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  • tbird430
    Super-Experienced
    • Jun 18 2007
    • 2648

    #16
    Och. I might have 2 sell mine now!!!






    Just kidding. So u don't think the special tire request might have delayed it or moved it off the line for a day?
    sigpic
    The 1960 Ford Thunderbird. The WORLD'S most wanted car....

    VTCI Member#6287.

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    • Guest

      #17
      I think that might be it. Except for the ### confusion. I'm going to have to look real close at mine now.

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      • tmjsong1aolcom
        Experienced
        • Mar 31 2004
        • 329

        #18
        Build Date/Serial Number

        As of today we have not been able to determine how the serial numner equates to the build date. For Ford there is no correlation between the build date and serial number.
        I am currently working on a data base for the 64's and the above holds true. It appears the S/N was assigned when the order was recieved processed but when the bird was actually built was another story.

        I have a couple cases where the build date is a month out of sequence.
        Reason ?????

        Have Fun with these wonderful hulks of steel and other metals.
        Fuz
        58's&64's
        Sun Prairie, Wi.
        tmjsong1@aol.com

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        • Hawkrod
          Experienced
          • Oct 31 2005
          • 288

          #19
          Originally posted by tmjsong1aolcom
          As of today we have not been able to determine how the serial numner equates to the build date. For Ford there is no correlation between the build date and serial number.
          I am currently working on a data base for the 64's and the above holds true. It appears the S/N was assigned when the order was recieved processed but when the bird was actually built was another story.

          I have a couple cases where the build date is a month out of sequence.
          Reason ?????

          Have Fun with these wonderful hulks of steel and other metals.
          Fuz
          58's&64's
          Sun Prairie, Wi.
          tmjsong1@aol.com
          That is entirely correct. Ford batch builds cars (then and now) and so the serial number has nothing to do with when a car is actually assembled. If you look at the Build sheet it will have a rotation number (ROT). This is the order the car was built in. The first car was 001 the second car was 002 but the serial numbers could have been 0YXXJ100025 and 0YXX122000. It is a very common misconception that there were X number of cars before or after a certain serial number. The only problem with the rotation number is each car has more than one and they only go to 999 and start over. The theory is they only have to go to 999 because you won't build that many cars in a day so it can't be confused with the next one with the same number and they have more than one number because there is a rotation number for paint and one for assembly. Ford paints all similar color orders at once for obvious reasons and then assembles the cars based on similar components (same interiors, or same option combos or whatever makes it easiest for that particular model, and it can be a different set of priority for different models). Scheduled assembly dates can also be impacted by parts availability, if radiators for 430 cars are not at the plant when needed then they would build 352 cars and 430 cars would sit an wait for the order to arrive. Ford uses (and used back then) a JIT inventory system so there were not piles of parts just waiting to be used. Parts were ordered for units scheduled and the source plant would give a scheduled delivery date. If this date was out a ways then others cars were scheduled first but if the order was scheduled and did not arrive they did not just stop building cars, they just started on the next batch that they could assemble. Another thing that can affect assembly time and date that is common is damage as noted above. There are several different things that this can relate to, it could be as simple as body damage that requires repair (more common than you would think) or it could be a damaged component. Sometimes a damaged component could create an issue. For example what if you had a cloth seat car and a front seat got torn by a line worker with a screwdriver in his pocket. Cloth seats are not common in Birds and the plant may not actually have any others as none are scheduled to be built. This car would be sidelined until a replacement arrived from the upholstered goods plant. You always need to remember that the components to build a car are rarely made where the car is assembled and the vehicle assembly plant does not have huge piles of spares just sitting and waiting to be used, they have enough parts to meet scheduled demand (plus a small percentage for damage/defects etc..). Whenever parts are needed they have to be ordered and scheduled from a component assembly plant and then shipped to the vehicle assembly plant. Even in the 1950's this was the case and Ford was one of the best at cutting it close! Hawkrod

          Comment

          • tbird430
            Super-Experienced
            • Jun 18 2007
            • 2648

            #20
            Great info Hawkrod. Thanks.
            sigpic
            The 1960 Ford Thunderbird. The WORLD'S most wanted car....

            VTCI Member#6287.

            Comment

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