Julian Date Codes vs Cowl Tag Build Dates

[enio45]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: frankk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ed my own car is a 04C build date. I have it written down it would have been the week of April 21-27. I know I did the research on this at least 10 years ago but do not remember how I arrived at that conclusion. </div></div>

Frank - with your info this seems to define the third full week of April defines 04C and the date range u defined. If that is the case - then there must be a 03E as i elaborated on in the above post.

[Keith Seymore]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: enio45</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In order to determine the days of the week a 69 camaro would be built - we would go to the cowl tag to get the code - so for example 04C.

The April calendar week starts on a monday - so effectively that week could be considered 03E if we look at build dates - OR would it be considered 04A?

Im trying to determine the days of the week a car would be built if it was an 04C cowl date code.

Thoughts and help?

</div></div>

I don't think we can shoot that straight.

The Fisher codes are specific to body build only, and even then there is a margin of error, due to work stoppages, breakage, or general assembly down time.

Also - keep in mind it takes a few shifts for the body to get started and get through the body shop, and then through paint. Once it drops down into general assembly it can be completed within a few hours (likely that same shift). It can then still spend a few hours to a few days running around in the repair area before actually leaving the facility.

Really no way to know for sure unless you happen to be standing there as it goes by, or if you drive it off the end of the line yourself.

K

[70 copo]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kurt S</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Go off the production date from the NCRS shipping data.
</div></div>

Unless the car sat in AGR or in the repair lot for some period of time after primary assembly was finished.

[enio45]

might not have the ncrs info available......but that would be a good ref point.

so , on the ncrs doc, the production date is the date which means ...........??? start, end or ship?

[70 copo]

Eddie,

This may help. I posted this over at the CRG previously:

For Norwood the production date was forecast in the production planning review meeting that occurred 72 hours prior to production. For those of you with &quot;Echoes&quot; on the book shelf have a look at pages 90-93.

Fortunately the production scheduling superintendent is still with us and I asked him about the vehicle shipper vs the production date.

He stated without hesitation that &quot;the holding lot could hold better than 4000 cars at any one time and it typically took two days &quot;or more&quot; to get the car shipped&quot;. &quot;Even more days were required if the car was held up at repair either outside in the holding lots, or inside at AGR&quot;.

&quot;For vehicle shipping purposes the shipper must be very accurate as to the ship date when the shipper takes possession of the product. This is the &quot;production date&quot; as referred to on the shipper&quot;.

In a good faith effort to understand the relationship between the dates on the Body Plate (called the trim tag by the hobby) researchers and have tended to rely on the shipper info from NCIB and now the NCRS to establish the build date of the car and in so doing discount the date applied to the body plate.

OK: First off the shipper date is the date when the car was considered &quot;released to the shipper&quot; -- and all production/repair was technically complete. In the period 1967-1970 the date of production on the body plate in relationship with the ship date could be influenced by any one of the following:

A production hold at the Fisher body bank
A production hold off line at Fisher in body shop, Paint, hard or soft trim.
A production hold at the Chevrolet body bank.
Chevrolet repairs after production at AGR
Chevrolet repairs after production in the post production holding lots

[Kurt S]

It's the date GM considered it an assembled, saleable vehicle and was valued as such on the books.
What's the VIN of the car we're talking about?

[Keith Seymore]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 70 copo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Eddie,

This may help. I posted this over at the CRG previously:

For Norwood the production date was forecast in the production planning review meeting that occurred 72 hours prior to production. For those of you with &quot;Echoes&quot; on the book shelf have a look at pages 90-93.

Fortunately the production scheduling superintendent is still with us and I asked him about the vehicle shipper vs the production date.

He stated without hesitation that &quot;the holding lot could hold better than 4000 cars at any one time and it typically took two days &quot;or more&quot; to get the car shipped&quot;. &quot;Even more days were required if the car was held up at repair either outside in the holding lots, or inside at AGR&quot;.

&quot;For vehicle shipping purposes the shipper must be very accurate as to the ship date when the shipper takes possession of the product. This is the &quot;production date&quot; as referred to on the shipper&quot;.

In a good faith effort to understand the relationship between the dates on the Body Plate (called the trim tag by the hobby) researchers and have tended to rely on the shipper info from NCIB and now the NCRS to establish the build date of the car and in so doing discount the date applied to the body plate.

OK: First off the shipper date is the date when the car was considered &quot;released to the shipper&quot; -- and all production/repair was technically complete. In the period 1967-1970 the date of production on the body plate in relationship with the ship date could be influenced by any one of the following:

A production hold at the Fisher body bank
A production hold off line at Fisher in body shop, Paint, hard or soft trim.
A production hold at the Chevrolet body bank.
Chevrolet repairs after production at AGR
Chevrolet repairs after production in the post production holding lots </div></div>

Well said.

This is what the back yard in Flint looked like.

This photo should also help explain (a) why we could physically lose vehicles in the yard, and (b) why we could run some vehicles out of gas shuttling them between the various repair areas.

K



PS: I drove by there last night. It still looks like that. Edit: Except the trucks are newer.

[Hotrodpaul]

The engine in my X-77 Survivor 04C Z-28 has an assembly date of V0409DZ, so figuring about a week to get to Norwood Ohio and ready for installation would put it around 4-16 to 4-22? My old L-78 04C Camaro SS from the POP had engine assy date T0417JH and it was 400 cars earlier build than my Z-28. Go figure...

Paul

[enio45]

Members, thanks for the discussion and insight to the dates. Good feedback - however, can anyone determine or knows the answer to the following issue:

As stated above - when the cowl tag build date is selected for production, so like the end of march is 03E (which is a monday) then is the rest of that week that falls into April (Tues - Friday) is the car considered an 03E car or 04A? Im assuming they are using the cowl tag date as the beginning of the week, not the end of the week?

Thanks again - after this ill stop and don't want to beat a dead horse!!

I can see in the pic above, how a car could get lost for weeks out there in the pasture!!

[mockingbird812]

My understanding Eddie is that the trim tag date reflects the date that the assembly of the car begins. If your car's assembly is started on Monday, 31 March, it will have an &quot;03E&quot; trim tag regardless of what day it is completed. The NCRS date appears to be the date the car is shipped.