Body Numbers
Contributed by
Dennis Smith, Longview, Texas
CLICK HERE to see the Body Number List in Adobe PDF format.
Update November 2015: I've updated the list with some additional information.
Update July 2008: I've updated the list, which now includes domestic production figures. I would hope someone could help untangle this production number mess since I haven't been able to (especially the Fordors). Maybe someone out there has more info than I have been able to get and we could narrow this down a little better.
There is one correction to the list. The 160-B Murray has a prefix of 160-B and not M474 as I first was told.
Update February 2008: I was e-mailed some months ago that "without a doubt" the 140-B Town Car had the same 193 prefix as the 140-A '29 model.
I have also been sent a picture via e mail of a 45-B 1930 Briggs Std. Coupe with a prefix of 162. This confirms Briggs used more than one prefix for 1930. We may never know why this was done or which came first, if either. It wouldn't make sense to me that Briggs would run these prefixes simultaneously.
The third prefix is a 1931 Briggs 229-A Service Truck. Bill Droege noted this in his article in Model A News. We now have a truck prefix and I hope we may find more later.
Update February 2007: There are three new additions to the body prefix chart. Chuck Christensen, MAFCA technical director, sent me the prefix for the 1930 Standard Fordor Briggs. Tom Moniz, MAFCA JSC member, came up with the 135-A prefix after doing a great amount of searching. I am sticking my neck out on the addition of the 160-B Murray. I was given a M474 prefix but have no picture proof as of yet. I have placed a question mark on that one and added it.
Update July 1, 2006: A revised Body Number list is now available. I have included more confirmed body numbers. We can now confirm that Briggs did build some coupe bodies. I have received lots of correspondence and pictures confirming all these new additions. The '30 - '31 Standard Coupes were 198 and the Deluxe Coupes were 166.
Some Briggs 160-A's surfaced and they have a 140 or 141 prefix. It appears both were used. The 160-A prefix was used for the Murray bodies. The 141 is also used for the 160-B.
1930 - 1931 body tags are on the firewall and the 1928 - 1929 tags are on the passenger side door sill or in front of the front seat on the passengers side.
Please continue to send me information (and photos) of body numbers you find on your Model A's.
Dennis Smith, Longview, Texas
