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1972 Ford F-series Pickup Data

Decoding the 1972 VIN data plate
 

Sample VIN data plate
The information contained on the data plate includes the vehicle identification number (VIN), wheelbase, exterior color, model type, body type, transmission type, rear axle, maximum gross vehicle weight in lbs., certified net horsepower, RPM and D.S.O. numbers.
   
The first three digits
identify the series:
Series Code
F-100 2WD F10
F-100 4WD F11
F-250 2WD F25
F-250 4WD F26
F-350 2WD F35

The fourth digit identifies
the engine:
Engine Code
240 cid, 6-cyl. A
300 cid, 6-cyl. B
302 cid, 8-cyl. G
390 cid, 8-cyl. H
360 cid, 8-cyl. Y
240 cid, 6-cyl. 1
300 cid, 6-cyl. 2
302 cid, 8-cyl. 3
360 cid, 8-cyl. 8

See Engine Specifications chart below

   
The fifth digit identifies the assembly plant:
Assembly Plant Code
Ontario, CAN C
Mawah, NJ E
Lorain, OH H
Kansas City K
Michigan Truck L
Norfolk, VA N
Twin Cities, MN P
San Jose, CA R
Allen Park, MI S
Kentucky Truck V
The remaining six digits are the consecutive unit numbers:
Aug. 1971 -  M40,000 thru M59,999
Sep. 1971 -  M60,000 thru M79,999
Oct. 1971 -  M80,000 thru M99,999
Nov. 1971 -  N00,000 thru N19,000
Dec. 1971 -  N20,000 thru N39,999
Jan. 1972 -  N40,000 thru N59,999
Feb. 1972 -  N60,000 thru N79,999
Mar. 1972 -  N80,000 thru N99,999
Apr. 1972 -  P00,000 thru P19,999
May 1972 -  P20,000, thru P39,999
Jun. 1972 -  P40,000 thru P59,999
Jul. 1972 -  P60,000 thru P69,000

NOTE 1: The consecutive numbers for trucks were assigned just like Ford cars in the period, IE each assembly plant started with the same sequential number. Thus, the first truck in Kansas City production in 1972 would be assigned M40,000, as the first truck assigned to San Jose would also be M40,000. The unique serial number identifier would be the plant code.

NOTE 2: While researching these VIN pages, there have been many conflicting sets of numbers discovered. The numbers listed above are those listed in the 'Catalog of Ford Truck ID Numbers 1946-1972'. However, reportedly the figures in some sources, such as the factory shop manuals, are off some because they were printed at the beginning of the production year run. I've also heard from several truck owners who report higher unit numbers than either set listed here...so the research will continue. Stay tuned!

The W.B. (Wheelbase) code indicates the wheelbase in inches:

  • 115" - short wheelbase truck
  • 131" - long wheelbase truck
  • 135" - with 9-ft. bed

The Exterior color code indicates the paint color:
Code Factory Paint
Chip Brochure		 PPG Paint
Chip sheet		 Catalog of
Ford Truck
ID Numbers		 Martin Senour Paint Chip Sheet Ford '67-'72 Master Parts Catalog (17)
A (not shown) (not shown) (not shown) Prairie Yellow
 (10)		 (not shown)
B Wind Blue Wind Blue
(2403)		 Lt. Blue Wind Blue Lt. Blue (3429)
C Pure White Pure White
(8321)		 Spec. White Pure White Pure White (1525)
D Fiesta Tan
 (1)		 Fiesta Tan
(2104)		 Lt. Yellow Fiesta Tan Lt. Gold (3439)
E Brook Blue Metallic (1) Brook Blue Poly
(2404)		 Med. Blue
Metallic		 Brook Blue Poly Med. Blue Metallic (5087)
F Mill Valley Green
(1)		 Mill Valley Green
(2418)		 Lt. Green Mill Valley Green Lt. Green (5058)
G Chrome Yellow Chrome Yellow
(81353)		 Chrome Yellow Chrome Yellow Chrome Yellow (1526)
H Baja Beige
(1)		 Baja Beige
(2159)		 Med. Beige Baja Beige Med. Beige (3529)
Seapine Green Poly (11)
J (3) Rangoon Red
(71243)		 Rangoon Red Rangoon Red Red (1515)
K Prairie Yellow
 (4)		 Prairie Yellow
(2299)		 Med. Goldenrod
Yellow		 Boxwood Green Med. Goldenrod Yellow (3492) (14)
L (3) Holly Green
(43484)		 Dk. Green Holly Green Dark Green (1237)
M Wimbledon White Wimbledon White
(8378)		 White Wimbledon White White (1617)
N Diamond Blue
 (1)		 Diamond Blue
(11683)		 Platinum Diamond Blue Platinum (921)
O Seapine Green Metallic Seapine Green Poly
(2422)		 Med. Metallic
Green		 (Code "O" not shown, but Seapine Green Poly is shown as code "H") Med. Green Metallic (5187)
P Scandia Green Metallic (5) Scandia Green Poly
(2289)		 Med. Green
Metallic		 Scandia Green Poly Med. Green Metallic (3468)
Q Winter Green Winter Green
(2419)		 Lt. Yellow Green Winter Green Lt. Yellow Green (5060)
R Sequoia Brown Metallic (6) Sequoia Brown Poly
(2416) (6)		 Med. Metallic
Ginger		 Sequoia Brown Poly (6) Med. Ginger Metallic (5186) (15)
S (3) (8) Med. Turquoise Shenandoah Green Med. Turquoise (5054)
T Candyapple Red Candyapple Red
(71528)		 Candyapple Red Candyapple Red Red (2008)
U
 (18)		 (not shown) Med. Lime Poly (not shown) Limestone Green Poly Med. Lime Metallic (5021)
V Mallard Green Mallard Green
(2292)		 Dk. Green Mallard Green Dark Green (5005)
X
 (18)		 (not shown) Lt. Goldenrod (2298) (not shown) Durango Tan Lt. Goldenrod Yellow (3565)
W Saddletan
(Bronco, trucks)
Bay Roc Blue Met. (vans)		 Saddletan
(vans) (2284)
Bay Roc Blue Poly (Bronco, trucks)(2386)(2)		 Med. Blue
Metallic		 Bay Roc Blue Poly Med. Blue Metallic (5108) (16)
Y Chelsea Green Metallic (7) Chelsea Green Poly
(2421)		 Med. Mallard
Green Metallic		 Chelsea Green Poly (not shown)
Z Hot Ginger Metallic
(7)		 Hot Ginger Poly
(2417)		 Lt. Copper
Metallic		 Hot Ginger Poly (not shown)
1 Calypso Coral Calypso Coral
(60449)		 Calypso Coral Calypso Coral Calypso Coral (1730)
2 Royal Maroon Royal Maroon
(50746)		 Maroon Royal Maroon Maroon (3059)
3 Swiss Aqua Swiss Aqua
(2280)		 Med. Bright Aqua Swiss Aqua Med. Bright Aqua (5006)
4
(18)		 (not shown) Grabber Blue (2230) (not shown) (not shown) Grabber Blue (3657)
5 (3) Yuma Yellow
(2214)		 Bright Yellow Yuma Yellow Bright Yellow (3470)
Grabber Blue (13)
6 Bahama Blue Bahama Blue
(2281)		 Bright Med. Blue Bahama Blue Bright Medium Blue (5004)
7 Harbor Blue (1) Harbor Blue
(13249)		 Med. Blue Harbor Blue Dark Blue (2098)
8 Tampico Yellow Tampico Yellow
(2157)		 (not shown) Tampico Yellow Yellow (3341)
9 Prime (not shown) Prime (not shown) (not shown)

There are lots of unique Canada-only color codes for earlier years, but not for 1972. Special order paint was available, and the data plate would be blank under paint code. If the special order paint was a Ford color from another line with a unique code, I have heard that code could show up on the data plate, but have no first hand knowledge of this.

NOTES
(1) 1972 Ford factory paint chip brochure shows this color as available on vans only
(2) PPG sheet notes "also 1971 color"
(3) 1972 Ford factory brochure does not show this color as available on trucks, Broncos or vans
(4) 1972 Ford factory paint chip brochure and PPG sheet also shows this code as 'Boxwood Green' for vans
(5) 1972 Ford factory paint chip brochure shows this paint chip but does not specify it's application
(6) Code "R" also shown as 'Tidewater Aqua' for vans only in 1972 Ford factory paint chip brochure, PPG sheet and Martin Senour sheet.
(7) 1972 Ford factory paint chip brochure shows this code as only available on Broncos
(8) PPG sheet shows this code twice: 'Lime Gold Poly' (2388) as a "1971 color only" and 'Shenandoah Green' (2420)
(9) PPG sheet shows this code as 'Saddletan' (2284) for Econoline only and 'Bay Roc Blue Poly' (2386) for Bronco and truck only.
(10) I believe this is an error on the Martin Senour sheet. This should have been listed as code "K" but their chip sheet shows no such code for trucks. It does show a code "K - Boxwood Green" but other sources indicate this is a van-only color.
 (11) I believe this is an error on the Martin Senour sheet. This "Seapine Green Poly" should have been listed as code "O", for which there is no listing.
 (13) The Martin Senour paint chip sheets shows code "5" as being 'Yuma Yellow' for 1972 and 'Grabber Blue' for 1970, '72-'73.
(14) (exc. Econoline which is Med Ivy Green 3150)
(15) (exc. Econoline which is Aqua 3066)
(16) (exc. Econoline which is Lt. Ginger 3516)
(17) These '72 paint codes and names are from the 64-72 Truck Master Parts Catalog (Final Rev., dated Jan. 1975.) I have included the Ford part numbers for quart cans of enamel. The prefix is AE60 and the suffix is C, (as in AE60-3429-C).
 (18) The '64-'72 Truck Master Parts Catalog (Final Revision, dated Jan. 1975) shows this code although it is not included in the 1972 Ford factory paint chip brochure. It is believed that this is one of three unique 'Explorer Special' paint choices. Since the Explorer Special trucks were released mid-year, the special colors for them wouldn't have been listed in the factory brochure.
 
Truck Tu-Tones
Interior Trim Regular Tu-Tone Deluxe or Combination of Regular & Deluxe Tu-Tone
Blue M6, 6M, MB, BM, 6B, B6, 6W, W6, BW, WB, MW, WM 6M, M6, BM, MB, B6, 6G, W6, 6W, WB, BW, WM, MW
Parchment or Black MT, TM, M1, 1M, M3, 3M, MR, RM, 6B, B6, 6W, W6, BW, WB, VO, OV, OQ, QO, 6M, BM, VM, VQ, OM, QM, QV, M2, 2M, 8M, 8V, 8R, MK, KM, RK, KR TM, MT, 1M, M1, 3M, M3, RM, MR, B6, 6B, W6, 6W, WB, BW, OV, VO, QO, OQ, M6, MB, MV, QV, MO, MQ, VQ, 2M, M2, M8, V8, R8, KM, MK, KR, RK
Red MT, TM, M2, 2M TM, MT, 2M, M2
Green MV, VM, MO, OM, MQ, QM, VO, OV, VQ, QV, OQ, QO, KF, KR VM, MV, OM, MO, QM, MQ, OV, VO, QV, VQ, QO, OQ, MK, RK

A total of 54 different tu-tone combinations were available for cab-and-chassis models and 162 different combinations for Styleside models. (Flareside models were not available with tu-tone.)

Regular: Roof only is painted the second code color
Deluxe: Lower body side is painted the first code color
Combination: Lower body side and roof are painted the first code color.

Click on these thumbnails to view full-size paint chip sample sheets.

(NOTE: These are large files.)

 
1972 Ford Light Truck
Color Selections

 
PPG Industries Inc. (Ditzler) paint chip sheets

 
Martin Senour
paint chip sheets

The Model code indicates the model type and the gross vehicle weight in lbs.:
F-100 (4x2) Series
Pickup		 GVW
F-100 4,450
F-101 4,550
F-102 4,800
F-103 5,000
F-104 5,500
F-105* 5,500
* Reference Pennsylvania registration data
F-100 (4x2) Series
Chassis Cab		 GVW
F-170 4,450
F-171 4,550
F-172 4,800
F-173 5,000
F-174 5,500
F-175* 5,500
* Reference Pennsylvania registration data
F-100 (4x4) Series
Pickup		 GVW
F-110 5,200
F-111 5,600
F-112* 5,200
F-113* 5,600
* Reference Pennsylvania registration data
F-100 (4x4) Series
Chassis Cab		 GVW
F-180 5,200
F-181 5,600
F-182* 5,200
F-183* 5,600
* Reference Pennsylvania registration data
F-250 (4x2) Series
Pickup		 GVW
F-250 6,200
F-251 6,900
F-252 7,500
F-253 8,100
F-254* 7,500
F-255* 8,100
* Reference Pennsylvania registration data
F-250 (4x2) Series
Chassis Cab		 GVW
F-270 6,200
F-271 6,900
F-272 7,500
F-273 8,100
F-274* 7,500
F-275* 8,100
* Reference Pennsylvania registration data
F-250 (4x4) Series
Pickup		 GVW
F-260 6,500
F-261 7,100
F-262 7,700
F-263* 7,100
F-264* 7,700
* Reference Pennsylvania registration data
F-250 (4x4) Series
Chassis Cab		 GVW
F-280 6,500
F-281 7,100
F-282 7,700
F-283* 7,100
F-284* 7,700
* Reference Pennsylvania registration data
F-350 (4x2) Series
Pickup		 GVW
F-350 6,600
F-351 8,000
F-350 (4x2) Series
Chassis Cab		 GVW
F-370 6,600
F-371 8,000
F-372 8,300