VIN decoding

[Bill Playfoot]

Is there a VIN decoder for 13 digit VIN's?

[dmsfrr]

Canadian built Fords have their own information books in many instances.
Not always the same as US built cars, which used a 10 digit vin in the mid to late 50's.

[Bill Playfoot]

Thinking that if I write to Ford of Canada they might be able to give me information

[judge65]

Gday Bill , see if you can get ahold of the 1958 Ford and Meteor chassis parts catalogue , it has the VIN decoder in the front. Also , I chased up info from Ford Canada years ago when they had a history section , sent them the numbers for my Canadian 55 Crown Vic , came back with everything about it including the day produced .
Regards,
John.

[Bill Playfoot]

Thanks judge65. I will see if I can find a chassis parts catalogue.

[judge65]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

No worries.

[alt63bird]

Until someone comes up with a '58 Ford of Canada catalog which has all the codes, I can tell you the VIN breaks down like this, based on what I found in some 1960 Ford of Canada catalogs:
578 - Ford of Canada model designation (I can't see your avatar to tell if it's a 2-door Courier, Ranch Wagon, Del Rio or ?)
AK - Ford of Canada engine code
58 - Model Year 1958
135256 - 35,256th car built (probably at Oakville, Ontario - need confirmation if plant code is in VIN)

As for the trim and paint codes, these are also Ford of Canada-specific. Someone with a '58 FoC Soft Trim and Body catalogs should be able to find these for you.

[54vicky]

I am pretty sure that the lady that was looking after that is no longer there.I think they ended that service a few years ago good luck

[Bill Playfoot]

1958 Meteor Sedan Delivery


Thanks alt63bird and 54vicky

[judge65]

I think you're right 54vicky, I recall an article from
some newspaper a while ago stating that she'd retired.
That was some time ago.
Bill Playfoot , the 578 could be 6 cylinder Courier, I know 78 is the Courier
body style number.
There was a post about another Canadian vehicle that a member
decoded for someone and 5 prefix was for a 6 cylinder.

[Bill Playfoot]

My Meteor Sedan Delivery has a V8

[Alaska Jim]

That is an FE Eng. not y-block. '58 first year for FE series. probably a 332 C.I. if it is the original eng.

[alt63bird]

Several items on the engine pictured suggest parts from a post-'66 FE, such as no surge tank and use of the thermostat retainer/radiator hose neck ('66-'67 and newer), the air cleaner ('67?) and the vacuum advance on the distributor. 'Bald' valve covers look correct for '58 with no "FORD" stamped into them, though there were versions with the spark plug wire 'combs' in the middle of the cover that used individual wire grommets instead at the front with the plastic wire retainer 'combs' for a left/right pair.

If you look at your data plate again, it says the 8-cylinder engine number (probably a consecutive number with the two-digit engine code at the beginning?) is stamped on the engine left front face, while the 6-cylinder is on the right rear side. Is there a number stamped on the front of your engine?

As I noted earlier, for '60 Ford of Canada (FoC) was using a two-character code in the VIN, with letter prefix and letter/number suffix, in the VIN to indicate engine/transmission and whether the car was LHD or RHD. There was also a two- or three-letter code that was used on a tag applied to the engine, similar to the foundry tags used on US-assembled engines.

However, as others have noted, FoC used a '6' or '8' preceding the letter character for the engine type ('6' for 6-cylinder, '8' for 8-cylinder) with a letter following to designate engine displacement, what were those codes? For sake of brevity (and my sanity), I'm not going to get into the '60 VIN engine codes here as there's a LOT of them because of the 2-digit letter/number combination that takes into account the carburetion/drivetrain/steering arrangements used.

The listing for '58 engine codes I found in '58 FoC catalogs I have in my collection did not have the VIN engine code breakdown, but it did have the two-letter codes associated with engine ID tags. There was no 'AK' or any two-digit combination of letters with a 'K', leading me to suspect that another code was used in the VIN. The '60 FoC catalog I have didn't have the 'AK'/'K' code in it for the engine tag and VIN, either. So, what does '8', 'A' and 'K' stand for in the VIN? Or is the first digit of the VIN a single-character engine code? Without the FoC catalogs and info on how to decipher the '58 VINs, I can't say.

What the '58 FoC chassis parts catalog did have listed for engine ID codes breaks down as follows. All the catalogs I have list the two-letter ID engine tag code, and none had VIN code for the engine. Note that all the engine ID codes start with a 'W' - I think this indicates 1958 model year production for the engine ('60 FoC engine ID codes used a 'Z' code prefix and then switched to 'N' for 1961). Please be aware that the letter following the # of cylinders was not in the catalogs: I have used the suffix from the '58 two-letter FoC engine codes until someone can feed me a list of what the actual Canadian codes are.

ENGINE ID TAG CODE - # CYLS./WARRANTY PLATE CODE - C.I.D.-CARB/TRANS - Compression (:1) - MODEL

WF 6F 223-1v A/T 8.6 A-Custom 300, Niagara 300, Wagons, Fairlane, Rideau Fairlane 500, Rideau 500 (exc Skyliner & Conv)
WF 6F 223-1v S/T (11" Clutch) 8.6 A-Custom 300, Niagara 300, Wagons, Fairlane, Rideau Fairlane 500, Rideau 500 (exc Skyliner & Conv)
WF 6F 223-1v S/T (9.5" Clutch) 8.6 A-Custom 300, Niagara 300, Wagons, Fairlane, Rideau Fairlane 500, Rideau 500 (exc Skyliner & Conv)
WF 6F 223-1v S/T (9.5" Clutch) 7.2 A-RHD (Low Compression)
WF 6F 223-1v S/T (9.5" Clutch) 8.6 A-RHD (High Compression)
WF 6F 223-1v S/T (11" Clutch) 7.2 A-RHD (Low Compression)
WZ 8H 352-4v A/T 10.2 FE S-Thunderbird
WM 8M 332-2v S/T (11" Clutch) 9.5 FE A-Fairlane, Rideau, Wagons
WM 8M 332-2v A/T 9.5 FE A-Fairlane, Rideau, Wagons
WM 8M 332-2v S/T (11" Clutch) 9.5 FE
WM 8M 332-2v A/T 9.5 FE
WM 8M 332-2v S/T 9.5 FE A-RHD (High Compression)
WM 8M 332-2v A/T 9.5 FE A-RHD (High Compression)
WM 8M 332-2v S/T 7.9 FE A-RHD (Low Compression)
WM 8M 332-2v A/T 7.9 FE A-RHD (Low Compression)
WM 8M 332-2v S/T 7.9 FE A-RHD (Low Compression)
WM 8M 332-2v S/T 9.5 FE A-RHD (High Compression)
WM 8M 332-2v A/T 9.5 FE A-RHD (High Compression)
WM 8M 332-2v A/T 7.9 FE A-RHD (Low Compression)
WN 8N 332-4v S/T 9.5 FE A-LHD power option, Custom 300, Niagara 300, Fairlane 500, Rideau 500
WN 8N 332-4v A/T 9.5 FE A-LHD power option, Custom 300, Niagara 300, Fairlane 500, Rideau 500
WN 8N 332-4v S/T 9.5 FE A-LHD power option, Custom 300, Niagara 300, Fairlane 500, Rideau 500
WN 8N 332-4v A/T 9.5 FE A-LHD power option, Custom 300, Niagara 300, Fairlane 500, Rideau 500
WN 8N 332-4v S/T 9.5 FE A-RHD (High Compression)
WN 8N 332-4v A/T 7.9 FE A-RHD (Low Compression)
WN 8N 332-4v S/T 7.9 FE A-RHD (Low Compression)
WN 8N 332-4v A/T 7.9 FE A-RHD (Low Compression)
WN 8N 332-4v S/T 9.5 FE A-RHD (High Compression)
WN 8N 332-4v S/T 7.9 FE A-RHD (Low Compression)
WN 8N 332-4v S/T 7.9 FE A-RHD (Low Compression)
WN 8N 332-4v A/T 7.9 FE A-RHD (Low Compression)
WP 8P 361-4v S/T 10.5 FE A-Fairlane, Rideau, Wagons, Fairlane 500, Rideau 500, Sedan Delivery
WP 8P 361-4v A/T 10.5 FE A-Fairlane, Rideau, Wagons, Fairlane 500, Rideau 500, Sedan Delivery
WQ 8Q 272-2v S/T (10" Clutch) 8.6 Ford Y-Block A-Custom 300, Niagara 300
WQ 8Q 272-2v S/T or O/D (11" Clutch) 8.6 Ford Y-Block A-Custom 300, Niagara 300
WQ 8Q 272-2v A/T 8.6 Ford Y-Block A-Custom 300, Niagara 300
WQ 8Q 272-2v S/T (11" Clutch) 7.1 Ford Y-Block A-RHD (Low Compression)
WQ 8Q 272-2v S/T (10" Clutch) 8.6 Ford Y-Block A-RHD (High Compression)
WQ 8Q 272-2v S/T 8.6 Ford Y-Block A-RHD (High Compression)
WQ 8Q 272-2v ?/T 7.1 Ford Y-Block A-RHD (Low Compression)
WQ 8Q 272-2v A/T 8.6 Ford Y-Block A-RHD (High Compression)
WT 8T 292-2v ?/T 9.1 Ford Y-Block A-Country Squire

The above listings were assuming use of the second letter in the Canadian Engine ID Tag codes after the cylinder-number in the VIN per 1960 practice. Without having the full FoC listings, I don't know if FoC used the US-issued engine VIN codes or different letters for the engine CID-HP-Carb Type-Transmission Type-Compression Ratio ID.

Now, if it was just 'K' for the engine code I'd suspect that maybe a Ford of USA code was used, but 'K' from that period was for a MEL-series 430-4v used in Mercurys. As noted by a previous poster, if 'A' was the engine code following the '6' in the first group of numbers, it probably would mean a 223-1v Inline 6-cylinder.

For reference, Ford-USA engine data plate codes from '58 break down as follows:

# Cyls - Eng Code - CID-Carb - Trans - Eng Family - Model Line

6 A 223-1v S/T, A/T I-6 Full-Size (Except Skyliner/Sunliner)
8 B 332-2v S/T, A/T FE Full-Size
8 C 292-2vS/T, A/T Y-Blk Full-Size
8 G 332-4v S/T, A/T FE Full-Size-Special; T-bird (Export)
8 H 352-4v S/T, A/T FE Full-Size Power Option; T-Bird (Std)
8 W 361-4v S/T, A/T FE Full-Size-Police

Mercury data plate engine codes for 1958:
8 ? 312-4v A/T-S/R, S/T, O/D Y-Blk Mercury (?-Need engine code)
8 ? 430-6v M/D MEL Mercury - Super Marauder (?-Need engine code)
8 K 430-4v M/D MEL Mercury
8 M 383-4v A/T-S/R, M/D MEL Mercury
8 M 383-4v* A/T-S/R, M/D MEL Mercury *Modified
8 M 383-4v A/T-S/R, M/D MEL Mercury
8 M 383-4v A/T-S/R, S/T, O/D MEL Mercury
8 M 383-4v* A/T-S/R, S/T, O/D MEL Mercury *Modified
8 P 312-2v A/T-S/R, S/T, O/D Y-Blk Mercury

Again, finding a FoC '58 Chassis Parts Catalog/MPC which has a full listing of the VIN engine codes and body styles would help. And I would appreciate copies of the listings of '50s FoC or Ford of Australia engine codes and warranty plate information, especially 1959 (since I'm missing '59 FoC catalogs in my collection along with pre-'58s).

[alt63bird]

On second thought, maybe the VIN decodes such that a 2-digit code for the engine wasn't used in Canada for 1958, since if it was to follow the # of cylinders-engine code string it should have a '6' before the 'A'.

5 - Engine = 223-1v 6-cylinder ? That could make sense as US-built cars started with the engine code (A,B,C,G,H,W) during the period. If so, what are the Canadian engine codes?

78A - Body Code- Two-door Courier (? - Ford-US Body Code '78A' is for a Sedan Delivery from '52-'58, so is the first '5' for LHD/RHD or ?)

A - (? - doesn't jive with 'A' being 6-cylinder 223-1v in US codes if the '8' preceding is is part of the '60-style 2-digit code). I suspect it might be, as noted above, part of the Body Code. Or, could it be Type of Drivetrain Arrangement (?) - Code for LHD or RHD?

K - Assembly Plant - Oakville, Ontario (? - that doesn't makes sense to me given what I know about Ford Assembly Plant codes from the period in that 'B' in the 1960-64 MPC was listed for Oakville, Ontario and 'K' was Kansas City/Claycomo, Missouri - so, again, what is 'K'?)

That might mean the Model code a the bottom has the Body Style-Model code in the 4-character sequence '578A' indicates a 6-cylinder (5=FoC 223-1v) Sedan Delivery (78A) if it lines up with Ford USA body codes.

Can someone - anyone - please find a FoC catalog to provide a definitive answer? I've spent my entire Sunday on this so far, and I'm going to lose my mind trying to figure this out...

[Bill Playfoot]

I was back to the car to get the engine casting number but didn't have a scraper with me. Took the two pictures and then the camera battery died.

Do these pictures help?

[alt63bird]

If you're serious about trying to figure out what you have, you need to do some more digging. What are the casting/engineering numbers and casting dates on the intake in front of the carb, the part number between center spark plugs, part numbers and casting dates on the sides of the exhaust manifolds, engineering/casting date numbers on the side of the engine block hidden where the generator is? If it's from '58 they're either going to be a long string of numbers starting with a '5' or have a 3-letter prefix like 'EDB' followed by the basic number for the casting, i.e. 9425 for the intake, and a separate 3- or 4-digit code for the casting date. The oil filler tube/scoop can be from '58-'64; crank pulley/damper doesn't have the large flange on it common with '58-'59 FEs. I suspect it probably had a 6 to start with and had the FE swapped in later.

[Bill Playfoot]

This coming Saturday I will scrape off the grease and find some casting numbers.
I thank you for all the information you have shared.

[Stiggy]

As alt63bird suggested ~ If you look at your data plate again, it says the 8-cylinder engine number (probably a consecutive number with the two-digit engine code at the beginning?) is stamped on the engine left front face, while the 6-cylinder is on the right rear side. Is there a number stamped on the front of your engine? If you can see this, it's got to be a good start in identifying the engine..

[Bill Playfoot]

A coworker has a friend who has the book "Cars & Parts Catalog of Canadian Car I.D. Numbers.

That book shows the VIN # 578AK58-135256


5= Meteor 6 cyl
78A = body style sedan delivery
K = Oakville assembly plant
58 = year
135256 = consecutive unit number ( started at 100001 )


paint code = 13 = Silvertone Green


The book does not list trim codes


Thank you for all your research alt63bird

[alt63bird]

Bill: See if your friend can let you a copy the ID codes from that book for '50s Canadian Fords, especially the engine/model ones, and either post them here or share with an email. That will help add to the knowledge base for future reference. Curiosity is getting to me on this one.