Topic: Found this in my glove box

[MustangAndFairlane1867]

When I bought my Mustang (San Jose/2.16.1965) back in 1992 I found a plastic card in the glove box that's about the same size and shape as a credit card and across the top on the front it says "FORD REGISTERED OWNER IDENTIFICATION,"  and in the left margin it says "OWNER CARD."  At the bottom of the card is the recognizable Ford oval with the word "Ford" spelled out in the customary script style followed by: MOTOR COMPANY.   There's a lot more on the card, front and back, including the car's complete VIN number, the date "02  23  65", a P.O. Box in Santa Ana, CA., and most of the codes that are on the car's door data plate.  I'm delighted that this had been left in my glove box for so many years and it's now safely in my file on the car, but I would like to know more about the card--did all new owners of cars throughout the country get one of these?  Was it more of a advertising ploy, or was there actually a benefit to having the card, how unusual is it to find the actual one assigned to your car, and etc.?  I didn't find a build sheet, darn it, so I'll have to be happy with this "mystery" ID card.  I hope some of you can fill in the blanks for me and thanks in advance.  Ron...

[67gta289]

Neat find. I think this is known generally as the “warranty card” and was typical to provide to new owners. Search for warranty card and you should find other examples and discussion

[rrenz]

The owner card was placed into the glovebox on the assembly line. They have reversed stamped letters on them so that the dealers could use a imprinter to make a copy when sending warranty paperwork to ford. I think (however could be wrong) the intention for the metal clip attached to the top of the glove box was to hold the card.

I didn't have any kind of paperwork on my car when I bought it however I did end up finding a Build sheet behind the cluster taped to the wiring harness against the top of the dash.

[MustangAndFairlane1867]

rrenz:  Up under the dash?  I haven't looked there!  And I delivered the car to my painter yesterday, so I better get off here and give him a call.  He'll have to check for me tomorrow because he's located 200 miles away from me.  He's a real car guy, too, though, so he won't mind grabbing a flash light and taking a look-see.  I'll post the info here if he finds something.  Thanks, Ron...

[rrenz]

I’m not sure if all plants followed this procedure but if you look straight up under the dash above the cluster you’ll see the under dash harness attached to the bottom side of the dash. Wrapped around the wire harness with some tape is a common spot to find one. I included a picture of how mine was placed before I removed it.

[ChrisV289]

Build sheet won't be in a San Jose car unfortunately.

[J_Speegle]

I’m not sure if all plants followed this procedure but if you look straight up under the dash above the cluster you’ll see the under dash harness attached to the bottom side of the dash. Wrapped around the wire harness with some tape is a common spot to find one..................

That was a NJ plant worker thing. Not something typically seen (or ever that I know of ) on cars from the other two plants

[NEFaurora]

The Metuchen Plant was almost meticulous with putting build sheets as well as body buck tags in vehicles...and without a doubt, Metuchen cars were made with the most documentation possible at the time. It's been long speculated that this could have had to do with current NJ state laws at the time, or that The Metuchen, NJ Plant was a Pilot Plant for Ford for experimentation of this practice.  The Dearborn and San Jose Plants....not so much. What has been found with Dearborn and San Jose plant made cars is that if the car was a highly optioned car, or if it came with an "A", "D" code or "K" code engine that build sheets are usually found in the cars.. If the cars were just simple, "U", "T" or "C" code "run of the mill" cars..that the chances of finding a build sheet in the car are next to nil....as most Dearborn or San Jose cars just don't have them in the car anywhere.  If you find a buildsheet in a Dearborn or San Jose, "U", "T" or "C" code car...Consider yourself extremely lucky!!! As all the cars had them at the factory at one time, They were just thrown away by Ford factory employees as the cars neared the Final Assembly point at the end of the Dearborn and San Jose assembly lines.

Pictured below is an example of a 1965 "Permanent" Ownercard and a 1966-67 "Temporary" Ownercard. and a 1966-67 Permanent Ownercard. "Temporary" Ownercards were included in the Gloveboxes of all 1966-73 Mustangs and the selling dealer would fill them out with the purchaser's information. Later on, They (The Car buyer or Purchaser) would receive a "Permanent" Ownercard in the mail about a month later. 1964.5-1965 cars did not come with "Temporary" Ownercards..until the 1966 Model year.

)

Tony K.

[MustangAndFairlane1867]

Tony:  Great information.  Thank you.  My "Owner Card" looks exactly the same as the top two on your post.  Now if I could just locate a build sheet!  Ron...

[J_Speegle]

.............What has been found with Dearborn and San Jose plant made cars is that if the car was a highly optioned car, or if it came with an "A", "D" code or "K" code engine that build sheets are usually found in the cars.. If the cars were just simple, "U", "T" or "C" code "run of the mill" cars..that the chances of finding a build sheet in the car are next to nil..

..

Tony who came up with this idea?  Never heard of it nor have I seen that reflected in the findings. IMHO at San Jose it had nothing to do with how the car was equipped )or we would have examples of K codes, deluxe interiors, convertibles, CJ's, GTs ..............found at a higher rate and I sure don't and haven't seen that reflected oin forums and web sites since the internet opened. 

As far as Deaborn I believe the statement is also false and believe you will find that more higher end car buildsheets are seen because they are restored and disassembled (paying attention to the details) at a higher rate than the more standard versions of Mustangs.

Think that your likely seeing this from all plants across all years. 

[CharlesTurner]

First I've ever heard of that also.  It goes against the purpose of what build sheets were for to start with.  A high-option car didn't have any additional build sheets than a low-option car.

[J_Speegle]

As mentioned I think it was just an assumption based on a perception

[NEFaurora]

During the late 80's and Early 90's, I actually stripped '65-'66 Mustangs for a living believe it or not...probably a few hundred..

What I and other people I had contact with back then who also stripped other Fords (not just Mustangs) found was that Buildsheets were almost always found somewhere in higher optioned cars.  Lower optioned cars almost never had them.  I can't even tell you how many times I came across this myself.  I'm not saying that this was always the case, but definitely more than not.  These weren't any Jim Osborn "Reproduction" build sheets either.   I don't know if there were plant practices to leave the Buildsheets in the higher optioned cars or what...but it sure looked that way.  We barely ever found buildsheets from Dearborn or San Jose cars if they were just run of the mill... Don't know why that was the case....  I seriously doubt that it was just my "perception" alone as there were just way too many instances of it happening... at least that was my personal experience...  Geez, I thought this was common knowledge!  I've heard this from other Ford guys as well over the years... Amazing..

)

Tony K.

[J_Speegle]

..................  I seriously doubt that it was just my "perception" alone as there were just way too many instances of it happening... at least that was my personal experience...  Geez, I thought this was common knowledge!  I've heard this from other Ford guys as well over the years... Amazing..

As someone that lived in yard three days a week or more through allot of my adult life and as one that has collected and been given allot of copies from other collectors for the last 40 plus years I don't see the same pattern as you.

Lack of San Jose buildsheets IMHO is due to the practices at that plant and how buildsheets were used during the assembly practice. I would say that your perception of the amount of buildsheets from Dearborn is tilted since you focused only on the early years.  Have seen and collected allot more Dearborn than NJ ones through the years (not counting Shelbys since they were not sold to regions rather than across the country) but believe this has more to do with condition of the older cars and where the buildsheets were located in the car

I've seen shops toss dozens of 6 cylinder and small block cars but keep buildsheets from big block cars.   When asked why...... they have responded . No one cares about those cars so we don't keep or collect them

Just my experiences and those of others I know well

[NEFaurora]

Though I dealt with a lot of '64-'66 cars primarily... I handled a lot of '67-'70 cars as well.   I found the same exact patterns in those cars as well..  It would seem that the majority of higher optioned cars more than not kept their buildsheets for whatever reason.  I don't know the reason..

I can only tell you my findings...

)

Tony K.