Vehicle Identification

The purchase of a FFR Roadster, either in the basic or complete kit version, generates a Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO), also known as a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO). This is the primary legal document used for subsequent title and registration.

Factory Five MCO for the Mk3 Roadster

The Factory Five MCO includes several important pieces of data that forms the legal definition of the vehicle:

• purchase date
• invoice number generated on the original bill of sale that is used to determine the basis for state sales tax at the time of registration
• FFR-generated serial number identification, the key ID for the vehicle which is not necessarily the vehicle identification number (VIN); this depends on individual state regulations and a new VIN may be issued
• name and address of the purchaser which should match the state drivers license of the owner

When the MCO is received (this usually takes a few weeks after delivery of the kit), the series number should be compared to the stamped number on the chassis; on the Mk3.1, the serial number is located on the square 2×2 chassis brace located near the driver's left knee (and to the left of steering wheel).

IF THE SERIAL NUMBER DOES NOT MATCH THE CHASSIS, CONTACT FFR IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID FUTURE LEGAL PROBLEMS.

As stated above, the FFR serial number may not be the legal VIN in your state, and is not technically a VIN in the accepted ISO standard format. Title and registration laws vary by state. Some states will use the FFR serial number as a defacto VIN, while other states will issue a new VIN for the vehicle.

If your state does not issue a new VIN number, the FFR ID metal tag VIN space may be used instead for a period-correct VIN, although this number will not, of course, be the legal ID of the vehicle.

The original 1965 AC Cobra did not have a modern VIN (VIN sequences before 1970 were largely manufacturer-defined and highly idiosyncratic numbering systems). Since all 1965 AC Cobras were designated as part of the CSX 3000 series, the serial or VIN numbers all began with CSX3 followed by a 3-digit unit or chassis number for the vehicle. Thus CSX3007 would describe the seventh unit produced in the CSX 3000 series.

Meanwhile, other Ford vehicles in 1965 used an 11-digit VIN format: ABCCDEEEEEE where A is single digit indication for year of manufacture (for example, 5=1965), B is the primary manufacturing location (for example, F=Dearborn assembly plant), CC is a two-digit code for body type (for example, 07=hardtop), D is the engine code, and EEEEEE is a 6-digit serial unit number.

Vintage AC VIN tag

You can create a “vanity” VIN that is period-correct (but not a legal VIN for state law purposes) in two ways:

1. apply the CSX3 prefix used for all 1965 AC Cobras and append your FFR number to the end (for example, CSX39999)
2. build a Ford-style VIN using the 1965 code structure that also incorporates your FFR number

The first 427 street Cobra was built at the assembly facility in Los Angeles with a plant code of J, and this designation best describes how the original Cobras were manufactured in England by AC and then shipped to Carroll Shelby for final assembly in the U.S. (see Legacy of the FFR Roadster discussion). We will therefore use the letter J in our VIN definition.

In 1965, Ford used three codes for body type:

• 07 for a regular hardtop
• 08 for a convertible (no hardtop)
• 09 for a fastback design

Vintage Shelby Cobra CSX VIN tag

We will use the 08 designation for the Roadster.

The engine code that best matches the EFI Boss 302 described on Mk3Build.com is G which is the official VIN designation for the original Ford Boss 302 first introduced in 1969.

Since the 1965 AC Cobra was designated as the CSX 3000 series, our unit ID will start with X3 followed by a 4-digit sequential number where we will place the FFR serial number.

Therefore, a period-correct Ford “vanity” VIN would be 5J08GX39999 which represents this vehicle:

• 1965 model year
• Ford Los Angeles plant where the first 1965 AC Cobras were completed
• no hardtop
• 302 Boss V8 engine
• AC Cobra CSX 3000 series model
• FFR Mark III with chassis number 9999 (note: this is not an actual chassis number)

Example of custom VIN tags that use period-correct styling (see photo of vintage VIN nearby) but with modified text to reflect current build information; these tags are NOT a legal definition for the vehicle

To avoid legal problems, the period-correct VIN must not replicate an actual historic VIN. This can be checked by validating the constructed VIN online (see, for example, DecodeThis.com); the VIN 5J08GX39999 in this example does not decode as a real VIN, so it “passes” the test and can be used on the FFR VIN tag.

Example of legal 4-rivet VIN tag for CSX 2227

But remember that this replica VIN is not a legal identification of the vehicle.

The VIN plate design itself can also be modified to reflect current build information but retain period-correct type styles and logos.

Trophy shops often have the capability to etch plates from a JPG or PDF graphics file that effectively mirror the vintage appearance.