Read or Decode FORD PART NUMBERS

1The CASTING / PART number tell you the year a part was originally designed and the type vehicle it was made for originally . This does not mean that part was not used on other cars or trucks in later years. Casting / PART numbers are stamped into the part , others are number cast (molded) onto the part. Some numbers are stamped in ink onto the part & others are on paper that is attached to the part or on the part box on very small parts

For example lets use the part/casting number C8AE-6881-A To most people this number tell you nothing , unless you know how to decode this number The first 4 letter & number tell you the decade , exact year , model of car & the Design Engineering Office First Digit (the letter C in our example) tell you the Decade A = 1940's (often omitted) ,B = 1950's ,C = 1960's D = 1970's ,E = 1980's, F = 1990's SO OUR EXAMPLE "C8AE-6881-A" IS FROM THE 1960'S Second Digit is the Year Number (the number 8 in our example) tell you the exact year in the 1960's C1 = 1961 , C2 = 1962 ,C3 = 1963 ,C4 = 1964 ,C5 = 1965 C6 = 1966 ,C7 = 1967 ,C8 = 1968 ,C9 = 1969 SO OUR EXAMPLE "C8AE-6881-A" IS FROM 1968 Third Digit is for the vehicle model , this could de a letter of a number , so using the list below SO OUR EXAMPLE "C8AE-6881-A" IS FOR A 1968 Galixie ,A = Ford (Generic) / Galaxie (1958-later) ,B = Bronco (1970-73), Maverick (1975-77), Fairmont (1978-83) ,C = Remanufactured Parts (1966-75), Elite (1975), Capri (1979-later) ,D = Falcon (1960-69), Maverick (1970-74), Granada (1975-82), LTD (1983-later) ,E = Truck (Cab over Engine) (1970-73), Pinto (1976-80), Escort (1981-later) ,F = Foreign sales / Trans Am Racing ,G = Comet (1961-67), Montego (1968-76), EXP (1982-later) ,H = Holman/Moody HiPo Part, Heavy Truck (1966-82), Medium Heavy Truck (1983-later) I = NOT USED J = Industrial / Marine engines ,K = Edsel (1958-60), Tilt Cab (1970-73), Comet (1975-77), Zephyr (1978-83), Marquis (1983-later), L = Lincoln (1958-60), Mark (1961-later) ,M = Mercury (1958-later), N = Tractor (1958-later) ,O = Fairlane (1962-68, Torino (1969-76), LTD II (1977-79), LN7 (1982-83), P = Autolite (Later Motorcraft) (1962-later) ,Q =- NOT USED ,R = Rotunda (Generic)(1962-69), Ford of Europe (1970-later), Remanufactured Parts (1976?-later), S = Thunderbird (1958-later), T = Truck (1958-65), Light/Medium Truck (1966-82), Bronco (1966-82, Except 1970-73), Light Truck & Bronco I (1983-later) ,U = Econoline/Club Wagon Van (1961-later) ,V = Lincoln Continental (1961-81) ,W = Cougar (1967-80), XR7 (1981-82), Cougar (1983-later), X = Truck (Short Highway) (1970-73) ,Y = Meteor (Canada) (1962-72), Bobcat (1975-80), Lynx (1981-later) ,Z = Mustang 1964-73; Mustang II 1974-78; Mustang 1979-later 1 = NOT USED ,2 = Pinto (1972-75) ,3 = Tempo (1984-later), 4 = Comet (1971-74), Monarch (1975-80), Cougar (1981-82), Marquis (1983-later) ,5 = Recreation Vehicles (1974-75), Continental (1982-later) ,6 = Pantera (1971-75), Topaz (1984-later) ,7 = Courier (1971-82); Ranger/Bronco II (1983-up); Explorer (1991-later), 8 = Capri (U.S. Parts) (1972-75) ,9 = Turbine Engine Parts (1970-75) Fourth Digit is for the Design Engineering Office the part is from Using the chart below our example is from the ENGINE DEPARTMET SO OUR EXAMPLE "C8AE-6881-A" IS FO A 1968 Galixie engine part A = Light Truck Engineering Division , B = Body and Electrical Product Division, C = Chassis ,D = Overseas Product Engineering ,E = Engine, F = General Parts/Electrical and Electronics Division ,H = Climate Control (1972-up) ,J = Autolite/Ford Parts & Service Division, L = Industrial Engine Parts & Service ,M = Performance/Special Vehicle Operations (Incl. Holman Moody), N = Tractor Parts, P = Auto Transmission ,R = Manual Transmission ,S = Light & Heavy Truck Special Order Parts, T = Heavy Truck Engineering ,U = Special Vehicle Operations ,W = Axle and Driveshaft ,X = Emissions, Economy, Special Vehicle Engineering (Muscle Car Parts), Y = Lincoln/Mercury Service Parts Z = Ford Service Parts The next 4 numbers in the part number are the exact part number. Ford uses the same number for a car part no matter what year it will fit. 6051 is always a engine block 6881 is always a engine oil filter adaptor 9424 is always a intake manifold & so on , there are to many part numbers to list here but you get the idea. SO OUR EXAMPLE "C8AE-6881-A" IS A 1968 Galixie engine oil filter adaptor There is sometimes a letter at the end , those mean that over the production years of this part there were slight changes or improvement made to the part. Like in our example there it the letter A at the end no letter means it is the original design A - Means it is the first design change B - Means it was the second design change , and so on SO OUR EXAMPLE "C8AE-6881-A" tell us We have a 1968 Galixie engine oil filter adaptor , with the first in the series of design changes