Topic: 71 Mustang Sportsroof buck tag

[macdude67]

While working on friends 71 429CJ car we he found the buck tag and it had the following info on it.

XVin NumberXX   63R  17L    578
B  5A  AC  PB
FM     QM
BTRAC                         DE

              S-2                      A


The spacing an layout is the best I could do here, and the S-2 and A from bottom line are not straight, like they were done by hand the S-2 is rotated 110 degrees counter clockwise and the A is about 80 degrees clockwise. Does anybody have and Idea what some of the info is? Figured AC and PB is Airconditioning and Power Brakes? But not sure as to others.
         

[J_Speegle]

XVin NumberXX   63R  17L    578
B  5A  AC  PB
FM     QM
BTRAC                         DE

              S-2                      A

Kevin Marti published a book - The Mustang and Cougar Tagbook that explains some information related to this tag and allot about the others found through out the cars. A great reference book if you don't have one

The ones at odd (different angles) are thought to be inspectors or processes

Decoding can be a challenge since codes changed every year and even multiple times in a years as well as differing depending on the assembly plant.

First two lines related to information found on earlier cars on their door tags (projected build date, color, trans ) as well as the bodies first rotation number (your case 578) and notations to the body crew that the car was being built with air conditioning and power brakes


BTRAC is painted exterior racing mirrors (Mach I mirrors)

FM - may be reference to a stereo (need for holes for door speakers)

QM - Have no idea

DE - Possible Deluxe exterior but not enough sames to be sure

Hope this helps

[svo2scj]

DE is definitely Dual Exhaust for 1971. 

As for the hand stamps have seen R1 , R2 & S2 (not knowing what it means).
I can ask the "cougar" guys (but that may not be apples to apples) for this situation

Mark

[J_Speegle]

DE is definitely Dual Exhaust for 1971. 

Thanks Mark for the correction - make more sense than my guess given the processes at that point

As for the hand stamps have seen R1 , R2 & S2 (not knowing what it means).
I can ask the "cougar" guys (but that may not be apples to apples) for this situation

Guess we could (don't have a picture of my 71 Cougars buck tag to compare - don't know that anyone has the inspection stamps or punches (used through most years and plants in one form or another) figured out or if we ever will.

[macdude67]

I was looking through another website First Mustang Club of Germany and they have a listing of many of the acronyms. And they have QM listed as quarter moldings? If indeed QM stands for quarter moldings what moldings may they be referring to on a 71 Mach 1  Sportsroof?

[J_Speegle]

I was looking through another website First Mustang Club of Germany and they have a listing of many of the acronyms. And they have QM listed as quarter moldings? If indeed QM stands for quarter moldings what moldings may they be referring to on a 71 Mach 1  Sportsroof?

Unfortunately that site is an old reference that mixed all the plants and years together - making it IMHO not a solid reverence. Have to look at only cars built around the same time and same plant. Line workers (responsible for choosing the codes) have told us that they would change the codes when needed (for what reason ??) and simply give the those workers a new page for their little note book, so no records of what each used, changes or other details was kept by the company. All done on the bottom rung of the ladder

[macdude67]

Ok that follows then, because some of their references were for multiple items and so on. But about the QM maybe meaning quarter moldings? His car does however have the full length body moldings that follow the body line near the bottom of the door.

[J_Speegle]

Ok that follows then, because some of their references were for multiple items and so on. But about the QM maybe meaning quarter moldings? His car does however have the full length body moldings that follow the body line near the bottom of the door.

Could be  (QM = some like of molding -not sure if quarter describes it) you would need other cars with the same features and the same coding to be sure. Lacking that its just a guess IMHO