[delia]

Can someone explain to me if there is any significance to the presence of little stars bracketing the inner fender VIN?

Looks like this:

*6RO7C178000*

Or are they all that way?

Thanks in advance.

Delia

[Veronica]

Hello.
They're all like that.

[andrewmp6]

That is your vin make sure the door tag if there matches it.If your door tag is right put it in here Mustang Secret Decoder Disk it will tell you a lot about your car.

[Jay H 237]

Ford put the stars on either side of the VIN so someone couldn't add another digit to hide a stolen vehicle.

Later, around 1970-71 depending on plant phasing in, they added a scripted "f " on either side of the dash VIN so that VIN couldn't be added onto either.

Back then VINs weren't a standard 17 character like they are today across all makes. Ford and Mercury were using an 11 character VIN back then but not everyone (including DMV workers and police knew that or could keep track of what make used what number of characters) so some stolen Fords/Mercurys had digits added and had 12 or 13 character VINs that fooled the police and DMV and the cars were reregistered.

[delia]

Thanks, everyone!

Seems as if I've stumbled onto a rare, 1966 "Anniversary Gold Edition." One of a reported 50 produced in San Jose. Needs work, but it runs.

Delia