Alternator date

[Shane G.]

I have a 64 conv. which is pretty rough but quite original. I hadn't bothered to write down the date codes on the parts as I took them off until recently. I noticed that my Alternator (1100668) is dated MARCH 12, 1964 but my engine pad is stamped F0311RD (MARCH 11, 1964). Is it possible that the alternator date post dates the engine code by a day? Is this accepted when judging? What are the chances that the original alternator was replaced in the past with one which had the correct part number and a date 1 day off? It is very apparent that there was never a restoration attempt made on the car and everything else seems to fall in line as far as date codes. Any Ideas? Thanks Shane

[Joe L.]

Re: Alternator date

Shane----

This type of date relationship between the engine build and the alternator build is very consistent with the way things were done at the time. Keep in mind that the alternators were installed on the cars at the St. Louis assmble plant, NOT at the engine plants. Consequently, the alternators were being built in Anderson, IN at about the same time that the engines were being built in Flint, MI or Tonawanda, NY (for Mark IVs). They all came together at St. Louis. I consider it highly likely that the alternator that you have is original to the car.

[Wayne M.]

Re: Alternator date

Shane -- Just a footnote to the good info that Joe has provided; I believe the judging manual says that the alternator date has to precede the "car manufacture" date. This usually means the trim tag date, unless it is an A-body, in which case, because of the roughly 10 day delay in shipping the completed body from Ionia Michigan to St.Louis, then into the basement to await it's mating call, the mechanical components could very well follow the body date. Of course, "car manufacture" means final vehicle assembly date, but unless you have access to GM records for VIN # at the close of each production day (they exist), you may have to calculate the day, based on month-end figures, similar to what I believe the "birthday book" accomplishes.