VIN number conversion

[EarlyBert]

I cannot, fer the life of me, find a VIN conversion for Model A. I know it exists but I'm evidently search challenged. Help?

Here's mine: VIN #A627274

[Mickey]

The Vin number is usually the engine number. Yours looks to be a November 1928. It's from the very last page in Les Andrews red book.

[EarlyBert]

Oh, silly me. The engine & frame number is supposed to be the same. I was looking at the chart & it says "ENGINE" so I couldn't get past that. Sheesh!

[Mickey]

Your 627,274 falls between 585,607 and 697,829 which shows to be Nov. 1928. Actually 11/12/1928

[EarlyBert]

HMM, Plucks engine chart mentioned below shows 3/28/28. Thoughts?

You remember that "Red Book" bit me recently!

[Mickey]

You'Re coming up one number short. You're looking at 62,XXX rather than 627,XXX

[EarlyBert]

AAAH, yes. I see. What is the definition of an "AR"?

[Mitch]

http://www.plucks329s.org/pdf/studies/Model%20A%20Daily%20Motor%20Production%20Charts.pdf

[EarlyBert]

Looking at the chart referenced above, it looks like 3/28/28 would be correct. Would this be considered an "AR"? It was sold to me as an "AR" model.

[EarlyBert]

Ha! Getting more educated. Do you know what dates are considered "AR"?

[Mickey]

Sorry can't help with the "AR". It's not a right hand drive is it?

[EarlyBert]

Nope, It's LH.

[CarlG]

AR was never a designation by Ford. It generally refers to the '27 - very early '28 production vehicles. Sometimes only the first couple hundred off the line.

[DaWizard]

The date I have for that engine being finished and stamped is 11/12/28. As for AR cars, they are only "AR" because some of the parts were obsoleted and were the first 1928 cars that had the left hand brake lever and 4 wheel p-brake. The production of the passenger cars with left hand p-brake stopped formally in June '28, but there are a few passenger cars that were assembled after that with the left hand p-brake. Out here in So Cal we have 2 pickup trucks that are known 1929 builds with left hand p-brake. I have a July '28 Tudor with all the holes in body and frame for the left hand p-brake but is the center p-brake.

[EarlyBert]

Thanks for the input Wiz.

[Tom Wesenberg]

A means it's the first design of that part, and R means it needs to be kept in stock as a replacement part because the following designed parts won't work in it's place. The early 21" wheels are an example of a part where the later 21" wheel can't be substituted for the first design. My 9-27-28 Model A might have some AR parts, or some BR parts, but it isn't what many people think of as an AR Model A. If someone calls your early Model A an AR, then they think of it that way because it has the left hand parking brake, and no separate parking brake bands, which started just before the middle of 1928.

[EarlyBert]

Thanks for helping me with this. I really appreciate the wealth of knowledge & the feeling that there is no such thing as a stupid question.

[Mitch]

You would be surprised of how many others you helped by asking

[Tom Wesenberg]

Thanks for helping me with this. I really appreciate the wealth of knowledge & the feeling that there is no such thing as a stupid question.

Well, let me try..................is it OK to check the fuel level by removing the gas cap and using a match?

Actually, I remember Paul Harvey telling about dumb criminals that did just that while stealing gas.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

YES, DUMB questions ABOUND, so do DUMB answers, get REAL!

[CM2]

Ignorance is curable,stupid should hurt. Bear in mind although AR is has mystique in the community Ford revised those parts and systems for a reason..

[Ed H]

Thanks for helping me with this. I really appreciate the wealth of knowledge & the feeling that there is no such thing as a stupid question.

Never, we ask because we do not know.