Spindle Bearing Housing Date

[Christopher Pergola]

I have a '65 Coupe with a build date of April 1965.

I'd like to know if the left rear spindle bearing housing and strut arm are dated?

If so, where are the dates located and will I be able to see them without removing them from the car?

Long Island Corvette Supply has NOS spindle bearing housings and I'd like to know what range of dates would be acceptable given the April build date.

Lastly, what is the proper finish for the spindle bearing housing and the rear strut arm?

Thanks.

[Joe L.]

Re: Spindle Bearing Housing Date

Christopher----

The spindle bearing supports were dated. The date is found on the rear surface between the fork and the actual round bearing housing section of the support. It should be visible without too much difficulty. All 1964-74 spindle supports were of GM casting number 3820643. This number will be found in the same vicinity as the dates.

Long Island may have NOS spindle supports but are they the 64-74 variety or the 64-74 SERVICE and 75-82 PRODUCTION variety? The latter supports carried GM casting number 348103. These supports were available until about 5 years ago; the earlier style was discontinued about 25 years ago and I doubt that there are many NOS examples still around. Good used ones are easy to find, though. Although the castings are the same for both sides of either series, the castings are machined differently for the left and right sides, so the PART numbers are different from side to side.

The strut rods are NOT dated or otherwise marked with a part number.

For 1965, I believe that most of the bearing supports were painted a semi-gloss black, but some may have been bare cast iron. If painted, the painting was done prior to machining and the machined surfaces were bare metal (like calipers).

The strut rods were bare, as-forged steel. They may have received some blackout, though.

NCRS/NCCB usually allows a 6 month window prior to car build date for any judged dates. I don't know if these dates are judged, or not.

[Joe L.]

Re: Spindle Bearing Housing Date

Christopher----

The spindle bearing supports were dated. The date is found on the rear surface between the fork and the actual round bearing housing section of the support. It should be visible without too much difficulty. All 1964-74 spindle supports were of GM casting number 3820643. This number will be found in the same vicinity as the dates.

Long Island may have NOS spindle supports but are they the 64-74 variety or the 64-74 SERVICE and 75-82 PRODUCTION variety? The latter supports carried GM casting number 348103. These supports were available until about 5 years ago; the earlier style was discontinued about 25 years ago and I doubt that there are many NOS examples still around. Good used ones are easy to find, though. Although the castings are the same for both sides of either series, the castings are machined differently for the left and right sides, so the PART numbers are different from side to side.

The strut rods are NOT dated or otherwise marked with a part number.

For 1965, I believe that most of the bearing supports were painted a semi-gloss black, but some may have been bare cast iron. If painted, the painting was done prior to machining and the machined surfaces were bare metal (like calipers).

The strut rods were bare, as-forged steel. They may have received some blackout, though.

NCRS/NCCB usually allows a 6 month window prior to car build date for any judged dates. I don't know if these dates are judged, or not.

[Gary B.]

Reading Spindle Bearing Housing Dates

Christopher,

I've tried reading the dates on my spindle support housing and I can't make them out. My housings are failry crudded up and it's hard to get a brush up in the cranny where the embossing is to clean off the date codes. So, there's a chance that you won't be able to read the codes until you get the housings off the car and can clean them up with a wire brush.

Gary

[Gary B.]

Reading Spindle Bearing Housing Dates

Christopher,

I've tried reading the dates on my spindle support housing and I can't make them out. My housings are failry crudded up and it's hard to get a brush up in the cranny where the embossing is to clean off the date codes. So, there's a chance that you won't be able to read the codes until you get the housings off the car and can clean them up with a wire brush.

Gary

[Page C.]

Re: Reading Spindle Bearing Housing Dates

A trick I have used is to take a flattened piece of modeling clay and press it into the date code with a paint mixing stick or anything flat you can get in that tight space. Carefully peal it off and read the code in a mirror since it will be backwards. This also works on GM air condition compressors.
Hope this helps
Page Campbell

[Page C.]

Re: Reading Spindle Bearing Housing Dates

A trick I have used is to take a flattened piece of modeling clay and press it into the date code with a paint mixing stick or anything flat you can get in that tight space. Carefully peal it off and read the code in a mirror since it will be backwards. This also works on GM air condition compressors.
Hope this helps
Page Campbell

[Wayne M.]

Here's a few dates from '65s

Christopher --- Spindle support dates are hard to read when they're on the trailing arm, unless absolutely rust and dirt-free. Here are some dates from my early '65 [D-9-4 and E-25-4, on a rear assembly with differential carrier code AP 9-17-64], and from my very late car [E-25-5 and D-21-5] on a carrier coded FA 7-15-65]. On the early car, bear in mind that these components were cast before the "summer break" for model year change, and that adds a few weeks to the spread.

[Wayne M.]

Here's a few dates from '65s

Christopher --- Spindle support dates are hard to read when they're on the trailing arm, unless absolutely rust and dirt-free. Here are some dates from my early '65 [D-9-4 and E-25-4, on a rear assembly with differential carrier code AP 9-17-64], and from my very late car [E-25-5 and D-21-5] on a carrier coded FA 7-15-65]. On the early car, bear in mind that these components were cast before the "summer break" for model year change, and that adds a few weeks to the spread.