KINSEL L/M in Beaumont TX has ONE = 800-816-2894.

BELL-MCCALL MOTOR CO. in Hamilton MT has ONE.

PARTS INTERNATIONAL in Farmers Branch TX has ONE = 888-727-0418.

GREEN SALES CO. has 13.

Sanderson will prolly be the cheapest.

No other Ford Dealer or obsolete parts vendor has any.
-----------------------------------------------------
EOTZ8150C .. Black Grille / Obsolete

GREEN SALES CO. has ONE.

KLIMESH MOTOR SALES in Calmar IA has ONE = 563-562-3241.

No other Ford Dealer or obsolete parts vendor has any.