Date Codes

Milpitas_old · January 18, 2007 at 3:18 PM

I've been told that correct date codes would be anything 3 months prior to your build date of your car..And then someone told me that more times than he can count, 6-12 months and even earlier parts, were used on Fords..?? Any truth to this at all??

SteveP_old · January 18, 2007 at 7:30 PM

I don't think that logic would apply to 65-66 Mustangs since they were stamping and assembling as fast as they could. For these years I think the 3 months prior is a good rule of thumb. How about it Charles, you've seen a lot of original cars, how do the sheet metal date codes run?

CharlesTurner · January 18, 2007 at 10:04 PM

Yes, I would agree on 3 months or earlier, but usually most dates are within 0-6 weeks from when the car was made.

Edited by - caspian65 on 01/18/2007 22:05:23

BoS_old · January 18, 2007 at 10:19 PM

Yes, I agree with Charles. My 65 GT350 was

put together in San Jose' around 5/7/65

and steering box is dated 5D30, heater box

Y5DD and engine assembled on 5E3.

Those part are most likely original to the car.

/Bo

garymcgowan_old · January 18, 2007 at 11:05 PM

Is it possible to have an Assembly Date of Mar. 2, 1966 but have a Mar. 8, 1966 date on the steering box? The steering box looks original but I don't know.

Gary

Edited by - garymcgowan on 01/18/2007 23:06:34

s2ms · January 18, 2007 at 11:22 PM

Everything on my 66 GT350, San Jose build date last week of March 66 AFAIK, is within the 3 month general rule except the original flywheel which has a 5L4 date code.

SixT5HiPo · January 18, 2007 at 11:46 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

Is it possible to have an Assembly Date of Mar. 2, 1966 but have a Mar. 8, 1966 date on the steering box?

Sure...assuming your "assembly date" is actually the scheduled build date stamped on your Warranty Data Plate.

CharlesTurner · January 19, 2007 at 12:38 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

Is it possible to have an Assembly Date of Mar. 2, 1966 but have a Mar. 8, 1966 date on the steering box? The steering box looks original but I don't know.

One important thing you need to realize is that the DATE code on your door data plate is actually the day the car was "scheduled" to be built and usually not the actual day it was made. When the order came in from a dealer, the dataplate VIN and other information was assigned, including a scheduled build date. On the '67 and newer, we are lucky enough to have Marti reports to tell us what day a car was actually made. Generally, I see very few Marti reports with cars made ahead of schedule or the actual day it was scheduled.

supershifter2 · April 1, 2010 at 3:04 AM

i have a trunk floor date stamping of 1 20 3D and my door vin tag has date 27Q which is march 27th build date. so the trunk floor was made about 2 months before my car was put together if i understand this correctly. also my car is a factory 65 GT K that i bought from the original owner in 1974 minus the engine and trans. he blew up the engine beyond repair and kept the toploader. i had 2 other 65 GT A code cars and one thing about this car was 1 hole on the driver side in the core support for the fog light wire and the passenger side fog light wire went through the vent slots in the core support. what does the D on the 1 20 3D date stamping mean ?

Edited by - stickshift on 04/01/2010 03:06:25

C7ZZ-F_old · April 1, 2010 at 7:47 AM

"D" is the dearborn stamping plant.

Participate now!