| DougieGB | -- 12-13-2011 @ 7:27 PM |
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I'm new to the forum so please forgive me if this has been discussed in the past. Searching the forum did not give me an answer to my question. All the reproduction Data Plates I have seen raise questions in my mind. If a Data plate for 1940 Ford is for a 1940-1948 vehicle, how could that be correct since 1941, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 are to be built in the Future? I don't understand how that Data Plate would be correct for are car built in 1940. Could someone educate me on this? Thanks!
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| supereal | -- 12-13-2011 @ 8:50 PM |
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The "data plate" is actually the Ford patent plate setting out the patent numbers of the manufacturer. The data plates, as such, didn't appear until 1949. Until then, the numbers stamped on the frame served that purpose, giving only a serial number referring to production order.
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| DougieGB | -- 12-13-2011 @ 9:34 PM |
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So my 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe should not have a Data Plate at all?
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| 42wagon | -- 12-14-2011 @ 3:28 AM |
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Dougie I believe you are mixing apples and oranges. Supereal is right, the dataplate as we know it giving various information regarding paint, interior finish, engines, and transmissions, the all important VIN number did not appear until 1949. Before that Ford put a patent plate on the firewall silk screened with the patents that applied to the car. A serial number was placed on both the left frame rail and the transmission housing that actually was a sequential engine number starting with *18-1* in 1932. Some bodies, the station wagon built in the Iron Mountain plant for example, had stamped on the firewall a body number that was sequential for the year. Some of the bodies built by Briggs or Murray would have a plate on the firewall giving the body builders body number. So unless Ford changed Patent numbers between 40 and 48 the patent plate would be the same for all those years. The only other number you should find on your car would be the serial number on the frame and transmission. Ted
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| kubes40 | -- 12-14-2011 @ 6:53 AM |
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As stated previously by others, 1940 Fords did not have a data plate. However, they did have a patent plate. The reproductions are not quite correct but are the absolute best you are likely to find. I have searched for a NOS patent plate for decades and have yet to see one available at any price.
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| DougieGB | -- 12-14-2011 @ 9:07 AM |
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Thank you all for the education I'm getting here. 42wagon is correct. I was mixing apples and oranges. I am talking about the Patent Plate. I still can't figure out how a Patent Plate for a car built in 1940 could have patent numbers not only for 1940 but cars yet to be built in the future (1941-1948). How could there be Patent Numbers for cars of the future on a car built in 1940?
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| deluxe40 | -- 12-14-2011 @ 10:18 AM |
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It's possible that Ford was too busy during the war years to apply for any new patents for passenger cars and, therefore, just kept using the same patent plates through '48. Are there identical patent plates on Ford jeeps and B-24 Liberators? Does anybody know what parts or processes are referenced by the specific numbers on the patent plates?
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| supereal | -- 12-14-2011 @ 11:05 AM |
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Patents are granted for an extended number of years. Early in the formation of his company, Henry Ford got into a battle over patent rights, and the skirmish was repeated in later years. Millions of dollars were spent defending his patents, and at one time, he was even forced to sue to regain his name! Those little numbers were and are, extremely important.
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| 42wagon | -- 12-14-2011 @ 1:03 PM |
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This may be difficult to comprehend but the patent when issued protected the inventor for a period of time, I believe 17 years. Ford wouldn't have known it in 1940 but if no new patents related to the car were issued in 41,42, 46-48 there would be no need to change the patent plate. This apparently was the case since no changes in the plate were made. The articles regarding the patents have appeared in the Model A publications, the the Early Ford V8 publication. They had to do with the transverse suspension, the torque tube drive and other features of the Ford drive train. AS such they were specific to the car. Certainly they had nothing to do with the bomber and probably not the jeep.I'm going on memory, maybe someone else can add what the specific patents were. Ted
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| ford38v8 | -- 12-14-2011 @ 3:04 PM |
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I beleive the 17 year figure is correct. As for numbers for cars not yet produced, the patent plate lists all patents that may be contained in the car, with no gaurrantee that they all do apply in each case. When comparing patent data plates from different years, you'll see that none are deleted, while more are added. There may be something else at play here, that of the data plates being reproduced containing fewer variations than originally appeared on Fords. I wouldn't be surprised if this was the case here. Alan
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