\Ford Thunderbird Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Information and Breakdown
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1955 - 1959 Thunderbird VIN Explanation A sample VIN is H9YJ154320 This sample VIN refers to a 1959 (second character is 9) Thunderbird Convertible (fourth character is J), built at Wixom (third character is Y) with a 352-cubic inch V-8 engine (first character is H), and its consecutive unit number is 154320 (it was the 54,320th Thunderbird scheduled for production at Wixom for the 1959 model year) |
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| Position | Characters | Explanation |
| 1 | C | Engine = 292 cubic inch V-8 (1957) |
| 1 | D | Engine = 312 cubic inch V-8 (1957) |
| 1 | E | Engine = 312 cubic inch 2/4V V-8 (1957) |
| 1 | F | Engine = 312 cubic inch Supercharged V-8 (1957) |
| 1 | G | Engine = 352 cubic inch Low Compression V-8 (1958) |
| 1 | H | Engine = 352 cubic inch V-8 (1958, 1959) |
| 1 | J | Engine = 430 cubic inch V-8 (1959) |
| 1 | M | Engine = 292 cubic inch V-8 (1956) |
| 1 | P | Engine = 312 cubic inch V-8 (1955, 1956) |
| 2 | 5-9 | Year = 5 (1955) through 9 (1959) |
| 3 | F | Assembly Plant: F = Dearborn (1955-1957) |
| 3 | Y | Assembly Plant: Y = Wixom (1958, 1959) |
| 4 | H | Body Serial Code: H = Thunderbird (1955-1957) |
| 4 | H | Body Serial Code: H = 2-door Hardtop (1958, 1959) |
| 4 | J | Body Serial Code: J = 2-door Convertible (1958, 1959) |
| 5-10 | 0-9 | Consecutive unit number. Each plant's consecutive unit number starts at 100001 each year. |
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1960 - 1980 Thunderbird VIN Explanation A sample VIN is 4Y83Z120401 By reviewing each character or set of characters it is possible to determine that this must be a 1964 Thunderbird. "4" must be 1964 or 1974, "83" must be 1962-1966 or 1968-1971, and "Z" must be 1961-1968. Similar deductions can be made with other VINs. Quiz: What year is this car: 2J87N123456 ? (answer below) |
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| Position | Character | Explanation |
| 1 | 0 - 9 | Year of manufacture: 0 (zero) is 1960, 1970 or 1980, 1 is 1961, 1971, 2 is 1962 or 1972, etc. |
| 2 | G | Assembly Plant: G = Chicago (1977-1980) |
| 2 | H | Assembly Plant: H = Lorain (1977-1980) |
| 2 | J | Assembly Plant: J = Los Angeles (1968-1979) |
| 2 | Y | Assembly Plant: Y = Wixom (1960 - 1976) |
| 3-4 | 71 | Body Serial Code = 2-door Hardtop (1960-1961) |
| 3-4 | 73 | Body Serial Code = 2-door Convertible (1960-1961) |
| 3-4 | 81 |
Body Serial Code = 2-door Town
Hardtop (1966) A 1966 ThunderbirdTown Hardtop has an all-steel roof with no rear quarter windows. |
| 3-4 | 81 | Body Serial Code = 2-door Hardtop (1967) |
| 3-4 | 82 | Body Serial Code = 2-door Landau (1967) |
| 3-4 | 83 | Body Serial Code = 2-door Hardtop (1962-1966) |
| 3-4 | 83 | Body Serial Code = 2-door Hardtop (1968-1971) |
| 3-4 | 84 | Body Serial Code = 4-door Landau (1967) |
| 3-4 | 84 | Body Serial Code = 2-door Landau (1968-1971) |
| 3-4 | 85 | Body Serial Code = 2-door Convertible (1962-1966) |
| 3-4 | 87 |
Body Serial Code = 2-door Town
Landau (1966) A 1966 ThunderbirdTown Landau has a vinyl roof with no rear quarter windows. |
| 3-4 | 87 | Body Serial Code = 4-door Landau (1968-1971) |
| 3-4 | 87 | Body Serial Code = 2-door Hardtop (1972-1979) |
| 3-4 | 87 | Body Serial Code = 2-door Coupe (1980) |
| 5 | 9 | Engine = 390 cubic inch V-8 Low Compression |
| 5 | A | Engine = 460 cubic inch V-8 (1972-1976) |
| 5 | B | Engine = 200 cubic inch 6-cylinder (1980) |
| 5 | D | Engine = 255 cubic inch V-8 (1980) |
| 5 | F | Engine = 302 cubic inch V-8 (1977-1980) |
| 5 | H | Engine = 351 cubic inch V-8 (1977-1979) |
| 5 | J | Engine = 430 cubic inch V-8 (1960) |
| 5 | M | Engine = 390 cubic inch 3/2V V-8 (1962-1963) |
| 5 | N | Engine = 429 cubic inch V-8 (1968-1973) |
| 5 | Q | Engine = 428 cubic inch V-8 (1966-1967) |
| 5 | Q | Engine = 351 cubic inch V-8 Windsor (1977) |
| 5 | S | Engine = 400 cubic inch V-8 (1972, 1977-1978) |
| 5 | Y | Engine = 352 cubic inch V-8 (1960) |
| 5 | Z | Engine = 390 cubic inch V-8 (1961-1968) |
| 6-11 | 0-9 | Consecutive unit number. Each plant's consecutive unit number starts at 100001 each year. |
| Answer to quiz: it is a 1972 (2) Thunderbird, built at Los Angeles (J), 2-door Hardtop (87), with a 429-cubic inch V-8 (N), consecutive unit number 123456. | ||
