[Farside]

Anybody interested in checking out the 1st production 1970 Cougar - check it out here http://www.mershons.com/view_photo.asp?ID=4632&image=Exterior. A word of caution - it might give you sticker coma. Where's that paper towel roll of $100's (like in the commercial) when you need it: .

 

[evilmess]

It looks like Cougar values are finally starting to appreciate and that our cars are really starting to pick up in popularity.

I still see lot's of '68 Coug's selling for $2500 +/- bucks in my area so they're still affordable but certainly a well restored car can get a nice price if it's a little more rare than others.

 

[snakepit]

1st 70 Cougar????

The 100001 was most often not the first car producted in any production year (cars were not built based on their serial number) So its more likely that the car was not the first one built but the first car assigned a sequentical VIN

From examples we have found (groups of sequential buildsheets from one day of production) that cars built once after another were not even close when it came to VIN's. This has also been support by interviews with plant managers and inspectors

As an example cars built on the same day could have VIN's up to 4000 number apart and assigned built dates of up to three weeks apart.

 

[badcatt]

Another thing is that most very low vins were pilot line cars. and were used as factory show cars. I do beleve that when it was in 1 of the magazines the owner at that time had a eminger report on the car. It is the first VIN for 70 but I don't know for sure if it was the first built but I think a Marti report will show this. Neal.

 

[snakepit]

1st 70 Cougar

The pilot cars I've seen documented used a different "style" VIN since they were not always (can remember a one come to think of it that was) assemblied at a "regular" production plant.

 

[Tim B]

1st of WHAT!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Mustang 1 (1964 1/2) and Cougar 1 (1967) were significant for being the first. I wasn't aware of any significance for the 1st 1966 Mustang or the 1st of the 3rd series Cougar. Besides, even the the Eliminator came out in 1969. It sounds like the car salesman is doing a big sell. Nice Eliminator though!!!!

Tim B

 

[snakepit]

1st 70 Cougar

I would suggest that even the "first" Mustang or Cougar has little true signicance other than that placed upon it by the magazines or the current owner of the car, when compared to any other very early production car. This idea is likely just a holdover from the time when we thought that 100001 meant that it was the first car to be built.

I always love the owner who claims they own the "last" of a model or body type.. Always so hard to prove

 

[leonbray]

I would suggest that even the "first" Mustang or Cougar has little true signicance other than that placed upon it by the magazines or the current owner of the car,

Mark P (CougarAOD) - any significance that you own the first eliminator produced

 

[jimk351c]

Snake is right. Cougar 1 most likely was not the first Cougar off the assembly line. However, the special history that goes with the car makes it that much more special....

I do not believe a Marti report can tell you which car was built first.

 

[jimk351c]

Mark knows his car may have not been the first Eliminator produced. However, it is the lowest VIN number Eliminator, so why not call it Eliminator 1? I'm all for it. Promoting Cougars with the special production numbers makes ALL of our Cougars more valuable. Stang / T-Bird owners have been doing it for years. Why shouldn't we?

 

[leonbray]

Only way I know of telling what would be first off the production line (ignoring pilot cars) would be

* identify first day of production
* identify lowest production sequence number (if it is available from production schedules)

(This also ignores the fact that some production build cars are often built prior to the official first day of production for promotional/dealer display purposes)

 

[snakepit]

1st 70 Cougar

Would agree that knowing the 1st day the model was produced would be helpful. And since the dates on the door tags are unusable for this I think the best source would be the lowers date shown in the company's data base.

As for lowest sequential number has any value I would suggest no.

While in this discussion I thought I would offer the follow snap shot of a days production. The rotations identiy a group of Mustangs that were started and finished (second part of production assembly) in sequence. Form the VON's and projected build dates you can see how little they really mean. All from an artilce I wrote a few years back

" Approximately two months ago we were provided with one of the largest groups of build
sheets I’ve seen come from one single car. This group provides us evidence of what is new to
some of us and reinforces what others of us have thought for some time. Take a look at the
information taken from this group, provided below.

Rotation Number Serial Number Build Date
602 8T01J207466 23E
603 8T01C206906 23E
604 8T03J206138 22E
605 8T01C208491 03F
606 8T01C207720 23E
607 8T02S207673 21E
608 8T03J206142 22E
609 8T01T208809 03F
610 8T01C208072 27E
611 8T01T208068 28E
612 8T03R204831 21E
613 8T02J208415 03F
614 8T01T207469 23E
615 8T03C207384 28E
616 8T02T204884 24E
617 8T01T208309 24E
618 8T01T209471 04F
619 8T01C207524 23E
620 8T03J207534 23E
621 8T01T208979 04F
622 8T01J207475 23E
623 8T03C206401 22E

Difference between highest and lowest serial number. 4640 cars

Difference between earliest and latest projected build date. 12 days

 

[leonbray]

Interesting Stats - my experience is limited to scheduling GM and Mitsubishi production lines.

By the time a car gets from order to ship it has a range of identifies. Today the production sequence number is about the closest you can get to when a vehicle gets off the line - provided it is only used to sequence final assembly

Not sure how Ford controlled its final assembly production lines in the 60's and 70's

Anyone with Ford final assembly experience out there

 

[snakepit]

1 st 70 Cougar

From what I understand from interviews with plant managers, workers, inspectors and those who layed out at least one plant is the following

Orders were recieved at the plant (plant was determined by a couple of factors) assigned a VIN and a punch card was made. Cars were assemblied based on parts available and an assembly order that would allow enough time to do each car in the allotted time (no big block or "difficult' cars back to back). For this a rotation number and a projected "build date" was assigned

Depending on the plant since each was layed out differently) car went through their body and trim assembly process then were placed in a "holding area" for lack of a better term. In some plants this is the time when vinyl and convertible tops were done. Once all parts needed were confirmed and a new assembly order was determined (and another rotaion number assigned indicating this order) again no difficult cars back to back.

Cars were completed and final inspections were done

 

[Cougrrcj]

I agree with you guys

I agree with you guys who say that the serial number means next to nothing.

My buddy has a 71 Mach 1. OK, what's so special about that? Well, the 'hidden' serial number on the shock tower says 0F05H101016. What's wrong with that picture? The year digit (the first number) says that his car is a 70 and not a 71. Nothing in common in the engine bay between a 70 and 71 Mustang, believe me! Both sides of the car are stamped that way! One would think that the factory inspectors would have caught this error before 1016 cars were turned out if they were really produced in order of serial number!

His build date is the earliest we've ever seen on a 71 Mustang or Cougar for 1971. I seem to recall it was in very early August of 1970, with a single digit date. We found a car with a serial number just three off (earlier) but the build date was more than a week later and it had the correct year stamping on the shock towers.

His car has certain features that we've seen on no other 71 Mustang, like a woodgrain trim around the shifter (console) bezel. We've seen the factory brochure that shows the woodgrain trim, but have never seen a car with one in real life.

His fog lamp (sportlamp) bezels are chromed, not argent like all others. The Ford master parts manual has no part listed as a chrome bezel, and never did!

Was this car a factory demo or 'pilot' car? We've never been able to determine -- and my buddy works at a Ford dealership!

He's owned the car since early 1974 so I doubt it was altered before he got a hold of it.

 

[Tim B]

Didn't Ford use a build date of 7/04 for preproduction cars? What was the visible VIN on the 0F05H101016 Mustang?

Tim B

 

[badcatt]

Time for a marti report. That can tell you a lot. He will also do specal reseach for a fee. The one for my 69 Std 390 has the car ordered 7/22/68. scheduled duild of 9/17/68 actuial build date is 10.01/68

 

[Cougrrcj]

TimB,

The VIN on both the dash and on the door sticker were of the correct year (1971), just the shock tower VIN was incorrect. Was this car made the first day of '71 production and somebody just forgot to change the first digit of the VIN stamp for the shocktowers? We don't know....

BTW, his brother has one of the last 73s made, with a build date of 7/2x/73. (I can't remember if it was the 22nd or 23rd)

I suppose we should get the Marti report or the report from what's-her-name -- (Yet another senior moment. Hmmm. These are getting more frequent :1poke: ) -- for all of our Mustangs and Cougars. I got the one for the wife's Metuchen-built 70 Mach, and I really should get the ones for my Cougars since the build sheets are just about unreadable.

 

[snakepit]

1st 1970 Cougar

Interesting as are all of the oddities. Again please do not rely on the projected build dates found on these cars.

As another observation on 71-73 the hidden number ( every one I've seen or owned) was not a full VIN but instead used the same pattern we se used on engines and trans of the time period. And the stampings were not on the shock tower panel as in 69-70.

As for reports I find both very valuable. Kevin can give you the most information but Lois's original paper shipping invoices can not be beat. I've purchsed the form for each of my cars that she had paperwork for. Price s have gone up over the last 20 or so years these have been available but the value ofthe cars have gone up also.

Please don't take this the wrong way as I believe you are seeing what is there. But unless the owner purchased it new (and not even then have lots of stories) any car could be modified. I offer the following just from my immidiate families cars

71 Pinto. car was order with stripe delete (was to have those two rally stripes) The day after delivery stripes exactly like the factory ones were painted on, the exhaust, wheels and tires were modified.

92 Windstar - within the first week of recieving it we placed GT stickers from that year's Mustangs, added the factory (almost no one order one of those) rear spoiler, Front and rear suspension was up dated using Ford parts (car was factory order with the larger gas tank, oversized axle bearing as well as oil and trans coolers

Alot of "odd" things were done during the 60-70's Remember a family friend that converted a new vega to a big block NHRA Gasser. What was odd was that the car was leased.

Thnaks for letting be share