[Mark IV]

...the VIN, serial number or whatever you want to call it on your Comet DID not break down the options or color. A Ford VIN up to 1981 had 11 characters and they designated the year, assembly plant, body type, engine and the six digit consecutive number for that assembly plant....and the numbers were NOT always issued in the order of build! I am VERY familiar with these numbers and how Ford assigned them. The 11 characters went Number (year) Alpha (plant) Number/number (body type) Alpha (engine) and the six number unit ID.

The "data" plate or tag that was riveted to the door post or door had ALL the data, trim code, body code, color code, axle, transmission, District Sales Office (or Domestic Special Order depending upon situation) and build date. You cannot determine a color, trim, date, etc. from an older Ford VIN.

Shelby assigned their own VIN as they wwere the manufacturer of record, the cars WERE NOT Fords, they were Shelbys.

Rick