Ford-O-Matic vs Cruise-O-Matic

[Acrylic man]

Ron,     The puzzling thing that jumps out to everybody, is the Transmission, and rear end. Because the consistences is that Ford didn't put Cruise-O-Matic in till 58, and didn't put the rear axle 3.89 to 1  locking, till 59. but on my data plate it shows that's what it has..... I've got my spy glass out, still looking,  Larry 

[Lou]

Your plate does not have a trans and axle code, that number is a district/dealer number  there were 3 different styles of data  plate used in 57 , early, no trans or axle code, starting about April 1, 1957 simular plate but place for axle and trans code., then at some plants the style that lalessi1 shows, which is simular to the 58/59 data plate.

[Ford Blue blood]

My San Diego built Ranchwagon had no trans or axle code.....

[Acrylic man]

Yep, your right about the Production Code doesn't have the trans, and rear end.  What I did was thought that the last "6" was trans. and the "D" rear end.  because the example plate I saw had 2letters and 3 numbers, mine had 4 numbers and 1letter. that through me off. That's clear now thanks for clearing it up.

[Lou]

FYI ...The  "D" at the end of the production number meant it was the 4 th car in the order for that dealer, dealers got a shipping discount if the ordered cars by the truck load, 4 cars being a truck load at the time.
Before someone asks, if you have a "P" at the end it meant that the car was shipped out of that assembly plants sales district, case in point most T-Birds had a "P" on there data plate as all T-Birds were built at Dearborn.

[Acrylic man]

Lou,  thanks for that,   I know the date looks like Dec. 19th. 19M    What does the ( 2096 ) then the D you said (4th car.). Larry

[Lou]

The 20 would be part if the dealer code, the dealer code would be 4 numbers the first 2 being the district code then in your case 20, then the number of cars shipped to that district so far that month 96.

[Acrylic man]

That's good to know, thanks for the research. I would guess 96 cars a month is a big dealership. I do have the dealer metal that was installed on the trunk lid.  It was Ed Maher, in Dallas, Texas. Here is a shot of JFK, riding buy Ed Maher Ford, in Nov 1963, before the assassination.