The key to finding a Ford vehicle's place in the production sequence is in the last 6 digits. The letter indicates a series of 99,999 (Starts a 00,001 and goes to 99,999) vehicles. The numbers after it indicate the vehicles place in that series.
I'll use my B2 as an example since I have the insurance card near me.
The last 6 digits are D40901. So it is in production series D, meaning that A, B, and C, each having 99,999 vehicles in them were all made first. Then mine is # 40,901 built in series D. So my Bronco II was #340,898 built in the 1988 model year.
If you suspect that either was a late CY 82 production vehicle, the series should be an A, or an early B. If the driver's door tags are still intact and legible they will have the month and year of the vehicle production.