Howdy ?

Trying to decode Dad's data plate. Searched around on here and google and all the data plate examples show the later production decoders. His '57 was built in November '56 at the Dallas plant. Getting hung up on the production code at the end. I've been told it might possibly say what sales district it was shipped to? It's not labeled like the later plates with 'Date' 'Trans' 'Axle'. Do these early '57 tags not designate axle or trans? Any help filling in the blanks appreciated!


Here's what I have;

D = 312 4v
7 = 1957
D = Dallas Plant
V = Victoria Body ? Fairlane 500
130591 = 30,591th vehicle assembled
63A = Fairlane 500 Club Victoria
ZE = Coral Sand lower body/Colonial White upper body
2 = tu-tone?
L = Colonial Vinyl and Brown Tropical-Leaf or Brown Silver-Shadow Fabric
26L = 26th November
98 = ?
5 = 2.91:1 Axle?
C = Fordomatic (3-speed)?

Thanks in advance!

Here's a link to data plate codes......from our "technical info and drawings" section
http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=4936.0

Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2021-12-07 23:11
Here's a link to data plate codes......from our "technical info and drawings" section
http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=4936.0

Thanks, Rich. That settles the '2' for 2-tone paint. No one seems to have a definite answer for the production code. Not a big deal. Pretty insignificant at this point i guess!

The 2 after the paint code is for the second formula for mixing the paint, "Coral sand" had 3 formula changers during the 57 model run.
The production code meant different things at different plants, at Dallas I believe it was a part of a dealer code, the full dealer code would have had the numbers for the sales district  in front of them. The "C" meant the 3rd car in this order (A dealer got a discount on shipping if he ordered a truck load of cars at a time, a truck load being  4 cars or in some cases 5 cars .)

Quote from: Lou on 2021-12-08 20:20
The 2 after the paint code is for the second formula for mixing the paint, "Coral sand" had 3 formula changers during the 57 model run.
The production code meant different things at different plants, at Dallas I believe it was a part of a dealer code, the full dealer code would have had the numbers for the sales district  in front of them. The "C" meant the 3rd car in this order (A dealer got a discount on shipping if he ordered a truck load of cars at a time, a truck load being  4 cars or in some cases 5 cars .)

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the explanation. Never realized the colors changed formulation? changed. Wonder if the shade changed as well? Interesting.

Yes the shade changed along with the formula. several other 57 Ford paint colors has formula changes, it drove body shops crazy for years.

Quote from: Lou on 2021-12-09 15:40
Yes the shade changed along with the formula. several other 57 Ford paint colors has formula changes, it drove body shops crazy for years.

Wow. Learn something new every day.

I thought I remembered that the number after the color code designated where the two tone was applied. Like full body color with roof only second color or two tone body with roof matching upper color. I could be wrong but I thought I saw it in the old 57 Fords International site.

Quote from: Contibob on 2021-12-09 22:56
I thought I remembered that the number after the color code designated where the two tone was applied. Like full body color with roof only second color or two tone body with roof matching upper color. I could be wrong but I thought I saw it in the old 57 Fords International site.

That's what I thought I remembered too!

The two different color codes on the data plate tell you that it's a tutone car, the body shop looking at the car could see how it was two-toned. On the assembly line the data plate was put on after the body was painted, so the codes were for service work not production. 

Quote from: Lou on 2021-12-15 17:09
The two different color codes on the data plate tell you that it's a tutone car, the body shop looking at the car could see how it was two-toned. On the assembly line the data plate was put on after the body was painted, so the codes were for service work not production.

Interesting stuff. Seems like most of these cars that were 2-toned had the bottom color on the roof. I have seen some 'flipped' where they had a white roof/bottom and a more primary color on the upper body. Was told that was an option. Sure changes the looks of these cars.

The 2 denotes body color + top color, generally white. Known as Tutone.
The 3 denotes lower body color and top color + middle body color, generally White.  Known as Styletone
as shown on the post just before this. (Coral Sand &White).

Mostly the second color was white but other colors were used such as two different blues, red & black ect.

Styletone was reversed for 1958 ie color on the middle body. And reversed again in 1959 back to 1957 style.

BTW; There was no 2.91 axle in 1957, only 3.10, 3.56, 3.70, 3.89 & 4.11.