Vin stampings.

[Tired Sheep]

This assertion is supported by the differing style of fonts between those on the subject block and that of VINs stamped at Metuchen Assembly, which produced the '68 Shelbys. Look at the two attached photos. One is the VIN which is the subject of this thread, the other a photo from my file of the block VIN stamp from a '68 GT350.

It was addressed above

[shelbymann1970]

This assertion is supported by the differing style of fonts between those on the subject block and that of VINs stamped at Metuchen Assembly, which produced the '68 Shelbys. Look at the two attached photos. One is the VIN which is the subject of this thread, the other a photo from my file of the block VIN stamp from a '68 GT350.

It was addressed above

Well I thought I was clear enough. I guess I wasn't. The pic Bill Collins shows compared to the vin on the 68 block I showed in relationship to the pad it is stamped on are the same size. The trans stamp is a font size smaller. The problem is pics usually do not show their actual size as the trans stamp appear LARGER than it is. I thought I addressed that more than once. I guess the next natural step is to take a scale and use it as reference on the trans to show the actual size of the stamps. Bill's engine font is larger than the trans font even though you cannot see it in the pic due to the closeup shot taken of the VIN for clarity.

[shelbydoug]

Stamps are usually measured in increments in that era. 1/8". 3/16". 1/4".

The 8T stamp is the same as mine. 1/4". It is what was commonly seen on '68 GT350's engine blocks.

As stated, likely just common to the Metuchen assembly plant.


To me it does not look hand stamped. I interpret what I see as some sort of a racked stamp holder with slop in it.

[shelbymann1970]

Stamps are usually measured in increments in that era. 1/8". 3/16". 1/4".

The 8T stamp is the same as mine. 1/4". It is what was commonly seen on '68 GT350's engine blocks.

As stated, likely just common to the Metuchen assembly plant.


To me it does not look hand stamped. I interpret what I see as some sort of a racked stamp holder with slop in it.

Back to the font size. I agree that what I see from fender aprons to engine trans stamps are 1/4". The stamps on the engine trans on what I am talking about are 3/16s.  I took Bill's Metuchin plant stamp which is the same size as my Atlanta plant stamp which is LARGER than the stamp on this block. See pic as I had to take the original pic and shoot it until I got the spacer plates the same size as reference. Like I said I KNOW stamp size difference by looking at them. I am a tool and die maker by trade and own a lot of stamps.

[shelbydoug]

I'm not sure what the existing issue is now. The block in question has been identified as a non-Metuchin '68 block.

I thought the question had been answered?

I was just agreeing with Collins.

I wouldn't pretend to tell you the details of your profession. 

Perhaps you could inquire with someone theoretically knowledgeable of Cougars of the same year and ask for feedback, such as West Coast Cougar?

[shelbymann1970]

I'm not sure what the existing issue is now. The block in question has been identified as a non-Metuchin '68 block.

I thought the question had been answered?

I was just agreeing with Collins.

I wouldn't pretend to tell you the details of your profession. 

Perhaps you could inquire with someone theoretically knowledgeable of Cougars of the same year and ask for feedback, such as West Coast Cougar?

Nothing is perfect and what has been said about assy line workers over the years? There is a weirdly stamped block and trans. Date codes match up perfectly to the car. The font size of the stamps do not match up nor do those "numbers" attach to anything Ford has done but as Bill mentioned they could be to a Cougar in error? As of now nobody has seen another anomaly like this. The pic in my above post was more for "tired Sheep" than you on the fact that he quoted Bill like my font question was answered which it still isn't probably because nobody has seen one like this. I will be looking online for Cougar Marti reports to see where Vins might fall also if I can find enough. So the next course of action would be as Bill Collins mentioned and that would be to run 8F91J403908 or 8R91J403908. First the Dearborn plant since the car has always been in Mi.

[shelbymann1970]

In my experience, the assembly plants often abbreviated the block VIN stamps, leaving out characters that would be physically obvious (like the engine code) given that was the type of engine they were being stamped onto.

91 is a Cougar body code. '68 Cougars were built at Dearborn and San Jose. According to Kevin Marti's Mustang and Cougar tag book, the highest '68 Cougar VINs are:
Dearborn - 587700 range
San Jose -  523500 range

So if I were asking Kevin Marti to run a VIN, it would be either 8F91J403908 or 8R91J403908.

1968 production ended in July. So the subject engine/trans' February 27 assembly date appears to correlate with a 400,000 series build. Keep in mind that the final six digit sequence is not exclusive to a particular car line at a given assembly plant. Units were consecutively serialized across all car lines being produced in that plant for a given model year.

Despite the claims by prior owners, I suspect this assembly was a post original sale transplant from a salvage Cougar, likely done very early in the Shelby's life. The proximity of the engine date to the production date of the Shelby is a coincidence, likely a result of the fact that, in order to get a then current 4 barrel 302, a salvage car would have also been a recently produced unit at the time the swap occurred.

This assertion is supported by the differing style of fonts between those on the subject block and that of VINs stamped at Metuchen Assembly, which produced the '68 Shelbys. Look at the two attached photos. One is the VIN which is the subject of this thread, the other a photo from my file of the block VIN stamp from a '68 GT350.

Note the variations:
- Overall construction of the number - no assembly plant letter on subject as commonly found on Metuchen stamp
Numeral differences:
- "8" top loop is equal to bottom on Metuchen, smaller on top on subject
- "1" has a foot on Metuchen, no foot on subject
- "9" has tighter bottom hook on Metuchen than that on subject

While the reason for the presence of this assembly in a Shelby is unknown, one could speculate that: The car was out of warranty and experienced an engine failure, so the repairer sourced a salvage assembly in order to save money. Or: It could have been a theft, and either the insurance company sourced it for the same reason, Or, the Shelby was sold as a recovered but stripped unit at a salvage auction and the buyer put it together with readily available used parts.

That's my take on it. Bear in mind that certain of our cars endured many abuses before becoming the icons of the muscle car era that we regard them as today.

quick search of 68 Cougar Marti reports: 1968 Dearborn cougar built Jan31, 1968 has VIN 537056 so it cannot be a Dearborn Cougar. I have not found a San Jose one yet in the time frame but with 113,056 Cougars made in 1968 I suspect the "400000" series for a 68 Cougar wasn't used and it started at "500000"?.  A Marti report on 9R93X511811 says it was the 11,811th produced car at San Jose on 2-6-68 on this BaT auction so lets rule out that the 400000 series was used for the Cougar. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1968-mercury-cougar-xr7-19/

[Tired Sheep]

I think Cougar vins start with 500,000

The focus is likely on other Ford products

The first two characters are likely not a Cougar bodycode in my opinion

[shelbymann1970]

I think Cougar vins start with 500,000

The focus is likely on other Ford products

The first two characters are likely not a Cougar bodycode in my opinion

Correct on the 500000. I did a BaT search of Cougars and found a Marti proving it. 91 is a base Cougar code as is 93 is an upgraded model(XR-7).

[shelbymann1970]

I think Cougar vins start with 500,000

The focus is likely on other Ford products

The first two characters are likely not a Cougar bodycode in my opinion

Wayne plant for full size Galaxie platform started at 100000. Lorrain(Torinos) plant possibly 100000 and definitely not 400000. Atlanta plant 100000. Seems to be a pattern: 100000 for Fords and 500000 for Mercs. Google and Marti reports show this as well as BaT cars for sale.https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1968-mercury-comet-sports-coupe/ .

[Special Ed]

I wonder if the ford strike that happened in 68 had anything to do with this car as the plant was shut down for awhile. Was the strike at 1 plant only dearborn wasnt it ?

[shelbymann1970]

I wonder if the ford strike that happened in 68 had anything to do with this car as the plant was shut down for awhile.

I could check Sheet Metal dates but March 13 build and later original quarters. So my latest research shows that the stamped numbers have no correlation to Mercury or Ford as it pertains to consecutive unit VIn numbers on cars. Trucks have only 5 consecutive numbers at the end.

[Tired Sheep]

Strike was in late 67, very unlikely to have effected a February built car

Really one call to Marti should resolve which Fords used 400000 series numbers

[shelbymann1970]

Strike was in late 67, very unlikely to have effected a February built car

Really one call to Marti should resolve which Fords used 400000 series numbers

Ford didn't. Don't need to call Marti. Just look at the Marti reports for 1968. He generally tells-but not always- "Vin 123456 "your Ford was the 23456th model made at that plant or 567890 "your Mercury was the 67890th model made at that plant. Enough Marti reports out there for Mustangs, Cougars, Torinos, Comets, Galaxies, Bronco and F-150s to show that.  Besides Marti has not been taking phone calls as they have been behind for some time not last I heard.  Here is what you would find for 1968 if you looked at the VIN plate. Hey I have learned a lot about this today.

[CharlesTurner]

I've sent Kevin a message asking if any 1968 Ford cars made with 400xxx numbers. 

Found this on the web:

SIXTH THRU ELEVENTH DIGITS - Consecutive Unit Number (Numbers):
Ford = 100001-399999 (1960-1969)
Ford = 100001-399999; 600001-899999 (Dearborn Assembly; beginning in 1965 due to the popularity of the Ford Mustang. Highest documented was 806693)

Lincoln = 400001-499999 (1960-1966)
Lincoln = 800001-899999 (1967-1968)
Lincoln = 848001-899000 (1969 only)
Lincoln = 999001-999999 (1964-1969 Sedan models for conversion to Lehmann-Peterson Limousine only)

Mercury = 500001-799999 (1960-1969 Mercury, except 1960-1961 Comet)
Comet = 800001 - 999999 (1960-1961 Comet; Originally intended to be part of the Edsel line, which was discontinued early in the 1960 model year. The name Mercury does not actually appear on the car)