The Cowl Tag is a stamped metal plate attached to the firewall or cowl area of an F-100 truck. It contains factory build information that can include the paint code, body type code, trim code, date of production, and assembly plant designation. The Cowl Tag often duplicates some information found on the Data Plate but may also contain additional codes not found elsewhere on the truck.
The tag is typically located on the top of the cowl under the hood, near where the hood meets the windshield, though the exact position varies by generation. On some years it is riveted to the firewall on the passenger side. Finding and reading the Cowl Tag is an important step in documenting any F-100, especially for trucks where the Data Plate is missing or damaged.
Decoding a Cowl Tag requires generation-specific reference charts, since Ford used different coding systems across model years. Online decoder tools and Ford truck reference books can help translate the stamped codes into meaningful specifications. For buyers, a legible Cowl Tag that matches the VIN and Data Plate adds confidence that the truck has not been significantly altered from its original configuration.