When we first heard the news that Ford was going to provide owners with a “Build Sheet” documenting their cars factory correct specifications I was extremely excited. How cool would it be to have a Ford generated document that correctly states how your rare Ford/Mercury collector car left the factory? I thought this might give some real competition to the Ford collector car standard Marti Report.
To find out I decided to order two of the new Ford Reports. Not long ago we published an article regarding Ford’s new program where you can get a “Build Sheet” for your Ford car if it meets certain date and model requirements. We promptly ordered one for our Talladega and Dan Gurney Spoiler. We promised to compare them with our previous Marti Reports and Ford “999” letters. I will do that but let me tell you up front not to waste your money on one of these new Ford Reports. The Deluxe costs $46 which is what you will pay for a Deluxe Marti Report. The Ford Reports, from my experience are not worth the cost of the postage to send them to you and mine came by email! Does that give you a clue as to what I think of them?
The quality is terrible and the accuracy is worse. What they are selling today is what you use to be able to get for free from Ford. They were then called the 999 Report.
You may remember from years ago when I did one of the 999 Reports for three Talladegas I had that all three came back as Mustangs! Imagine my surprise that Ford didn’t even know what a Talladega was! Well, this time they called Talladega a Torino Cobra (that at least is closer). The new Report went on to tell me our Wimbledon White Talladega is actually Presidential Blue with hood pins! This is not only incorrect it is totally unacceptable.
If an owner new to the Talladega world is trying to determine how his or her Talladega should be restored this is not the way to start. If a potential buyer is looking at your Talladega, Spoiler or Spoiler II and wants to get a Ford Report telling them your car is correct and not a clone or somehow modified, this is a terrible and damaging piece of information being provided by Ford.
The Report for the Dan Gurney 428 SCJ Spoiler was equally bad. Neither the Spoiler option or the Drag Pack option are mentioned. It appears to be, in Ford’s files, simply a Mercury Cyclone with “white exterior paint color with dark blue metallic accent paint color.” Nothing in the Ford Report would tell you that this is one of only five such Spoilers built! To be fair, it took a special research fee for Marti Reports to provide this information. It was not included in the Deluxe Report.
Below you will find copies of the “Build Sheets” I just received, the 999 Reports previously received for free and the Marti Reports. If you want documentation on how your Ford or Mercury were built continue to rely on the Marti Reports the Ford documents are strictly for laughs and don’t trust a word they say.
Here are the various Reports for the Talladega
Here are the Reports for the Dan Gurney Spoiler 428 SCJ
Richard,
My $46 report from Ford says that my Presidential Blue Talladega is Wimbledon White, and was sent to Washington (with hood pins…). I double checked the VIN, which they did actually get right; but, I agree – these things aren’t even worth the paper on which they were printed.
Carl.
This is Sad ! First to call this paper work your cars “Build Sheet ” shows who ever is doing the research does not understand what a build sheet is ???
That is why I say a build sheet is the Bible and last word as to how a car was built back in the Muscle Car day’s ….Granted a Talladega is a Torino Cobra as to body code …thing is when you look at the build sheet you see the body code and the 2500 that made your Torino Cobra a Talladega! Yes Torino Cobra’s had as a standard item “Hood Pins” but the 2500 manual states they are to be deleted and the build sheet on any Talladega, the box is not marked.
The problem is all the records were filed in warranty …dates of buck up to final sale were recorded for changes made during the production run of a said unit….take valve covers on the T’s….. It is one thing to read some thing we know is wrong and you know the person that is putting it out
does not know …. as to what they our talking about …but from Ford come on !!! I have seen this many times and really am kind of sick when I see this…for years we have tried to give Talladega owners the truth about their car or cars and Richard your web site set a new standard for T and II owners….I think you both and any-one else who gets one of these so called build sheets should copy your Factory invoice along with the so called build sheet from Ford and if you have the real build sheet for your car and send them to the address your reports are from and ask them to take another LOOK !!! If they do not understand Richard tell them to read your web site…..