Shelby AUTOMOTIVE / Ford MFG license Plates

[Richstang]

With the creation of the 'Shelby Automotive' company and Ford's takeover of production, FORD MFG plates appear on Shelby's in late 1967.

Here's a list of the vehicles found in period photos. (I do not know all the Shelby VIN numbers at this time.)
-'14M -024' - PR photo; front view of a '68 GT500KR #2356 blue/saddle
-'14M -241' - PR photo; back view of a '68 GT500KR #2356 blue/saddle (same car?)
-'14M -241' - PR photo; back view of a '68 GT500 convertible red/saddle (same rear plate as above Acapulco GT500KR

other (non Ford) MFG plates on Shelby's in Michigan
-'10M -214' back view of a '69 GT500 Grabber Green
-'15M -381' back view of a '69 Convertible, B&W PR photo, #9F03M480001 Royal Maroon
-'17M -216' front & back view of a '69 GT500, B&W article SCG 2/69

[Richstang]

This appear to be the same car as posted above with a different rear plate...odd

[Coralsnake]

http://www.thecoralsnake.com/History16

Thats 2356

The plate was used on other vehicles as well

[Richstang]

Thanks Pete!

Here's another vehicles with that same rear plate.

[Side-Oilers]

Interesting that a Ford studio photo of any car would have the fugly front license plate installed.   

[Coralsnake]

I can identify this car if we have some more pictures

Tires on driver's side are different from passenger side, appears to be same photo shoot.

[Richstang]

That convertible is a tough car to find pictures of. I only had the one photo.
Hopefully someone else had found another view of it.

It looks like just the Acapulco Blue fastback and that red convertible wore the Ford MFG plates in the PR photos.
Here's one more of the KR engine that shows the same license plate.

[66S285]

http://www.thecoralsnake.com/History16

Thats 2356

The plate was used on other vehicles as well

Looks just like mine (2375) but my interior black

[68blk500c]

I can identify this car if we have some more pictures

Tires on driver's side are different from passenger side, appears to be same photo shoot.

Also noticed the body color quarter reflector frames; not chromed.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

I wonder if there is any way of finding out how the plates were assigned internally. I'd suspect that engineering and marketing at the very least had their own plates. A further breakdown could include powertrain engineering, vehicle testing, executive pool cars the list could be pretty big since Ford likes to bill every penny of costs to a specific division or function.

[Richstang]

We'd need a FORD rep to answer that question if there was a list by dept at Ford of the MFG plates


Here's a 69 GT500 that was posted on the old forum 1.0
I believe this is another MFG Ford plate, but with '10M' as the Ford identifier

[Richstang]

Could this be the prototype black convertible with white interior?
The plate reads '15M-381'

[Poor Ron]

In Michigan; the manufacturers' plate do not necessarily have to be for one of the auto manufacturers.
It could be for anyone in the auto supply business.
Suppliers such as Hurst, Firestone, Goodyear, etc.

[Richstang]

Thank You for sharing that information!
So the '10M' and the '15M' on both of these '69's are likely from different companies and NOT from Ford.

[Bob Gaines]

Could this be the prototype black convertible with white interior?
The plate reads '15M-381'

Didn't the black convert have Cougar power windows?