"Q"

[Loren L.]

Just saw a "Q" in grease pencil on the rear bulkhead of an AO Smith 1965 BB - right next to the "464" job number> Any ide3as as to what Q stood for back then - does it mean BB?

[Wayne M.]

(Long shot) Is it a silver car ?

ie. AO Smith trim tag "Q-Q PAINT" ?

[mikemccagh]

Re: "Q"

loren. i alsays thought the "Q" cars were 250 hp Pg vets delivered to the southwest. regards, mikie

[Craig S.]

Re: "Q"

My 67 L79 coupe had a K63 on the rear deck wall just in front of the gas tank. Apparenly, since it is a power window car, this designated how to apply certain cuts on the body for the wiring conduits in the doors, according t George Bartos...Craig

[Craig S.]

Re: "Q"

My point (which I forgot to make) was the code hear doesn't correlate to any of the typical build codes for the options you see on the build sheet. They seem to be an internal designation for the A.O. Smith line....also, per the class I took from Al Grenning, the Dow Smith cars also list the options twice on the build sheet, same as the St Louis listing, and a 2nd set of ECL codes for the A.O. Smith body line....and these codes are different than the St Louis codes. I verified this on by tank sticker for my car...but I still don't think the power window carried a K63 code for the A.O. Smith coding, so this has yet another line connotation.....Craig

[Loren L.]

Re: "Q"

With A/C & HD Brks & Susp.

[Loren L.]

Re: (Long shot) Is it a silver car ?

I didn't really check - but I will - but it seems to be a Nassau Blue.

[Bill W.]

Re: "Q"

My 65 BB had a X on the rear bulkhead. it had no radio and side exhaust. Phil Hawkins told me the X told the line workers to check the build sheet something was different than the other cars (dont drill an antenna hole or cut for side exhaust)the only cars I have seen an X on were 65 BB and 67 L88s . sorry never seen a Q. maybe it was going to be an audit car "quality" control??? whats the vin? BILL

[Mike Sasser]

Re: "Q"

How about a "V". My 65 AO Smith car has a V17 on the back bulkhead. I guess it is safe to assume that AO Smith used several letters and no one is sure what thay really meant

[David H.]

Re: "Q"

Bill & Loren; My St. Louis built 65 fuel coupe/side E. and no radio has 54X on the rear bulk-head, pass footboard (outside), and on the inside of both doors. Thanks Bill for the info, I allways wondered what the X was for and I think 54 would be the job#. This brings new meaning to the phrase----"Car 54 where are you". David

[Joe C.]

Re: "Q"

Loren:

When I restored my '65, I found "Q396", on both the rear bulkhead, and the dash brace, just behind the speedo. And, NO, it is not a big block (396).

I asked Al Grenning the meaning of the "Q" suffix to the job number, and he told me it is a code used by the Dow Smith workers, which indicated to them how to prepare the body, based on the options the car would be built with. He, nor anyone else I have spoken to, knew the cryptology of these suffixes.

Joe