What exactly is a "Z" VIN? Well, first let's start with a couple of pictures of SAI VIN plates that have the added "Z"
![03014 [67200F7A] VIN (Z).jpg](https://groups.google.com/group/shelbyresearch/attach/7ca07345d5396/03014%20%5B67200F7A%5D%20VIN%20(Z).jpg?part=0.1&view=1)
![03114 [67400F5A] VIN (Z).jpg](https://groups.google.com/group/shelbyresearch/attach/7ca07345d5396/03114%20%5B67400F5A%5D%20VIN%20(Z).jpg?part=0.2&view=1)
A previously offered explanation to the large "Z" stamp added to the car's VIN plate is that "the Z mark indicates this car was complete and somewhat of a warning to not pilfer any parts off of this car to complete another car."
It has also been suggested that the added "Z" stamp signified 50-state compliant cars, or more specifically that they had the 67-1/2 style front end (outboard high-beam configuration).

It seems to me that the above "don't pilfer parts" warning could have been accomplished just as easy with a hanger card on the rearview mirror or a piece of paper on the dashboard.... Just about anything could have been more obvious than a hard-to-read "Z" on a VIN plate, hidden under a hood secured with locks. Obviously, if you have to open the hood, you first had to put your hands on the car...
We propose a theory that the "Z" stamp added to the VIN was intended to be permanent; to stay with the car long after it was shipped from SAI. We propose that the added "Z" has to do with a point in time -- perhaps a significant event that took place.
Though we have only a sparse amount of data collected so far, it appears that the "Z" stamps started in April 1967. We think the same is true for the "Continuation" invoices and the 2" square decals added to the windshields of Company Cars might all be related. If our theory is correct, these items mark a very significant point in the Ford - Shelby American corporate timeline.
Here's what we know:
- Had the deal with Hertz Rent-a-Car not happened in 1966, SAI wouldn't have made it to 1967 (Interview with Bill McLean, son of Jim McLean, SAI's G.M.)
- Shelby American struggled from the start of 1967 production (a/k/a "launching problems")
- FoMoCo intervened in the first month of production, October 1966, as indicated by a Ford Executive, Dr. Ray Geddes, taking over operations/ordering, and then tapping Fred Goodell to move to California and takeover engineering in December 1966. (DSO Microfilm & Goodell Interview)
- Beginning with cars on DSO 2580, the Ordering District was changed again, this time from 84 to 89 (Ford "Home Office Reserve"). This didn't happen when the cars were ordered, however, it did happen by the time they were completed which is why it's reflected in the Ford record (Marti) and not on the typed DSOs on Microfilm.
- Shelby placed what turned out to be the last fulfilled orders. 12 DSOs ordered 549 total units on March 20, 1967.
- Official 'Air Conditioning Cooling Tests' are performed at Goodyear high-speed test track in Texas with engineering car #0463. March 21-27, 1967
- Shelby sends invoice P13289 to FoMoCo for twelve (12) cars that had engine and/or transmissions failures throughout production. April 5, 1967.
- 37 'demonstrator' G.T. 500 units were shipped to the 37 Domestic Ford Districts between April 6 and April 20, 1967.
- The earliest 'Continuation' invoice (a District Demonstrator sold to a non-Shelby-Franchised Ford dealer) discovered so far is dated April 5, 1967.
- With less demand and excess inventory, cars began getting shipped out to regional inventory lots starting around April 10, 1967
- The only '67 G.T. Convertible, #0139 is reported 'Stolen' and 'Returned' days later. April 1967.
- Ford Division press release announcing that 1,000 new dealerships, in addition to the already Shelby franchised ones) would be allowed to sells Shelby G.T. vehicles, dated April 26, 1967.
- Shelby sends Invoice P13498 for $3,600 to FoMoCo for "Loss of Use" ($100/month depreciation) related to nine (9) company cars (6x '67, Shelby, 1x '67 Mustang, 2x '66 Shelby) that were allocated to Ford and shipped to Dearborn between 2/1/67-6/30/67. Invoice dated April 26, 1967.
- Appears that 'Z' stamps began getting added to SAI VIN plates beginning on cars with [Phase II] completion dates of around April 27, 1967.
- The last business day of April 1967 was Friday, April 28, 1967.
- Ford awarded the 1968 contract to A.O. Smith Plastics, around this timeframe, and A.O. Smith's involvement in the '67 program was concluded before May 26, 1967 -- see Smith's letter to Ford's Ken VanAkin
- According to a letter sent to dealers, Ford informed them that the new Shelby Automotive Company (SAC) had been formed on June 1, 1967.
- 2-inch square numbered decals were added to the lower corners of the front windshields of fixed assets (company cars) at some point after March 31. Our suspicion is that this may have happened around the same time that retail units were branded with the Z-stamp or later, such as when Shelby Automotive was incorporated.
- "Mid year" (Spring) is when the convertible body style was supposed to enter production (Staff Meeting Minutes)
- Ford calculated a loss of $764,000 for the 1967 Shelby Program as of July 1967 (Ford Racing Presentation)
- Upon terminating the California-based Shelby Program, Ford decided to bring the operation closer to home and award the contract to the company that provided emergency assistance early in 1967 production -- A.O. Smith Plastics.
- When Ford terminated the program, they took over SAI's assets (engineering vehicles, equipment, and intellectual property, including the "SHELBY" and "COBRA" trademarks) and liabilities (debt and vehicle warranties).
Multiple indicators tend to signal that Ford took over and/or terminated the Shelby program at or very close to the "mid-model-year" point. Could the timing of the "Z" VIN correlate to cars finished after the date that FoMoCo definitively took over or terminated the Shelby Program (and acquired the assets and liabilities of Shelby American, Inc.)?
Was the "Z" added to the VIN plates as an accounting method of 'tagging' or 'branding' vehicles (assets) that were now accountable to Ford rather than to Shelby American?
For example, if the termination/acquisition date was set at 4/15/1967, then any vehicles completed after that date would be accounted for on Ford's books, and if this theory is correct, possibly received a "Z" stamp.
From an accounting perspective, this wouldn't be restricted to just vehicles. An acquisition would include all assets (vehicles, parts, tools, accounts receivable) and liabilities (debts, payroll and projected vehicle warranty claims).
When one company takes over another, all accounting records are to a specific date. There has to be a delineation so the "bean counters" know what gets counted to each ledger. The added "Z" stamp could have just been a simple means of documented an asset was accounted for; a means to ensure that no asset (vehicle) was tallied more than once when Ford's accountants were totaling the assets of the entity they just acquired. Thus, adding a mark to the VIN, which would have to be looked and written down when performing the inventory, would be the most obvious place to put a permanent mark (stamp).
If we see a pattern that "all cars completed after a specific date" wore a "Z" stamped VIN plate, maybe dealers were sent a memo that if they performed warranty work on a car with a "Z" prefixing the VIN, that the claim form should be sent to Ford for reimbursement rather than sent to SAI?
I'd further speculate that after we answer the question about the "Z" VINs, that we'll know more about the "Continuation" invoices we've been finding. I'd offer the theory that the Continuation invoices would have started about the same time the "Z" VINs did. Dave Mathews has stated that the Continuation invoices relate to cars being sold to non-Franchised Shelby dealers. If FoMoCo acquired SAI around the mid-model-year point (circa April 1967), then I would imagine that one of their goals would be to sell-off the inventory quickly. Expanding the sales channel to include more dealers would most certainly be a means of achieving that goal.
I'm sure others have already done some research into the "Z" VIN cars and the continuation invoices.
Please help us test this theory with the information on your car.
What we have gathered so far:
- Earliest SAI Phase-I (Shelby Upgrades) start date of "Z" VINed cars:
- Earliest SAI Phase-II (Options: Wheels/Radio) completion dates of "Z" VINed cars:
- 4/25/1967 (Car #1834), Invoice date 6/1/1967, shipped 6/6/1967
- 4/27/1967 (Car #0552), shipped on 6/16/1967.
- 3/12/1967 (Car #1149), however, not shipped until four months later, 7/19/1967.
- Earliest SAI shipping date of a "Z" VINed car:
- 5/2/1967 (Cars #1736, #1992)
- Earliest dates of "Continuation" invoices found:
- Car #1077; invoiced 4/5/1967 (completed by SAI on 3/29/67) - This was one of the Ford Sales District (FSD) demonstrator units. I suspect the other demonstrator units will be the same and all will be invoiced earlier than the 'retail' continuation units...
- Car #1276; Invoiced 4/17/1967 (SAI Phase-II completion on 4/13/1967)
- Continuation invoices with non "Z" VIN cars:
- Cars #1246, #1834, #1875, all completed before 5/1/1967 do not have the added large "Z", yet all have "Continuation" invoices.
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Another possible theory on the "Z" VINs: QA/Inspection mark
Maybe the "Z" stamp was something as simple as an "inspection mark" that indicated the car was not only completed but also had been inspected. The fact that this started in April could be attributable to the date that a new QA/inspection procedure was implemented by Ford.
Other manufacturers had different methods of documenting a car and its sub-assemblies were QA'd -- including paint stamps (paint/body/trim in the case of GM), wax pen markings, etc. Mopars even had inspection marks (letters/numbers) stamped into and sometimes through the data plates (a/ka/ Fender Tags). The inspection marks were often located in the engine bay.
Still, it seems to me that the Shelby Z stamp was something more permanent....
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