Date code on Master Cylinder

[Randy C.]

Re: Date code on Master Cylinder

Well, I went out and looked, yet again. It's hard to see anything on an installed master cylinder so I took a mirror so I could see all around.

First, I realize now that I was looking at those figures towards the fender upside down. Where you have a "* D 6" I have a "* D 1".

Below that, or anywhere else on the outside body of my master cylinder, though, there is no casting date. The only date on the outside of the body is the "0 201" above the front brake fluid line. And the first zero on my date code is just like yours - the right side of the zero is faint to not there.

I'm wondering if this is another one of those little subtle differences between early and later production '71 Corvettes. Mine (mid-DEC 70 production) still has the '70 taillight lenses.

Randy C.

[Alan S.]

Re: Date code on Master Cylinder

Hi Randy,
If you look at the picture I posted you'll see the 3 digits. The digits 149 are between the bleed valves, and upside down when the mst/cyl. is mounted in the car.
They're cast, not stamped like the machining date. You can see the reverse image of the slotted screw heads that are on each side of the 149 that held the date in place.
It's interesting that my car built about 30 days after yours, has a m/c date about 130 days after yours. I guess that reflects the stop of production you described.
Regards,
Alan

[Randy C.]

Re: Date code on Master Cylinder

Yes, where you have the "149" cast into the body of the master cylinder, I have nothing. I looked all over the master cylinder, too, using a mirror to see underneath, but there is no casting date on the master cylinder anywhere that I can see - just the "0 201" stamped into the machined area above the forward brake fluid line.

Randy

[Mike E.]

Re: Date code on Master Cylinder

A 71 with D25 trim tag has mcyl 0252; one with E16 has 0258, for reference.
Mike

For what it's worth, my '71 small block standard coupe has a build date of 12/15/70 (according to the shipping data; the trim tag says E14) and my master cylinder (known to be original) has a date of "0201" which is July 20, 1970. My original starter also has a July '70 date and many original parts under the hood, as well as most of the fiberglass parts where I can see the tag, have August 1970 dates. At first, this seemed to be quite a separation of dates between these parts and the build date of my car but I found out there was no production from about mid-September 1970 to late November 1970 which helps explain the date separation.

Randy C.

[Alan S.]

Re: Date code on Master Cylinder

Hi Randy & Mike,
Thanks for looking for the date, Randy. I guess it's a little mystery about the cast date code on my mst/cyl.
Mike, your 2#s seem to fit the sequence... my F14 car being 338.
Regards,
Alan