Note that this wheel assembly is no longer a Thunderbird design, but was initiated for Ford vehicles. In 1968, the Thunderbird received a new front disc brake design, and with it a new wheel, listed at right.Ī similar Ford part number looks like this:Į = Design change (4th revision, not including original design) While it was possible to use a wheel from a 1964 Thunderbird on the rear of a 1965 Thunderbird, that wheel would not fit on the front wheels, and as such was unacceptable for use as a spare tire. This basic wheel was used on Thunderbirds from 1965-1967. Z = Engineering Department (Ford Service Parts)ġ007 = Basic part number (Wheel Assembly)Ī = Design change (original design, no revision) Other information indicates it was an Engine Engineering Division design, weighs 9 pounds, provides information on the quality control inspection, and the date packed.Ī typical Ford part number looks like this : C5SZ-1005-A The Ford part number on the box shown at left is on the top line: B8A-9431-A.

In order to spread out the costs of designing and manufacturing a part, Ford used parts on different models.

It is actually quite common to find parts originally designed for Thunderbirds on Lincolns, and Falcon parts on Mustangs. For instance, a part originally designed for a 1964 Ford could often be found on a 1964 or 1965 model Thunderbird, Mercury, or Lincoln as well. What can be confusing about these numbers is that a part designed for one year might actually be used for several years, or a part designed for one car line might be used on other lines as well. Information commonly provided by part numbers includes the decade during which the part was designed or manufactured, the year of the decade the part was designed or manufactured, the car line the part was originally designed for, the engineering department originally responsible for the design, the basic part number, and the changes made to the original design. The unique identifier is a series of numbers and letters that are put in a specific sequence, and the location of the digit determines what that digit designates. These numbers provide a lot of information to those who are familiar with what the numbers mean. Ford Part Numbers, Casting Numbers, and Date Codesĭecode Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury part numbers, casting numbers, engineering and service parts, and date codesįord kept track of the various parts and castings in its inventory by assigning each item its own unique alphanumeric identification number.

Ford engine codes