Mustang Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) offer several pieces of information about your Classic Mustang. Decoding this information can tell you the year your vehicle was assembled, the assembly plant, the body style, the engine cubic inch displacement (CID), and consecutive unit number. This guide is written to take the mystery out of 1964 1/2, 1965 and 1966 Ford Mustang VINs .
Each letter or number in a Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, stands for something. Some of the VIN codes were only used on the 1964 1/2 Mustang. If you are curious about the differences between 1964 1/2 and 1965 Mustangs, please see 1964 1/2 & 1965 Mustangs: What is the Difference?.
For the purpose of explaining each individual letter and number, we have created a sample VIN. Then we have broken this VIN down, explaining what each number and letter represent.
Sample VIN: 5R09A201258
5 – Designates the year the vehicle was assembled.
All 1964 and 1965 Mustangs begin with a “5”, indicating 1965. Other years are as follows:
6 = 1966; 7 = 1967; 8 = 1968; 9 = 1969; 0 = 1970
R – Designates one of three assembly plants (there are F, R and T)
F = Dearborn, Michigan; R = San Jose, California; T = Metuchen, New Jersey
09 – Designates one of three body styles (there are 07, 08 and 09)
07 = Coupe; 08 = Convertible; 09 = Fastback
A – Designates one of seven engines used
A = 289 4 V premium fuel
C = 289 2 V
K = 289 4 V high performance
T = 200 1 V 6 cylinder
U = 170 1V 6 cylinder (1964 1/2 Mustang only)
D = 289 4 V (1964 1/2 Mustang only)
F = 260 2 V (1964 1/2 Mustang only)
201258 – Designates the consecutive unit number
Deciphering the code:
In summary, the VIN that we used as an example tells us the following:
It is a 1965 Mustang that was manufactured in the San Jose, California assembly plant. It is a Fastback with an A Code 289 4 V premium fuel engine and was the 201,258th car assembled.
Mystery solved! Have fun decoding your Classic Mustang VIN. If you are curious about decoding other Classic Mustangs, check out our Decoding your 1967 or 1968 Mustang VIN and our Decoding your 1969 or 1970 Mustang VIN.
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