My car's birthday question.

[Michael K.]

VIN: 40867S121084 indicates car built in St. Louis, Trim Tag: F23 indicates body built June 23rd.It is an AO Smith as the number is A2543.Engine block stamped 4121084; FO624RE indicates engine out of Flint built June 24th 365hp.Now it gets tricky. I followed the formula in Noland's book, calculating work days between the car's serial number, number of cars built per day during that period and estimate the car was put built July 2, 1964. With gas tank out I am able to read F3 in wax crayon written on the underside of the body. So, I would interpret that indicating car was built June 3, 1964What is that about? All other numbers match the VIN.Thanks, MK

[Rob M.]

Re: My car's birthday question.

MK,

The F3 is most likely a body sequence number. Considering it is an AO Smith body, they used letters for every batch of 500 (example A001, A002, through A500 then started at B001 and did it again). Again, that would be my guess as to what you are seeing. I don't know much about the AO bodies from 64, but my 66 AO body is V31 and it lines up nicely with all the other numbers for my car.

FWIW

[Michael J.]

Re: My car's birthday question.

You should splurge and buy the NCRS Shipping Data Report for your car, and know for sure.

[Georges C.]

Re: My car's birthday question.

AO Smith built car was shipped out of Michigan to St Louis. As example, my '66 427 engine was built in Tonawanda Jan 10, body built on Jan 20, but final assembly Jan 31 in St Louis.

[Dale M.]

Re: My car's birthday question.

I have never seen any documentation on the mark under the gas tank, likely because usually you cannot see it. Just for comparison I have a '64 A.O. Smith built car serial number 40867S114349, Trim Tag for Body shows A-428 and I have the NCRS Shipping Data Report with a production date of 3/27/1964. Could that panel above the gas tank actually been built on June 3rd, and then it was incorporated into the other body components a little later?

[Edward J.]

Re: My car's birthday question.

Mike the F3 can very well just be the date the fiberglass body was assembled. I think has been discussed before, but the person who knows for sure would be John H.

[John H.]

Re: My car's birthday question.

I have never seen any documentation on the mark under the gas tank, likely because usually you cannot see it. Just for comparison I have a '64 A.O. Smith built car serial number 40867S114349, Trim Tag for Body shows A-428 and I have the NCRS Shipping Data Report with a production date of 3/27/1964. Could that panel above the gas tank actually been built on June 3rd, and then it was incorporated into the other body components a little later?

Dale -

What "panel" are you talking about? The rear bulkhead forward of the gas tank, or? And where did the June 3rd date come from? What's the body build date on the trim tag?

[Georges C.]

Re: My car's birthday question.

As info the panel in front of the gas tank on the rear bulkhead has a large M233. Not sure what it matches or means. Doesn't match the protect o plate, or best I can remember any of the vehicle tags on the cage.

[Rob M.]

Re: My car's birthday question.

Georges,

I am 99% sure that the "M233" that you see on the rear bulkhead is the body sequence number in 66. They built them in batches of 500 and AO Smith used a letter to precede the number. My AO Smith 66 (built May 6th) is V31. Your car was built Jan. 31st and is M233. If you take your vin and divide by 2 (AO Smith built about 1/2 the bodies in 66) you'll know about how many bodies AO Smith had built up to that date. Divide that number by 500 and you'll know how many letters they would have used to that point. I bet you will be right about at "M".

Try it and see.

[John H.]

Re: My car's birthday question.

As info the panel in front of the gas tank on the rear bulkhead has a large M233. Not sure what it matches or means. Doesn't match the protect o plate, or best I can remember any of the vehicle tags on the cage.

Georges -

Your body was the 233rd in Schedule "M" at Ionia; each "schedule" contained 500 units, just as they did at St. Louis.