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Hi guys! I dropped the gas tank on my 65 today. This exposed the job number on the rear bulk head. The job number reads Q189. I'm assuming this is job number 189. However, what does the "Q" represent? I thought job numbers were all just 3 digits.
Wayne, it's red on black vinyl. Color has never been changed. The rear bulk head is the only place I have found the job number. It's long gone from the front bulk head. This may be one of the those mysteries that are just lost to time. Thanks!
Last time I had the door panels off was a couple of years ago and I don't recall seeing the job number. Of course I wasn't really looking for it at that time. Good suggestion though.
Dan, I think you might be on to something. It is an A.O. Smith body, so perhaps this is unique these bodies. However, my VIN is 117xxx, and that would not correlate as you theorize. Does yours have a "Q" as well or a different letter? Anyone else have a letter preceding the job number?
I don't think these items were available in 1965; (kinda like the computer font used on Dubya's national guard records). Crayon (wax base ? cream or yellow) is all I've ever seen being used.
The job number on my AOSmith 1965 is "Q396". Like you, I also found it on the rear bulkhead, while those on the doors and pass.footwell were long gone.
The "Q" was specific to Smith bodied cars. The only thing that I was ever able to learn, is that it specified a certain set of options, to facilitate body handling. As to WHICH set of options, I was never able to find someone with any knowledge. At the time I began investigating this, I contacted an extremely knowledgeable trim tag/ECL code expert, who agreed. He did not, however, know exactly what the "Q" specified.
If you learn anything further, please let me know.
Thanks,
Joe
Wayne, I also thought it was odd that it appeared to be a marker instead of crayon. However, unlike microsoft word, magic markers have been around since the 40's and were common place in the 60's. So maybe they ran out of crayon or perhaps this particular line worker just liked magic marker - who knows. However, for the doubting Thomases, I have taken additional photos. Gas tank, straps, and hardware all appear untouched originals. They were rusted solid and required a cut off tool to remove. Body has never been off the frame. It's pretty apparent that this was the first time the gas tank has been removed. Additionally, you can still see the original red paint from overspray through the gas opening before the body was dropped on the frame at the factory. The paint overspray is covering part of the job number. Therefore, the job number was on the bulk head prior to paint and body drop. This job number was put there at the factory. Lastly, I'm a much better investigator than Dan Rather.
Joe, if you're right and it is option related, then I think I may have just figured it out! What if the "Q" represents Quick Take-Off Wheels. Although we call them knock offs today, the actual option was called P48 Quick Take-Off Wheels. That is the only option I can think of that would have any relation to the letter "Q". There is a great picture on page 318 of Noland's book of a '66 coupe having the body dropped on the frame. In the back window you can see the Kelsey-Hayes box. It is even pointed out in the caption. So the P48 wheels were in the car body prior to body drop. So it would make sense that something on the job number would indicate to the line worker that he needed to toss the wheels in the body.
Unfortunately, I can't definitively determine if my car came originally with knock offs or not. It's had repro knock offs ever since I've owned the car. However, the knock off instruction sticker is glued to the jack board. It is tatered, torn, and yellowed, so it could be 40 years old. However, obviously these are reproduced, so I don't know how much weight that carries.
Please see my post below. Mine is also written in what looks like black felt tipped marker.
Does anyone else with a Smith bodied car, have pictoral evidence of a "job number", appearing on the rear bulkhead. If so, please let us see it, in order to try to ascertain whether or not "magic markers" existed in 1965.
It's highly unlikely that the KO wheel option code or any other reference to it would have been used within the body or job number, especially on bodys that were assembled at Smith instead of St. Louis. The P48 option would have had absolutely no effect on the body or it's assembly at all. In fact, I'm certain it had nothing to do with it. The only changes for P48 in the entire car build would have been to the chassis and that would have been the spare tire carrier bolts. Also, by the time the wheels were to be installed on the assy line, that "Q" would have been hidden and of no value at all to the guys at the station where wheels/tires were installed.
Also, the picture that you refer to in the Adams book has been causing quite a bit of confusion for years. The KH boxes that are visible in the coupe rear window do not contain the wheels that are going on that particular car. In fact, those boxes aren't even in the car. If you look closly at the pic, you'll see that they're on a rack BEHIND the car and visible through the glass. All wheel/tire assemblies were made up in a completely separate building behind the main section of the assy plant.
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