Topic: Deciphering a 66 San Jose vin number

[DogBosco]

Hello ,
I am a new member and have already found tons of great information on this forum.  Thanks in advance for all the hard work and knowledge.    My wife and I recently bought our first classic car,  a 66 Mustang.  I am researching and looked up the numbers.

Our mustang has 6R07T149175,   Body 65A,  color. M,  trim 25,  date 30M, DSO 74, trans 3. Engine 6,   Everything matches the car,....color, trim,  body, tranny, engine....my date code reader says December 30, 1965

My engine tag somewhat different

200      66.      5
M.       Ford.     23-5.   I think the middle word on the flag says "Ford" but my eyes are older than the car and Ford written in the usual cursive style is my best guess for what it says.

It has Sprint 200 on the breather. I have read that the Sprints officially started Feb 3, 1966, as an edition to the millionth car celebration and to help out with the large demand for the 289.  I did see other places and on this forum there were Sprints in the registry from January 66 onward, and rumors of some produced in November and December of 1965.

My dates code woke me up and they engine tag I need some help.  And we think there is a possibly of only 30,000 original miles, given the condition.  Have I stumbled on a very early Sprint?

Any knowledge for a newbie?

Patrick

[tomtri66]

It has Sprint 200 on the breather. I have read that the Sprints officially started Feb 3, 1966, as an edition to the millionth car celebration and to help out with the large demand for the 289.  I did see other places and on this forum there were Sprints in the registry from January 66 onward, and rumors of some produced in November and December 1965.

There is no official way to verify your car is a Sprint without original paperwork ie. the original window sticker, etc.  The accepted method, without paperwork, is to verify the car has all of its Sprint equipment and features.  The Sprint package included: a chrome air cleaner with a special Sprint 200 decal, a console, body pinstripe with quarter ornament delete, and deluxe wire spinner hub caps.  With the exception of the air cleaner, all of these options were available on any Mustang.  The combination of them all is what you are looking for for it to be a Sprint.  Keep in mind all additional options were available for Sprints as well.  They were also available in all three body styles, although the fastback is the rarest. 
If your car is verified as a Sprint it may be one of the earliest known. 
Tom

[mjd 65]

In identifying a hardtop or convertible Sprint, I've found one of the best chacteristics to look for is the lack of the rear quarter ornament. Of course, this isn't foolproof since the rear quarter ornament was also deleted with the accent stripe and is always deleted on fastbacks. Still, the presence of the rear quarter ornament on a hardtop or convertible  will definitely establish  the car cannot be a Sprint.