Quote:
Originally Posted by Held for Ransom
Sure you are. The first set of numbers is the month. Followed by a letter (usually an A or B, which I take as a shift). Followed by another set of numbers, which is the day. And finally, if happened, another letter (which could be the machine used to stamp it).
|
That makes more sense than what I was thinking.....and works better since most all the off parts have the "A" stamp. Sometimes there is a trailing letter and sometimes not. Not sure why it varied. I had read that sometimes the stamping operator would monitor the crispness of the date stamps and then adjust the machine when needed. That last letter might be used for that purpose.
As best as I can tell, there are two date formats used on the formed metal parts. The panels formed at the Fisher plant and used to make up the body shell are Letter and number where Letter appears to be the stamp station and number is the week of the year. Sometimes these panels also have a 4 or 5 digit number preceding the letter and I presume that to be a part number. We also saw in a separate thread where some parts include an L or R for left and right. Those were found on the rocker panels of a 67 car I believe...
The "off parts"....those made at the final assembly plant appear to follow the format discussed here. Number-letter-number-and sometimes another letter. I think it is reasonable to suppose the first number is month. Letter is shift. Second number is day of month and last letter could be the stamp machine/station and used as a proof checker.
Here are some more stamps of off parts. 5A14M is the RH fender from my May 27th car. 6A23 J is the LH fender from a late July car. Notice how the J is separated from the normal stamps and the impression is much deeper.
The 10A17 is a front inner fender...perhaps from the same car that the 10A16 bumper came from.
Parts with an October date would have been stamped in 1967 for use in 1968 model year cars.
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk