early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

Have just brought a rhd 35 phaeton to add to my collection and am trying to find out its country of origin as it has a strange chassis # which is C4618072886F body id #54375 the vehicle is a mix of deluxe and std features it has a std steering wheel and no waterfall on the dash all other deluxe features are present it has parklights on the top of the front guards which suggest an english origin and a mph speedo canadian fords had a chassis prefix starting with C18 this number on the chassis # has the # 461 between it ? searching the web the C could stand for canada or commonweath built any help appreciated

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

Well it's not Australian. Sorry I can't help. Dave

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

I don't think it's Canadian. They used a short VIN system. Here is a link to a good list.
http://www.wnyrg.org/canvins.html


The "C" can also be for Commercial vehicles (pickup). The F at the end indicates right hand drive. Many of these frames were manufactured in the USA and sent out to the various countries in knock down form. I can't explain the additional numbers in the prefix. David G might have an idea. He's delt with a lot of right hand drive stuff.


Where are you located?

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

The number portion (4618072886) seems ridiculously- long. I mean, we're into 4-BILLION here! "C" generally means Canadian, and the "F" signifies right-hand drive. DD

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

Apart from excessive length, a Canadian engine number (vin) of the period normally began with a C followed by another letter, then '18', then 'F' (not at the end of all of the numbers) followed by the actual engine number (usually in batches of ten thousand with each batch having its own letter following the 'C' at the beginning.


The fender lamps were not unique to British vehicles as some of the countries where the vehicles sold were manufactured in the U.S., such as Argentina, required fender lamps. Some of those countries were RHD at the time (Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay) or still are (Japan).


Standard phaetons and roadsters were not offered during the '35 and '36 model years, only deluxe versions. Unlike the rest of the passenger body types, those two had no 'waterfall' on the dash. Further, the only difference between a standard and deluxe steering wheel was their color (black for standards, metallic gray for deluxes). Perhaps you are thinking of the '36 'banjo' wheels which some have added to their '35s post production.


Despite the other possibilities, if your car's speedometer in MPH is original to the car, the MPH/RHD combination and likely Canadian manufacture strongly suggest it was an export destined for one of the British Commonwealth countries (other than Australia and Canada).

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

Does your car have trafficators on the side of the bulkhead, ( possibly unique to uk?) six rod braking system or maybe, if it still as the original gearbox, a number stamped on the bell housing.

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

'Trafficators' were not unique to the U.K., nor was the six-rod braking system, but the presence or absence of those might help narrow down the possibilities of where the car was originally sold. As for its manufacturing origins, there are really only three possibilities in terms of where '35 phaeton bodies were manufactured, namely Australia, Canada, and the U.S. and very likely it is not of Australian origin unless part of its floor is constructed of wood (the Canadian and U.S. bodies had all steel floors except for the toe boards in the bottom of the cowl).

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

Thanks for clarifying the trafficator fitting not being unique to the UK. I knew the brake rods weren’t. Sentence not phrased very well!
Was the red line at 30 mph unique to the UK?

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

Good question! I've not heard of it occurring outside of the U.K., but haven't researched it and I suspect that the answer wouldn't turn up in the archives in Dearborn.

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

For what its worth,
The 1935 Australian Phaetons had steel floors, the toe board may have been wood, but i cant remember. Several Ozzie phaeton owners on here may clarify that point. I think the wood thing ended with 34.
All other body parts of the 35 phaeton were, in my case, interchangeable with the USA ones except for the door latch system. I bought a Le Baron top and it fitted perfectly. Have never seen the trafficators on OZ cars but I do know that they appeared on Sth African ones.
Dave

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

hi am located in new zealand vehicle is still in transit from ca still about 3 weeks away before i see it in the flesh

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

35ragtop,


Thanks for the clarification regarding the '35 phaeton floors.

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

have found another clue that might help with its country of origin looking thru the pics i have of it the speedo does not have the ford logo on it it has a script that looks like 2 words instead and another long small case word underneath it i can not blow these up to read what it says but presume its the makers name and city ? of the speedo it does not have trafficators

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

35's IMO did not have the Ford script on the face at the bottom.Maybe in mid year it was added.

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

my aussie phaeton has steel toeboard drivers side wood one on passenger side

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

Both my Dagenham built RHD 35s have the Ford script on the speedo. The phaeton is a very early build.

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

looks like the scrip on the 100mph speedo says cooper stewart where the ford logo goes . can not make out the other word below it yet might just have to wait till i get it 3 weeks away

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

British.

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

Didn't Aussie Fords have a number (Body number perhaps) stamped in the firewall in the upper left just under the hood lip???.....seems to me the "late" Dale Sandman had me look for one on our 35 Ute a long time back and had stated to me that all the Aussie Fords had that???????

Re: early v8 rhd chassis #s
 

Yes all the Australian bodies manufactured by the Ford Manufacturing Company of Australia had a body number located on the left hand side of the firewall inside the engine bay on the upper lip. An example of a 1934 Phaeton body number would be 40P234. I would have to look up the 1935 prefix was. Looking at the previous threads I don't think you have an Australian assembled unit. Dave