Ford Part Numbers
By Rick Black
Medford Oregon
| Many people see old tools with a FORD script on them and assume they're for a Model A or Model T. What I've found interesting is that few, if any, Model A tools had part numbers on them! Model T tools did, most of the time. And beginning in 1932, almost all Ford tools had a part number on them that also identifies the first year they were used. And the same numbering system is still used today. |  |
Ford parts had a base number (like 17017) that identifies the part, a prefix that identifies the year (01A) and sometimes a suffix number that identifies revisions to the part.
Example: part A-17017-B
-
"A" prefix indicates the part was used from 1928-1931.
"17017" identifies this as a spark plug wrench
"B" suffix indicates this was revision B
The table below shows a list of prefixes Ford uses in numbering parts:
-
T = to 1927
A = 1928-1931
B = 1932 (4 cylinder)
18 = 1932-1933 (8 cylinder)
40 = 1933-1934
18 = 1932
40 = 1933
48 = 1935
68 = 1936
78 = 1937
81A = 1938
91A = 1939
01A = 1940
11A = 1941
21A = 1942
69A = 1946
79A = 1947
89A = 1948 etc.
Note: there were some variances, for example the V8-60 of 1937-1941 used a different prefix than the V8-85 models.
The "A" and "T" spark plug wrenches were nearly identical. Neither had part numbers. Most had Ford script. The basic difference is in the width of the open end and box end.
If the open end is more than 1", it's for a Model A.
If the open end is less than 1", it's for a Model T.
Modern Ford Part Numbers
The following is from www.shotimes.com" and was originally posted by Joshua Teixeira, then cleaned up by John Witherspoon.
Part Example: F4DZ-2B120A -- a RH brake caliper
F - means 1990 (E is 1980's, D is 1970's, C is 1960's, B is 1950's, A is 1940's)
4 - is the year within the decade that the part first was installed by Ford, so an F4 part was first used on 1994 model year cars
D - is the line of car :
• -2B120 is the basic part number and identifies the caliper.
If part of a pair, then the lower number is the right hand side (i.e. 2B120 is right, and 2B121 is left). The only exception is power window motors for only one car. Series means the 1000, 1001, .... 1999, 1A001, to 1Z999 where every basic part number is a unique part on a car, and the same part 'name' for a different car is differentiated by the prefix.
Part Groups
01000-02000 series are wheels and brakes
03000 series are front suspension and steering
04000 series are rear axle and drive axle
05000 series are frames front stabilizer and rear suspension
05850 series are engine parts
07000 series are MTX transmission and clutch, A7000 series are ATX transmission
08000 series are cooling and grille
09000 series are fuel
09500 series are carburetor
10300 series and up are generator, alternator, starter, distributor
13000 series and up are lamps, wiring, and electrical except for 10300 series
15850 series and up are fenders and hood
17000 series and up are speedometer and associated parts
17500 series and up are bumpers, jack, mirrors, washer/wipers, speedo cables
18000 series and up are air conditioning, heaters and radios
00000 series are body front (door posts and ahead and floor pans) including
instrument panel and dash, but not gauges
23000 series and up are body sheet metal and exterior rubber bits
40000 series and up are back half of the car (trunk, roof racks, T-roof etc)
50000 series and up are exterior moldings, emblems, and nameplates
58500 series and up are seats
70000 series and up are doors, windows, (not windshield), seat trim/covers
Japanese weird parts use 2-piece Mazda part numbers
Note that if your '96 car has a part number such as F4DZ-2B120A, then you know the part was first used on '94 cars, was installed on '95s and is still being used unchanged on '96s.
Part numbers are not necessarily the same as casting numbers or the numbers on the part. Line numbers are different still.
