Jump to content

Two Captial Letter designations. What?


Cord Fourteener

Recommended Posts

I previously thought that the Two Capital Letter designations were a GM thing. Turns out Ford did it too, at least in Arse-Trailer (that is the Antipodean continent country down under). I've heard of Vauxhall  HA, HB and HC viva etc, Bedford QL and HC etc, Holden Commodore VE, VF, VC etc.

Why then did Ford also use the same kind of series designations using two letters? Until now I only heard of names like Fiesta, Sierra, Escort, Couga etc etc and some alpha-numerics that were really just trim levels that also kinda related to models like XR2, XR3, XR4 XR5 and XR6.

Turns out that in Arse-Trailer Ford were also using the list of designations for the Falcon posted below (and others for other models). Can anyone shed any light? Is this a cross-manufacturer thing, or some Aussie competition thing or just some random co-incidence? Edit: Just to highlight my point

 

 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Mrs6C said:

Citroen has a few as well, such as: AX, BX, CX, DS, GS, LN, SM, XM...

True, but they were distinctly different models. Here, we are talking (mostly) about a model with a series distinction denoted by two letters. Maybe I'm being too specific though in looking for a connection?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Heidel_Kakao said:

It's not uncommon, Mazda RX7's went FB,FC,FD. Honda Civics too many to list. I guess it's just a designation system that works as well as any other you could come up with.

Yes, I think MX5s also have N A, NB, NC, no? Any others?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most Australian car manufacturers used the 2 letter model designation. I believe it was to differentiate the different updated/facelifted versions of the same model.

For instance the MK1 Holden Commodore had 5 different facelifts: VB, VC, VH, VK & VL, MK2 had 4: VN, VP, VR & VS, MK3 had 4: VT, VX, VY & VZ, MK4 had 2: VE & VF and the MK5 is the ZB.

Holden have always used the system, Ford started in using it in 1960, Chrysler adopted it in 1966 and continued to use it under Mitsubishi ownership until the factory closed in 2008.

BMC/BL and Toyota are the only two I can think of that did not use this system, but they both had their own designation systems used internationally.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

GM would also assign these codes to non-Australian captive imports, we once had an MH Holden Barina which was a Suzuki Swift.  As above, Ford and Holden would update the cars regularly (not quite annually like the US manufacturers in the 50's) and the two digit code is a handy way of keeping track.  So you ask for a 'BA Falcon' tail light at the wreckers, not a 1998 model.  It works quite well

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, MorrisItalSLX said:

 

BMC/BL and Toyota are the only two I can think of that did not use this system, but they both had their own designation systems used internationally.

All Austin/Morris commercials used 2 letter designations. LD, EA, FG, FM, FF, FJ. With the exception of the LD which was replaced by the EA, all became BMCs and were then categorised under the Leyland Redline range, made in Bathgate. The FF and FJ became the Terrier, Boxer and Mastiff (alongside similarly-cabbed Albion range made in Scotstoun) but the EA and FG designations remained until the end of production some time around the early 1980s.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All Austin/Morris commercials used 2 letter designations. LD, EA, FG, FM, FF, FJ. With the exception of the LD which was replaced by the EA, all became BMCs and were then categorised under the Leyland Redline range, made in Bathgate. The FF and FJ became the Terrier, Boxer and Mastiff (alongside similarly-cabbed Albion range made in Scotstoun) but the EA and FG designations remained until the end of production some time around the early 1980s.


I was referring to the ADO numbers, but I never knew the commercials used that system. Colour me intrigued!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, MorrisItalSLX said:

....the MK1 Holden Commodore had 5 different facelifts: VB, VC, VH, VK & VL, MK2 had 4: VN, VP, VR & VS, MK3 had 4: VT, VX, VY & VZ, MK4 had 2: VE & VF and the MK5 is the ZB....

Ah, memories of the VX Commodore I hired in Australia for a month. Effortless. Stunned to lift the bonnet on day 2 and find that this was the so-called "economy" version - 3.8 litres!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...