C2: Body build date vs. frame pull date

[Gary B.]

Can anyone tell me how many days would be typical between the frame pull date and the body build date for a 1966 St. Louis built car? I know the body build date for my car, but I'm trying to figure out what date should be written in grease pencil on the frame for the pull date. Also, does anyone know of any photos showing original frame pull dates?

Thanks,

Gary

[Peter M.]

Re: C2: Body build date vs. frame pull date

Noland Adams book Volume 2 page 316 shows a good factory photo (fall 1965)of the 66 chassis markings from front to back on the passenger side (upside down):
1) shim marks
2) crayon assembly date
3) frame part number stencils (2 numbers)
4) shim marks

[Gary B.]

Thanks Peter *NM*

[John H.]

Re: C2: Body build date vs. frame pull date

I don't know what the current "guidelines" (if there are any) are concerning the relationship between "frame pull dates" and body build dates are, but it only took two days (maximum) from the "frame pull" point to the end of the Final Line (unless the car was in process over a weekend). The frame didn't get "pulled" until the body was about halfway through the Trim Line.

[Gary B.]

C2: Body build date vs. frame pull date

John,

So if my body build date is K20 for July 20, would a reasonable frame pull date be July 18? My car has a St. Louis body is that matters.

Thanks,

Gary

[John H.]

Re: C2: Body build date vs. frame pull date

Gary -

Well, lots of folks will probably disagree with me, but your body hit the beginning of the Trim Line sometime on the 20th, and the frame was "pulled" that day (or the next day, depending on what time/what shift the body hit the Trim Line). When it only took two days to go from the very beginning of the Body Shop to the end of the Final Line and the frame wasn't "pulled" until after the body hit the Trim Line, I find it difficult to imagine a spread of more than a day between the dates. In fact, if the body hit the Trim Line at the end of second shift on a Friday and got its trim tag just before the shift ended, the frame for that car wouldn't be "pulled" until later in the first shift on Monday, so the "pull date" for that car's frame would be three days AFTER the body build date on the trim tag. Have no idea how the current conventional wisdom (whatever that is, have never seen it in writing) came to be applied, but after 37 years in assembly plants, and knowing the St. Louis plant layout pretty well, there's no way a frame would be "pulled" more than a day prior to the (St. Louis-built body) trim tag date. Yes, I'm wearing my "flame-proof" vest

[Gary B.]

minus 1 to plus 3 date differential

John,

So you're saying my frame pull date could be anywhere between July 19 and July 23 based on my body build date of July 20.

Gary

[John H.]

Re: minus 1 to plus 3 date differential

Gary -

With a body build date of July 20th (Wednesday), I'd say the "pull date" could be either the 20th or 21st (Thursday), knowing the production system at St. Louis (the frame was "pulled" AFTER the body hit the Trim Line, not before). As I said, I don't write the book on this (and don't know who does), but that's the way the system worked.

[Patrick H.]

Re: minus 1 to plus 3 date differential

But you're going to put this information in your book, so that you "can" say that, right? It would be a lot more credible than some of the theories flying around out there.

Patrick

[Gary B.]

Thanks John *NM*

[Craig S.]

Re: minus 1 to plus 3 date differential

John - so on my 67 A.O. Smith L79, which is number 18255 built on May 11 with a body date of April 28, should the frame date be around May 9 or 10? I haven't pulled it, but I am sure the date will be long gone...Craig

[Craig S.]

Re: minus 1 to plus 3 date differential

Maybe the above applies only to the 66 year, I see 67 uses stencils...however, your logic makes great sense, and would apply for my March built 66 L72, VIN 16721....Craig