C1- What?.... Dated Hoods ?

[Richard M.]

Has anyone ever seen dated C1 hoods before? Of course this can't be the first time.

Earlier today I was looking under the front lip of the hood on my 62 to check paint process for a question posted earlier this month. I found no paint there. It was bare fiberglass. I don't believe there ever was paint on the front underside because to my surpise I saw a date stamp on the lip, about centered on the hood front horizontal section. It was tough to see with hood raised and using a mirror, and backwards, but it precedes the car build date by about 2 weeks. Characters are about 3/16" high. It read "AUG 23 1961". Somewhat staggered. It appears like it was stamped. I'll try to get a photo tomorrow. I just need someone to hold the mirror for me.

Still learning..........
Rich

[Bob B.]

Re: C1- What?.... Dated Hoods ?

Rich,

Can't say about that location, but I did find ink stamped dates on the bare glass under the trunk and deck lid hinges on my 1960. Thanks for sharing that info!

Bob

[Verle R.]

Re: C1- What?.... Dated Hoods ?

Rich,

I found a date stamped on the deck lid under a hinge mount of a 57. It predated the car about three months. This is a place that had never been painted. Black "ink" about 1/4" high.

Verle

[John K.]

Re: C1- What?.... Dated Hoods ?

My 58 had date stamped in red ink under the passenger side hinge of the trunk preceding build date by about two weeks. June 58 car.

[Richard M.]

C1 1962 Pictures of Dated Hood, also Dated Hardtop

Here are a few pictures of the dated hood on the 62. It's a bit tricky to see. Photographed with hood open looking down into radiator area with a mirror. Stamp is about center of the hood front lip underside 1" stepped horizontal section. Left of picture is the right side of the car. Image is mirrored so reverse each character and you get "AUG 23 1961". I don't know if it's stamped or painted. It's over bare fiberglass. There is no paint on this horizontal so blackout never got it, and final white paint never covered it. I'll obviously be able to get a better shot when the hood is off.

Other shots are the white hardtop underside after I removed the drooping headliner. In cursive written "IV" for ivory I would imagine, and the date, Oct 13 1961. Interestingly 5 weeks after the car was built(apx Sep 6,61 by my calculations). Behind the pass seat after scraping paint, in green crayon is "IVORY" "HT". Maybe the car had to wait in the yard for the HT(car has soft top too), or they shipped the HT to the dealer after the car was shipped....mysterious.

Oh yes, by the way, Oct 13, 1961 WAS a Friday!!
Rich

[Mike E.]

Re: C1- What?.... Dated Hoods ?

Or the original hardtop left the car at some point in time and this hardtop was procured by a subsequent owner. I can't imagine them holding a car that long for a hardtop, especially when there was no difference between a 61 and a 62 top.

[Robert Willis]

Re: C1- What?.... Dated Hoods ?

My 57 also had the dates ink stamped on the deck lid and trunk lid bare glass where the hinge bolted on.

Bob

[Richard M.]

Re: C1- What?.... Dated Hoods ? ..Mike E.

Mike, Maybe. Like I said, mysterious. I'm actually the 3rd owner, so one of my things on the discussion list with the prior will be getting the first owner info. One of the questions to first owner will now be the hardtop story, along with the engine swapped in 78 by the local mechanic story(he's going to be angry about that one since it's actually original motor), and the convetible top changed in 64 story, and on and on. Will be tough. I need to prioritize contact before it's too late.

So have you seen the dated hoods before????

Archives told me nothing, but not all enthusiasts are on the forums, and I don't have time right now to go through my 100+ copies of the Restorer.:-)

Rich