Reception

Chassis Plate Codes for Escorts up to August 1970

Vehicle Chassis Number Example: BB48HB54321

All Possible Codes are:

1st character, letter decodes as Source Company.
B= Ford of Britain. or
C= Ford of Britain- Affiliate company. or
G=Ford of Germany

2nd character, letter decodes as Assembly Plant
B= Halewood. or
F= Aveley. or
C= Saarlouis. or
K= Sidney.

3rd & 4th characters, two numbers or number & letter decodes as body type.
40= 2 door Standard saloon. or
41= Super estate car. or
42= 2 door De Luxe saloon. or
43= De Luxe estate car. or
44= 2 door Super saloon. or
48= 2 door GT saloon. or
49= Twin Cam saloon*, RS1600. or
50= Standard van 6cwt. or
51= De Luxe van 8cwt. or
5A= Standard van 8cwt. or
5D= 4 door De Luxe saloon. or
5G= 4 door GT saloon. or
5P= 4 door Super saloon. or
5S= 4 door Standard saloon.
* Very Early Twin Cams were built on Type 48 GT shells.

5th character, letter decodes as year of manufacture.
6th character, letter decodes as month of manufacture.
1967= G
- Jan= C or Feb= K or Mar= D or Apr= E or May= L or Jun= Y or
Jul= S or Aug= T or Sep= J or Oct= U or Nov= M or Dec= P or
1968= H
- Jan= B or Feb= R or Mar= A or Apr= G or May= C or Jun= K or
Jul= D or Aug= E or Sep= L or Oct= Y or Nov= S or Dec= T or
1969= J
- Jan= I or Feb= U or Mar= M or Apr= P or May= B or Jun= R or
Jul= A or Aug= G or Sep= C or Oct= K or Nov= D or Dec= E or
1970= K
- Jan= L or Feb= Y or Mar= S or Apr= T or May= J or Jun= U or
Jul= M or Aug= P

7th to 11th characters, vehicle serial number, produced that month= 00001 - 99999

Drive, codes: 1 or R = Right Hand Drive. - 2 or L = Left Hand Drive.

Engine, codes: B= 1100cc HC or C= 1100cc LC or S= 1300cc HC or
T= 1300cc LC or T= 1300cc GT or
Z= 1558cc Twin Cam or V= 1601cc RS1600

Transmission, codes: 1 or 5= Manual - 7= Automatic

Axle, codes: 9= 3.77:1 or 2= 3.89:1 or B= 4.125:1 or C= 4.444:1

Chassis Plate (later type)

Chassis Plate Codes for Escorts August 1970 onwards

Vehicle Chassis Number Examples: Non RS - BBATMB54321 RS BFATNP54321

All Possible Codes are:

1st letter decodes as Source Company.
B= Ford of Britain. or
C= Ford of Britain- Affiliate company. or
G=Ford of Germany

2nd letter decodes as Assembly Plant
B= Halewood. or
F= Aveley. or
C= Saarlouis. or
K= Sidney.

3rd letter decodes as Ford Model.
A= Escort.

4th letter decodes as Body Type.
T= 2 door saloon. or
D= Estate car. or
V= Van. or
F= 4 door saloon.

5th character, letter decodes as year of manufacture.
6th character, letter decodes as month of manufacture.
1970= K
- Aug= P or Sep= B or Oct= R or Nov= A or Dec= G or
1971= L
- Jan= C or Feb= K or Mar= D or Apr= E or May= L or Jun= Y or
Jul= S or Aug= T or Sep= J or Oct= U or Nov= M or Dec= P or
1972= M
- Jan= B or Feb= R or Mar= A or Apr= G or May= C or Jun= K or
Jul= D or Aug= E or Sep= L or Oct= Y or Nov= S or Dec= T or
1973= N
- Jan= J or Feb= U or Mar= M or Apr= P or May= B or Jun= R or
Jul= A or Aug= G or Sep= C or Oct= K or Nov= D or Dec= E or
1974= P
- Jan= L or Feb= Y or Mar= S or Apr= T or May= I or Jun= U or
Jul= M or Aug= P or Sep= B or Oct= R or Nov= A or Dec= G or
1975= R
- Jan= C

7th to 11th characters, vehicle serial number, produced that month= 00001 - 99999

Drive, codes: 1 or R = Right Hand Drive. - 2 or L = Left Hand Drive.

Engine, codes: G2= 1100cc HC or G1= 1100cc LC or J2= 1300cc HC or
J1= 1300cc LC or J3= 1300cc GT or L7= 1598cc Mexico or
K6= 1558cc Twin Cam or L5= 1558cc RS1600 or NE= 1998cc RS2000

Version, Codes: W= 1300E or G= GT or X= Mexico or
L= Twin Cam* or C= RS1600 or Q= Sport or S= Standard
P= XL or M= L or D= Base or Y= RS2000
* Many 1972 year mexico's had version letter 'L', and had RS1600 washer bottle and engine bay bulkhead cut out

Transmission, codes: 1 or 5= Manual - 7= Automatic

Axle, codes: W= 3.77:1 or 2= 3.89:1 or B= 4.125:1 or C= 4.444:1 or Z= 3.54:1

I have Decided to add the year codes for all fords as one table for easy cross reference for the years 1965 - 2005 inclusive