Another Data Plate Decoding Question

[Jeff-55]

Am I reading this correctly?

Thanks in advance...

[MarkR]

Yes, that’s correct. Not a dealer code in your case I believe the HO designates a car that was ordered by a Ford employee, usually higher echelon, or stayed with Ford for other reasons.
Dave or Alan can verify. That’s one of the more rare data plates you have.

[Alan H. Tast]

Yes, that’s correct. Not a dealer code in your case I believe the HO designates a car that was ordered by a Ford employee, usually higher echelon, or stayed with Ford for other reasons.
Dave or Alan can verify. That’s one of the more rare data plates you have.

Concur. Home Office order. Just how 'loaded' is the car for options?

[Rusty57]

Given the “special order” status of this car, would there have been an invoice?

Even if there was an invoice I expect that based on the early 1955 production date the invoice for this car would have been destroyed before the special recovery project was able to save the rest of the invoices from 1955 and later.

[Jeff-55]

Concur. Home Office order. Just how 'loaded' is the car for options?

It has power seats, but manual windows. It has a continental kit and aftermarket air conditioning. Both tops, and snaps for a tonneau. The snaps are across the back deck which means it was not secured to the rear garnish rail.

[ward 57]

Interesting. For an in house order you would think it would have been installed in the process. But then I remembered tonneau covers were not offered in '55 along with sun visors. An after production installation. I wonder if it was an influence to introduce it into regular production options.

[Joe Johnston]

I have an invoice for a 56 HO
P6FH 171264 7 M HO123
FORD MOTOR CO
ENGR STAFF
DEARBORN MICH
RECEIVING B

If anyone should have this 56 with matching vin, I would be happy to mail them the invoice.

[MarkR]

I have an invoice for a 56 HO
P6FH 171264 7 M HO123
FORD MOTOR CO
ENGR STAFF
DEARBORN MICH
RECEIVING B

If anyone should have this 56 with matching vin, I would be happy to mail them the invoice.

Very nice. You might send the information to Dave. He may have the current or even a past owner who might know it’s location in his records.
Tulobird@aol.com
Mark

[Jeff-55]

I have an invoice for a 56 HO
P6FH 171264 7 M HO123
FORD MOTOR CO
ENGR STAFF
DEARBORN MICH
RECEIVING B

If anyone should have this 56 with matching vin, I would be happy to mail them the invoice.

Are ALL of the invoices from 1955 gone? Is there any chance some from January 31st still exist?

[MarkR]

The 55 invoices available start after 232214. Ford had started to destroy them when Ford employee Lois Eminger realized what was happening. She convinced Ford to stop and The American Road Thunderbird Club was able to save them.

[ICON 1956]

God Bless Lois !