Seat Covers & Data Plate Breakdown

[YellowRose]

Seat Covers & Data Plate Breakdown

Howard Prout in Canada has done some research for us and here is what I have found out so far. First of all, I want to correct something that I said about that starting number series of the VIN #. That 665AK59 breaks down as this. That first 6 tells you that it is a 6 cylinder car. If it were an 8 cylinder, it would be 465A (why not 8, I do not know). The 65A is correct - It is a Canadian Galaxie Club Victoria according to the '49-'59 Ford Parts book. The letter K does NOT tell you it is a left hand drive car. K=Oakville Ontario plant. 59 tells you it is a 1959 car.

I am still searching for what the F2 Engine is, but if it has a 223 in it from the factory, that is probably what F2 means.

Now for the paint. The paint code pic I posted is not complete, apparently. According to information I got from Howard there are a lot more than those listed in his book. That 4LS paint code breaks down as this. The number 4=May be Meadowvale Green. The letter L=Diamond Blue (Light). The letter S=perhaps Special paint, which could mean Metallic. Juho, I will send you those files and also a Data Plate picture which is similar in layout to yours.

More info to follow as I learn more.

[simplyconnected]

Dano, that corridor between Toronto and Detroit has always been 'key' to Ford Motor Company operations.

Windsor has a foundry (casting center) and an engine plant.

St. Thomas Assembly was famous for the millions of Pinto cars that were assembled there. I had one and I loved driving it over 150k miles. I pulled my dirt bikes with it as well.

Oakville Assembly Plant is an old Ford plant that produced millions of Ford cars for Canada and the US over many decades.

Buffalo Stamping Plant (another major parts plant) is kind of in that corridor as well.

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I'm anxious to see under the hood of your new 1959 Galaxie. Some folks wanted the Mileage Maker Six and Ford was there to deliver it. Thank God Ford made so many diverse combinations in their products. This Galaxie is a gorgeous full size Ford, probably only used to go to church and get groceries. 145 HP is plenty for that. My grandfather's Packard filled that same bill. Oh, he also went to his Moose Lodge meetings once a month. - Dave

[juuraslahti]

Thanks again for the info, very cool to know it is the Crown Victoria Coupe. Even with the little 6 in there seems like a somewhat valuable car.
Simplyconnected I sent a few photos of the engine area to you

[YellowRose]

Seat Covers & Data Plate Breakdown

Juhu, Howard Prout has a 1958-1959 Canadian Passenger Body Parts Manual and he was able to extract this information from it for you! It confirms much of what has been said, and he came up with that Trim Code 17, and the correct colors for 4LS! Here is what he said.

Model: 6 - Ford 6 cyl.
Body type: 65A - Fairlane 500 Galaxie Club Victoria
Assembly plant: K - Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Model year: 1959
Serial No:. 535261 5XXXXXX - Consecutive build number starting at 500001
35261 - the thirty five thousandth, two hundred sixty first assembly
Engine : F2 - I can't find any info other than it was a six cylinder, The only six cylinder engine I can find for 1959 is Code "A" - 223 cu. in 1V carb. 145 hp.

Trim code : 17
Sun visor bracket: 784 - White
Seat side shield: 1114 - Medium blue
Instrument panel: 1114 - Medium blue
Steering column: 524 - White
Garnish molding: 1114 - Medium blue
Paint: 4LS - 1 or 5LL and 1 or 5 SS
1LL - Blue Ice Metallic (Medium)
1SS - Satellite Blue (Light)

I talked with him on the phone and he said the 4LS means it was 2-toned, 1LL - Blue Ice Metallic (Medium) & 1SS - Satellite Blue (Light). So it looks like that might be, if not the original paint job, the original colors. You will find them listed on the right side of the paint list with the ¢ before it, as in ¢1LL and ¢1SS.

He also suggested that if that car was still in Canada when you bought it you might contact the motor vehicle department, give them the VIN # on it and see if they can provide you with the history on that car! I will email you the copies of the forms that he sent me.

[juuraslahti]

Very cool to know, thank you so much. Ya the interior matches what is listed there as well. Glad it is wearing the proper color paint original or not. Yes the car has stayed up here in Canada so I will see if I can get more info on its history

[YellowRose]

Seat Covers & Data Plate Breakdown

Thanks to Howard having the 1958-1959 Canadian Ford Body Parts manual, I have been able to give Juhu a lot of information about his car, including the actual paint codes used to paint the car at the factory. I sent on to him a number of printouts that Howard sent to me, and last night found him sources for the Owners manual, Shop manual, Parts List, and the Wiring Diagram books. All available from Rock Auto for his 1959 Galaxie! He wanted to see if he could find some manuals and I did!

He said that he sent pix of the engine to Dave, so I am looking forward to see them when Dave posts them.

[simplyconnected]

...He said that he sent pix of the engine to Dave, so I am looking forward to see them when Dave posts them.

I put all the pictures in the same post. The engine pictures are at the end, after the data plate. - Dave

[juuraslahti]

Thank you so much to Ray and to Howard in turn. You guys have been very helpful in getting me to know my car and finding things i need for it. thank you again

[simplyconnected]

...Body type: 65A - Fairlane 500 Galaxie Club Victoria...

No, the model is either a Body Type 63A (Fairlane "500" Club Victoria) or,
Type 65A (Galaxie Club Victoria).
It cannot be a Fairlane Galaxie.

Certain 'rules' and options went along with each model.
The 1959 Ford 300 was a 'base' model with very little chrome, no carpeting and it was made for 'utility' service.

The 1959 Ford Fairlane (or Fairlane '500') HAD been top models for '58. 1959 Custom '300', Fairlane and Fairlane '500' roofs are identical and shared with Edsel models.

The 1959 Ford Galaxie was Ford's luxury full-size model. It included two-tone paint options that were unique to Galaxie and NOT available with the other models. The roofs were styled from the Squarebird roof lines, and the interiors were much nicer than Fairlane models. Galaxie was 'it' in full-size Fords.

Now comes the confusion. Our friend's car is a Galaxie Club Victoria. Nowhere on the car does it show, 'Club' or 'Victoria'.

The trunk lid says, Fairlane 500, which has nothing to do with this car. Both, 'Fairlane' and '500' are wrong and should not appear on any '59 Galaxie. Ford used the center '0' for the trunk key in '500'. So rather than spending money on engineering changes; new dies, more and different parts, Ford carried-over the 1958 Fairlane 500 trunk lid because it was beautiful, cheap and 'in production'.

'Galaxie 500' made its debut in 1960. Wouldn't you think that Ford designers could have changed ''Fairlane" script on the trunk lid to "Galaxie" and simply created the 'Galaxie 500' in '59 instead of waiting another year? - Dave

[YellowRose]

Seat Covers & Data Plate Breakdown

Unfortunately, it looks like Ford added to the confusion when they printed the 1958-1959 Canadian Ford Passenger Body Parts manual. What was posted was what Howard took right out of that book.

[Howard Prout]

No, the model is either a Body Type 63A (Fairlane "500" Club Victoria) or,
Type 65A (Galaxie Club Victoria).
It cannot be a Fairlane Galaxie.

I would tend to agree with Dave (simplyconnected) that it seems strange that "Fairlane" and "Galaxie" would be used in the same model name but if you look at the attached page from the Ford Canada 1958-59 Body Parts catalogue (PA-762-59, Revised Sept. 1959) it shows three "Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie" entries coupled with their three "Meteor Rideau 500 Galaxie" counterparts:

Ford Body Type Meteor
Fairlane 500 Galaxie Town Sedan 54A Rideau 500 Galaxie Four Door Sedan
Fairlane 500 Galaxie Club Victoria 65A Rideau 500 Galaxie Two Door Victoria
Fairlane 500 Galaxie Town Victoria 75A Rideau 500 Galaxie Four Door Victoria

It seems to me that this repetition occurs too frequently to be typos. Could it be that Ford Canada gave these models slightly different names?

I think at one point the vehicle in question was referred to as a "Crown Victoria" - I think this is incorrect.

[simplyconnected]

Howard and Ray, my catalogs exclude Canadian Ford Cars (and every other non-domestic Ford car). I know US Ford cars had Victoria and Crown Victoria models in 1955 (with the 'Easter basket handles on the top). That name was used, then it wasn't, then it was, now it is not. Confusing? In recent history my daughter corrected me when I referred to a modern Ford as a 300. She said, "No, dad, the 300 is a Chrysler name." I chuckled.

So Howard, if your Canadian Ford book shows those facts, then that is what they are called in Canada, for sure. Holey Cow!!! The Canadian book shows the same body style number for two models! The LH side shows 'Ford' cars and the RH side shows 'Meteor' cars. If they are Mercury cars, why don't they appear under the 'Mercury' heading?

When I got to body style 65A, 'Meteor Rideau 500 Galaxie Two Door Victoria', that same body style number is also a, 'Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie Club Victoria'. I wonder how the dealership parts departments ordered parts and kept them straight?

This document raises more questions but I will concede that Canadian Ford cars are different and US Ford names and categories do not apply to them. I also know that Ford of Canada started in 1903, in Windsor, ON.

Ray and I were discussing, how many '59 Fords were assembled in Oakville for sale in the US? Since Ford had 21 assembly plants, it is probable that 1959 cars assembled in Oakville, Ontario, were exclusively sold in Canada. Were they different? According to your Ford catalog there must have been some differences. US cars had no sequential engine numbers but the Data Plate says Canadian cars do.

[Howard Prout]

In 1965, Canada and the US signed an Auto Pact. Prior to the Auto Pact, both countries imposed tariffs on vehicles moving from one country to the other. As a result very few if any vehicles produced in Canada were exported to the US and only some luxury models such as Thunderbirds and Lincolns were imported into Canada - and at a very high price.

It is my guess that no 1959 Fords built in Canada were exported to the US and vice versa.

I bought my 1959 Thunderbird in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1974 and towed it home to Canada. At that time it was illegal to import a used car into Canada that was less than 15 years old. By 1974 the 1959 Thunderbird was 15 years old so I was allowed to import without a tariff but subject to sales tax. When I got to the border the Customs Agent asked how I paid for the vehicle and I told him $400, which is what I paid and I had a valid receipt to prove it. I told the Customs Agent that I thought I got taken. He took a look at the car, which looked rather beat up, and agreed with me - so charged me sales tax on $400. I quickly paid it and left quickly.

In 1975, well after the Auto Pact6 was in place, I moved to Indiana for a year. I decided to buy a new car at that time so I bought a 1975 Thunderbird in Canada for export, which I was allowed to do under the Auto Pact. At that time the Canadian dollar was trading at about $0.80 US but Ford transferred vehicles back and forth at par! Since I bought the car for export, I paid no Canadian taxes. And since Ford at that time was transferring vehicles back and forth at par, I paid the US price in Canadian dollars. I stayed out of Canada for 366 days to become a non-resident so was then able to bring the vehicle back into Canada as a settlers effect.

At the time the 1959 Ford in question was built, and I expect until at least the time of the Auto Pact, Ford made at least two vehicles exclusively for the Canadian Market - the Meteor and the Monarch. The Meteor vehicles use the same body as Fords but had slightly different trim, such as grilles, etc. Similarly Monarch vehicles used the same bodies as Mercury vehicles but with slightly different trims. The attached shows how Ford Canada showed different listings where needed to differentiate between vehicles made in Canada, in this case for both types of 1959 65A bodies.

At that time Ford Canada had two types of dealerships: Ford-Mercury-Lincoln and Meteor Monarch. The Meteor and Monarch marques were phased out some time after the Auto Pact came into being.