prefix letter on Ford Badges

[arestorations]

Does anyone know the importants of the prefix letters on Ford employee badges?

[LukeDahlinger]

The letters signified which part of the plant they were assigned to. You weren't permitted to go to other areas of the plant in which you did not work.

I have a list that tells what dept went with what letter, but it may take a day or so to dig thru my files.

[WTSHNN]

Oddly enough, I just today got a packet in the mail that explains all of it. I had met a man in Hershey and we struck up a conversation about them.

I'm at work right now and will try to post sometime tomorrow.
-Tim

[arestorations]

Thanks guys for checking this out for me, I am sure this is a question most Model "A"s have wondered about before. I was sure Henry had a reason for what he did and I appreciate any information to answer this question.

[WTSHNN]

Alright...

The Model A era badge was actually the Model T style radiator and was used 1920-1931.

This list that I have does not show what the letters designated for this style of badge but there is a comprehensive list for the later 1937-1960's era Rouge.
A - Motor Building
B - Motor Building, Paper
C - Plant, Tank Engine, Power Plant, Specialty Foundry
D - Gear and Axle
F - Engine Plant
G - Iron Foundry
H - Plastic
J - Exists, Dept unknown
K - Exists, Dept unknown
L - Stamping Plant
M - Iron Foundry
N - Glass Plant - under 5,000 Mfg Service, Over 5,000.
P - Casting Machine Plant
R - Steel Mill
S - Stamping Plant
T - Mfg Service
U - Exists, Dept unknown
W - Mfg Service, Under 5,000, Tool and Die under 5,000
X - Dearborn Assembly
Y - Exists, Dept unknown
Z - Frame Plant

This comes from a list compiled by a man named Jim Krucki.

-Tim

[LukeDahlinger]

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I'm pretty sure "K" is Ford Service- aka Harry Bennett's men. This likely changed when Henry Ford II took over in '45 and Ford Service changed names to "Plant Protection".

You'd see Bennett's men everywhere including Edison Institute, the private homes of various Ford family and high ranking executives. For instance, Charles Sorensen and Ray Dahlinger who were neighbors of Henry Ford had men supplied by Harry Bennett for the purpose of keeping their respective properties secure. Ford Service was one of the few if only division of employees who could go everywhere in the plant.


An "HP" prefix would indicate they were assigned to the Highland Park complex. The badge is the same 1937-1964 style with the Rouge background, but would have HP then the badge number. Ford made tractors there as well as other operations after the Rouge opened for production in 1927.

It's also worth noting when you were assigned a badge, you'd get a set of tool checks that matched the badge number.

[WTSHNN]

Now what about this guy...

Just sold on the 'bay for almost $300...

I thought it looked home made/modified.
-Tim

[LukeDahlinger]

Originally Posted by WTSHNN

Now what about this guy...

Just sold on the 'bay for almost $300...

I thought it looked home made/modified.
-Tim

Looks like a fantasy item to me. Not unlike those "Guard" badges that were floating around by the hundreds a few years ago.

Like Vince, I've never seen a badge like that and I've been collecting Ford Memorabilia for a good many years in addition to being a Ford historian.

[arestorations]

Guys, I have a Highland Park badge with a FD prefix. Does anyone have an idea what deptment that would refer too?

[LukeDahlinger]

Fire Department

[700rpm]

A neighbor lady claims she worked for Ford in Ypsilanti, and her badge said "Ypsilanti" on it. She says she still has it "somewhere," and will give it to me when she finds it. Was there in fact a badge marked Ypsilanti?

[Gary in MN]

Yes. Gary in MN

Ford badge 001 (Small).jpg

[700rpm]

OK, now I really want it!

[Gary in MN]

Hello Luke: Any ideas on this badge ??

Ford badge 003 (Small).jpg


Gary in MN

[pprather]

I have a triangular tool check out tag from the Rouge Plant.
X= assembly
315 - employee pay number

These were used to check out company tools, so they knew where to look if they weren't returned at the end of the shift.

[LukeDahlinger]

Originally Posted by Gary in MN

Hello Luke: Any ideas on this badge ??

Attachment 58323


Gary in MN

Gary,

I haven't seen a pin like that before, but if I had to wager a guess, I'd say it dated from WWII era. Quite possibly used by someone inspecting B-24s coming off the line at Willow Run or amphibious jeeps at the Rouge, etc.

In my collection of NOS, I have a few Ford jeep NOS parts. The script on the boxes match the script on your pin.

All this is just an educated guess, but it may give you an avenue for more research.

[Gary in MN]

Hello Luke: Thanks for the info. Here is one more I do not have any idea what era it is from.

Ford badge 008 (Small).jpg


Thanks again. Gary in MN

[Dick M]

I have the Rouge id badge with the letter 'W' before the id number from the model a era. What shop does the 'W' designte?

[Steve Plucker]

Originally Posted by Dick M

I have the Rouge id badge with the letter 'W' before the id number from the model a era. What shop does the 'W' designte?

See #5 above for your answer.

Do you know Mike and Eve Herdell in Hidden Valley Lake?

Pluck

[Dick M]

No, I am sorry to say that I do not know them.

Thank you for the answer to my question.

Dick Munger

[JeffM]

I had no idea about these, but would love to hear more.

[Louis]

Anyone know which badges are the most desirable or collectible, The ones with Dearborn or Rouge on it ?
Can you tell the year the badge was used ?
I was looking on ebay, they are asking $95 [buy now]. They are neat, and have a great history. I gotta have one .

[Louis]

Fordgarge,
Would this type be the kind they used in the "A" model era, or a later date ?
I guess the prefix Z would mean frame plant.

[LukeDahlinger]

Louis-


They used that design from 1937-early 1960s.

[Louis]

Thank's Luke,
Does anyone have a pic. of what a 1928-1931 era badge would look like ?
would that era look like the pic's fordbarn has posted ?

[LukeDahlinger]

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They used the Model T radiator badge like the Chester badge Vince posted above during the Model A years.

Ford employee badges have always been something I've had a strong interest in, just wish I had a few more to add to the collection!

[Louis]

I guess the "A" model badges are in the hands of collector's, I have not seen one like that on ebay in the last three days. I guess i'll just keep looking, I would love to have one, What a part of history. Thank you for expert opin.

[LukeDahlinger]

I've found most of my badges at swap meets. Ebay has a good selection from time to time, but there are fakes & fantasy badges floating around.

I like to look at them in person before pulling the trigger. The Model T rad shell & prior designs can be hard to find and when you do find them they usually go pretty quick. This may not hold true in areas where Ford plants were originally located, but in my area of FL most badges are brought down by vendors from Michigan.

I have found some killer Ford memorabilia in the thrift shops in Dearborn and surrounding areas, but that's been many years back. I'm sure it's changed now.

[Brad in Germany]

Anyone got any idea what these Ford badges were for (from Europe)?



Note that the clips on the back of the round ones are cut off pieces from Germany candle holders for candles on a Christmas tree. All of the ones that I have ever seen have the same style clips....so I am inclined to think that they are originals.

Thanks for any insight that anyone might be able to provide.

Fordially,
Brad in Maryland

[LukeDahlinger]

Brad,

I've never seen ones like that, but I like them!!!

Those clips almost look like vintage women's shawl/fur clamps.

[Tudortomnz]

You need deep pockets if wanting a Model A era or early V8 [ like Vince depicts] plant badge. Also, the foreign Ford Plants go high on 'the bay''. One of the rarest would be from Seaview Plant [ Wellington, New Zealand] but none have ever surfaced.
I thought to be smart,I'd get badges from companies that supplied Ford on contract, only to find 95% of vendors will not ship ''overseas''

[Kenny801]

Hello everyone. I'm new here. I was reading below and found a comment regarding fake Ford Security badges. I've tried several times to upload a picture of the ones I just bought in hope's of finding just how badly I got scammed, but the upload keeps failing. I have several badges that say "Willow Run Guard" on them. They are tarnished and appear old, but I'm no expert. The middle of the badge has a circular blue Ford logo that seems suspect to me. The top of the badge has an Eagle looking to the left, similar to the Inperial Eagle of WW2. Another thing that makes me suspicious is how good of shape they all seem to be in and the price is fairly low compared to the GM badges I collect. As of the last 2 weeks, I was buying up every Ford badge I could find for my collection and I have spent hundreds of dollars. I have a large collection of GM stuff, so I wanted to start building my collection of other automotive badges. That being said, I know nothing about the Ford stuff and would appreciate any input. Thanks for your help!

[woodiewagon46]

If you are interested in purchasing a, Ford Rouge, Employee Badge, the Early Ford V-8 Foundation and Museum, www.fordv8foundation.org, is selling them for $25 each. Authentic and original, but a very limited quantity.

[Gary in MN]

Kenny, You really need one of these. Gary in MN

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Motor-...8AAOSw35pcn72Z

[WTSHNN]

Originally Posted by Kenny801

The middle of the badge has a circular blue Ford logo that seems suspect to me.

I am not an authority and do not know for certain but I have been told by several people that these are fantasy pieces.

-Tim

[rfitzpatrick]

Badges! Badges!?? I don't need no stinkin'
Badge !! I don't have to show you no stinkin' Badge--

[McMimmcs]

Originally Posted by rfitzpatrick

Badges! Badges!?? I don't need no stinkin'
Badge !! I don't have to show you no stinkin' Badge--

Means what, you confused me and likely many others!

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by rfitzpatrick

Badges! Badges!?? I don't need no stinkin'
Badge !! I don't have to show you no stinkin' Badge--

Originally Posted by McMimmcs

Means what, you confused me and likely many others!

How sad, you never saw Blazing Saddles.

[Jim/GA]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

How sad, you never saw Blazing Saddles.

It was originally a line in the movie "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre", which was later parodied in "Blazing Saddles".

If you've never seen The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Humphrey Bogart and others) I strongly recommend you take some time to watch it, now that we are all locked in for a spell.

[redmodelt]

WOW, this must be a great investment!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ULTRA-RARE-....c100005.m1851
I would rather have a real car for that amount of money.

[Ray64]

I still have my original FORD badge .I worked in the FOUNDRY and it is an F #

[Gary in MN]

Hi Ray64, what plant did you work at ? Gary

[Tudortomnz]

Worldwide Employee Badges, ID Cards, Passes & Permits book by James Krucki is now the reference for this subject. No need for wrong facts by non experts, nearly every Ford badge ever made is covered by an expert [s].

[Brad in Germany]

....a couple Model A era Ford employee badges from Belgium :


These were discovered about 25 years ago, buried in an old metal scrap yard just outside of Antwerp, Belgium. They were dug up by a backhoe as the property owners were in the process of clearing the property to build new apartment buildings. The backhoe operator thought that he had struck gold and of course stopped digging to see what he had found.

According to a former employee from the Ford plant in Antwerp, Belgium, employees were required to turn in their employee badges when they left employment at Ford, else they would be subjected to a stiff fine, which would be deducted out of their final pay. So most Belgian employees of course turned in their badges when they left Ford.

The same former Ford employee added that, when Ford changed badges at the Antwerp Ford plant, the old badges were collected (swapped out for a new style badge) and each of the old ones was accounted for and then individually smashed with a hammer and then scrapped. Here are a couple of the cleaned-up, smashed badges, front and back:


Thus finding an old intact Ford employee badge from Belgium is quite rare.


Brad in Maryland

[Rougewelder]

I'd like to get one of those Belgium badges, smashed or otherwise

[Ray64]

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I have one of my old FORD badges with P as first letter which designates Casting plant First two letters denotes Dept. When you changed departments you was issued a different badge I worked in the CLEVELAND FOUNDRY for 43 YRS

[Ray in La Mesa]

The Montevideo badge isn't the only one out there, I have one also. Price was considerably down a couple atmospheres though. Reasonable but not cheap.

[Rougewelder]

Originally Posted by Ray64

I have one of my old FORD badges with P as first letter which designates Casting plant First two letters denotes Dept. When you changed departments you was issued a different badge I worked in the CLEVELAND FOUNDRY for 43 YRS

You have a picture of your badge?

[slpowers]

I have my father's badge from the Windsor, ON, Canada plant. The number is G-0706. This goes back at least to the 40s perhaps prior but Im not sure.

Tried to add a photo but it won't let me attach it from my file so not sure how to do it.

Anyone collect these?

[Gene F]

I have one from the glass shop.

[Rougewelder]

Originally Posted by slpowers

I have my father's badge from the Windsor, ON, Canada plant. The number is G-0706. This goes back at least to the 40s perhaps prior but Im not sure.

Tried to add a photo but it won't let me attach it from my file so not sure how to do it.

Anyone collect these?

I collect employee badges, can you message me a pic?