Specific Wittek Hose Clamp Question
 

To those who have original Wittek hose clamps on your cars, how much earlier are the clamps dated for you car?

Thanks,
Tim

The only close to correct answer... is it depends.

Often times the original Wittek clamps can predate a Pontiac A/G body build by 2 months. I've pulled 2/71 dated Witteks off a very late March built '71 Fremont build, just looking at the 2/71 dated clamp, some could state that was only one month, thats conjecture at one extreme, as it could have been mfg Feb 1. On an early Jan of '71 455 Dport GTO I had for several years, it had several original Wittek clamps from 6/70 (i kept them).

The Fall of 70 strike threw off as far as component date coding, nearly every vehicle built late Nov & Dec of 70, & even up into March of '71 depending on the rarity of the component & what assembly plant. As Wittek clamps are common usage items, they should be dated tighter than the example of the August 70 dated HW coded frame that was original to a March '71 Framingham build. PY member Chris Haggerty noted this 455 frame's original date usage here on PY many years ago before selling it.

Went out & checked two original heater hose clamps off an 01C Pontiac plant built '72 Lux LeMans partscar/example car I've had for over 20 years. The original radiator hoses with their clamps are tucked away in a parts tub up in my mezzanine. Will ck them later. Have noted this car before. 4082 original mile Lux LeMans that was lightly rolled in the Summer of '72 & tucked away in a detached garage for nearly 30 years.

Unlike with the previous mentioned Jan 71 built Fremont built 455 GTO, there was no lenghty UAW strike to mess up the date range of many component parts on this '72. Still what's odd is the original small 1 1/16" Wittek clamp @ the heater core is dated 4/71. That's over 8 months proceeding the Lux LeMans build date. Originality wise, the original clamps...everything, was original on that car except:
-NOS LH fender & NOS LH inner fender, NOS taillight lenses,
-a 10/69 dated rear bumper which was confirmed by the long time owner as an early 70's replate he sourced from local bumper exchange.

Have parted tons of 71's & 72 Pontiac A-bodys but that particular car was the only you could spot the low mile not disturbed original details everywhere: an original paper tag wire tied to the radiator filler neck, gummed two letter frame ID tag above the LH rear wheel arch, gummed two letter rearend ID code on the LH rear brake drum, gummed two letter engine ID code on the engine block.

Need other examples, have other original Wittek clamps pulled & bagged & tagged from other '71's I've owned.

Thank you for the thorough response. My question was triggered primarily because of the strikes.

I am asking for my 02B Trans Am. I am looking for original clamps for when I install the original hoses.

Thanks,
Tim

Tim, if your T/A is an 02B '71 Norwood build, wouldn't surprise me that the date gaps are quite wide between production & actual use. Norwood & Lakewood GA (A & GP) plant were really slow coming back on line after the '67 day Fall '70 UAW Strike. If its an 02B VanNuys '71 build I can check a '71 Esprit roller that I have that was built very close to that time.