Sources of Documentation
Build Sheets:
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The Build Sheet is a computer printout 'traveler"
which was used at all stations along the assembly line to specify the
configuration of a particular vehicle. It contains: color, trim, engine,
springs, type of glass, etc. You may be lucky enough to find your build
sheet in your own Cougar. They have been found under the rear seats,
under the carpeting, under the trunk mat, and even stuck to the paint
on the driveshaft! (OK, that was just one instance). But it's important
to keep in mind that it was *not* the practice to place the build sheet
with the car, they were to be discarded at the end of the assembly line.
Therefore if you do find the build sheet, consider yourself very lucky.
Window Sticker:
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The Window Sticker, like the Build Sheet
is a computer printout specifying all options and costs for a given
vehicle order. It is affixed to a side window of the car, hence the
name. It is also known to some as a "Mahoney Sticker" after Senator
Mahoney of Wisconsin who in 1959 got a bill passed through Congress
requiring prices for each vehicle be posted on each vehicle. The dealership,
ship-to address, transportation charges also are included. But it's
important to keep in mind that it was *not* the practice at the Dealership
to preserve the window sticker, and few original owners thought to save
it. Therefore, like the build sheet, if you do actually have the window
sticker, consider yourself very lucky.
Invoice:
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The invoice was used to document the transfer
of the vehicle from the factory to the dealership. It specifies all
important features of a car, and resembles a window sticker, because
it lists the VIN, dealership, and all options that a particular car
had. This makes them highly sought-after by restorers trying to document
the past history of their cars. Invoices are generally never seen by
the customer, and are not normally a part of the documentation on a
car. But luckily for Cougar owners (as well as others) a former Ford
Employee, Lois Eminger, preserved boxloads of these invoices from going
to the incinerator, She and another individual, Roger Hayman, sell these
invoices to verified owners of these cars. Unfortunately, there are
no invoices available for pre-1969 Cougars.
1969-1973 Mustang & Cougar (1969 Dearborn assembly, only) contact:
Marti Auto Works
12007 W. Peoria
El Mirage AZ 85335
Fax: (623)935-2579
CAC Report:
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This acronym stands for the Ford
Customer Assistance Center
Reports. Begining in 1995, Ford recovered several years' worth of archived
income order-entry records that had been recorded on reel-to-reel tapes.
Ford mainframes originally used this data in generating the varied reports
needed for a billion-dollar company. After languishing for decades,
it seems someone finally allocated whatever man-hours were required
to make the tapes usable again. Sometime in 1995, Ford's Customer Services
Division began providing what was thought unimaginable only a few months
earlier - a report on your Ford car, including its estimated assembly
date and a list of its original equipment. There is no fee charged for
this service.
Since then, it has been the found that these CAC reports
are often poorly prepared and full of inaccuracies. It seems the
data from the original records is manually decoded by a human, and
therefore the opportunity to introduce errors is fairly high. Our
experience with these reports is to take the information provided
"with a grain of salt".
To request your report, just phone 800.392.3673
- the Customer Assistance Center hotline. From Canada the number is
800.565.3673. If the toll-free number is down, call 313.322.3000. By
mail, here's the current address:
Ford Motor Co.
Customer Assistance Center
300 Renaissance Center
P.O. Box # 43360
Detroit, MI 48243.
You'll need to provide the following information:
- The car's make and model
- The car's VIN (warranty number)
- Your name & mailing address
If handled by mail, just include the necessary
info in your letter and request your car's "VIN research report". If
you call them, the touch-tone menu will offer an option to "ask a question
about a Ford or Mercury vehicle". Subsequent options narrow this down
- make all the selections appropriate to your car. When you finally
reach a human, say something like: "I heard you can give me a printout
of my car's original equipment by submitting my VIN number to the Technical
Research Unit." After trying several variations, I can assure you this
will get the job done. I should also point out that some Ford employees
might not be aware of this service, so be polite.... but persistent.
Your technical printout should be mailed out within one to three weeks.
Kevin Marti Auto Works Report:
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Marti Auto Works
12007 W. Peoria Ave.
El Mirage, AZ 85335
(623)935-2558
(623)935-2579 FAX
info@martiauto.com
Marti Auto Works
Restoring a car? Considering buying, but
don't know how "original" the car really is? Just want to know everything
that can be known about your car? Marti Auto Works has the complete
production database for all Ford-Lincoln-Mercury cars and trucks built
for model years 1967 to 1973. We have available to you reports on any
serial number. Different levels of information are available, depending
on what you need (see the reverse side of this flyer for further details).
We offer these features:
* A computer processes the information.
There are no inaccuracies due to human error. This has been common with
the reports coming from the Customer Assistance Center because the data
is translated manually by looking up values in charts. Many people have
found discrepancies; in fact we have on file a case of someone who ordered
their report from CAC twice and got different options listed each time,
and neither report was completely correct. Another had the wrong paint
description!
* We give additional information. We have
three different reports available, each with increasing amounts of data.
The Basic report includes both the scheduled and actual production dates
for your car, the original dealer number for the car, which includes
the DSO, and user-friendly terms. Where the CAC report cites cryptic
terms like "Special Equipment Package" or XPL transmission, we tell
you what that actual item is in terms you'll know. Also, our turnaround
time is much shorter, days instead of weeks. We can even fax a report
to you within 1/2 hour under some conditions if you have a vehicle you
are considering purchasing. *
* The Deluxe report includes everything
in the Basic report and features additional items like when the order
was received for the car, when it was shipped to the dealer, the original
Vehicle Order Image code, detailed option information, and statistical
information about your car.
* The Elite report includes everything in
the Deluxe report along with personalized statistical information on
your car compared with similar cars. Additionally, it contains a reproduction
of the door data plate and the window sticker. The report, statistics,
data plate, and window sticker are framed for display.
We are licensed by Ford Motor Company to
sell this information under Contract Number 5012. And we take our contracts
with Ford very seriously. We will give you prompt, courteous, accurate
service.
*This feature is only available for the
Basic report. It requires that our computer is available for processing
and the operator has time. The cost is an additional $10, but you'll
have peace of mind.
ALSO AVAILABLE:
We can do research for you on a particular
subject such as "How many cars built with 428CJ engines and four-speed
transmissions came with air conditioning?" or "How many Grabber Cougars
were built in 1969 at each assembly plant?" This service is available
on a quoted price basis. You would need to contact us in writing with
your specific request and we would quote you the cost for supplying
the desired information.
FEATURES OF EACH REPORT
ITEM FORD CAC BASIC DELUXE ELITE 7
OPTION LIST LIMITED 1 Y Y Y
PRODUCED DATE Y Y Y Y
SCHEDULED DATE 2 N Y Y Y
DSO 3 N Y Y Y
AXLE CODE AND RATIO 2 N Y Y Y
USER FRIENDLY TERMS N Y Y Y
DEALER # N Y Y Y
ORDER RECEIVED DATE 4 N N Y Y
SERIALIZED DATE 4 N N Y Y
BUCK DATE 4 N N Y Y
RELEASE DATE 4 N N Y Y
SALE DATE 4 N N Y Y
TYPE OF ORDER 4 N N Y Y
DISTRICT ITEM # N N Y Y
DEALER NAME (if available) N N Y Y
DETAILED OPTION INFO N N Y Y
PRODUCTION STATISTICS 5 N N Y Y
PERSONALIZED PROD. STATS 6 N N N Y
DOOR DATA PLATE 7 N N N Y
REPRODUCED WINDOW STICKER 7 N N N Y
TOTAL VEHICLE COST N N N Y
COMPLETE VEHICLE ORDER IMAGE N N Y Y
TIME 3-8 WEEKS 2 DAYS 2 DAYS 4 WEEKS
COST $ see martiauto.com for latest costs $
- Not all options get listed on a CAC report due to limitations
in their process.
- This appears on the door data plate. It is important to have
if yours is missing.
- This appears on the door data plate. It is important to have
if yours is missing. Also useful for knowing where the car probably
spent its early life (like in the rust belt?).
- For those wanting to know the history of their car.
- Five general statistics about your paint, trim, engine, transmission,
and DSO will be supplied.
- Three interesting statistics that apply directly to how your
car was optioned will be supplied in addition to the general statistics.
- With the Elite report, all items are framed, ready for display.
