The 10th digit of the VIN is the date code. A-80 B-81 C-82 D-83 E-84 F-85 G-86 H-87 J-88 K-89 L-90 M-91 N-92 P-93 R-94 S-95 T-96 V-97 W-98 X-99 Y-00 1-01 2-02 3-03 4-04 5-05 6-06 7-07 This list has always worked for me. The Manufactured date is not always the same as the model year. I think it was late 1995 when Ford changed body styles and called it a 1997.
This info is gospel! The only other conclusive evidence might be if the production date is 9/85 or later since the following years model are built typically starting in Sept. and if the emissions label is legible it should say somewhere on it, ''this vehicle complies to all federal (and California*) emission standards for the 1986 year model". (*)If it is a CA emissions vehicle.
