| 1956 Ford Passenger Car Order Card |
| Ford entered the age of computerized ordering and
record keeping in the mid 1950s. David Kamenesky sends this perfect sample
of a 1956 "punch card". It is for M6NT106197, which is a 292 V-8 engine
(M); 1956; Norfolk-produced (N); Fairlane sedan (T); that was scheduled as
being the 6,197th Ford produced at that plant for that model year. |
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| When a vehicle order was accepted by Ford, it was
assigned a VIN and a planned date of production. This information, along
with details of the vehicle's engine, color, trim, options, tires, and
other components. The cards were literally "punched" so that the IBM
mainframes could read the data and process the "build sheets" that would
ride the assembly line with the car or truck as it was produced. Those
build sheets were read by the assemblers to make sure the right components
became part of the vehicle.
These punch cards were part of the vehicle's status, billing, and
shipping information, as well as telling the dealer who ordered it. |
|
The 1000x453 pixel image of
the M6NT106197 is here. You may wish to open that new window (it has
no usual LOVEfords top border), save the image, rotate it in your imaging
software, and print it. You will then be able to study it with the help of
the key below. |
| Pink area: 20G = scheduled date of
July 20, 1955; 250380D = ordering district 25 order number 0380D; 70C =
Fairlane Club Sedan; V = Berkshire Green and W = Springdale Green; J =
Green cloth and vinyl interior; 3 = axle ratio; 1 = white wall tire
option; 1 = tire size code; G09 = undetermined but believed to be the date
the order was processed ( July 9). The VIN is at right, broken down
by the codes above, and without the first two leading digits from the
consecutive unit number of 106197. |
| The first line below the pink area
shows numbers that tell whether or not certain options or features will be
installed. The TRANS block shows code 1 for 3-speed manual transmission,
and the next block shows it has a standard oil filter. Power steering was
installed as were Positive Action Windshield Wipers, Two Tone Paint,
Clock, Push Button Radio, MagicAire (FA=fresh air) Heater, and a
"miscellaneous item". It was a retail order that was shipped via convoy
and went to dealer number 25A477, the name and address shown at the lower
right. Ordering District 25 was headquartered at Richmond, Virginia. |
| 1956 Fords |
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