Topic: Found etchings on my radiator support- 66 NJ Oct 65 - K Code

[evantugby]

Was the exterior color Y? Just curious why take a Factory GT and clone it into a Shelby?

Somebody else saw a "Y" also. I think I see the Y but not 100%. Was this a well known fact that assembly plants put the color-code of the kar on the front radiator support? If so, the "Y" wouldn't make sense for my kar.

[J_Speegle]

..........Was this a well known fact that assembly plants put the color-code of the kar on the front radiator support? ...........

Don't know about the comment "well known fact"  Allot of what we discuss here is not widely known details

I can show examples of some plants - some time periods were we have found the practice. As mentioned I don't have enough 66 NJ examples to state that it was a practice only threw the possibility out there to help with the search.  Body type is not commonly found IMHO at other plants and years  but it appears it is there on yours

Guess we didn't also ask (of you already answered this sorry I missed it) if the car had a buck tag.

[evantugby]

Using the method I outlined

Picture #1 & #3 - since the other marking you decoded shows a standard interior was the interior a Parchment?

Picture #4 is likely PIO which would identify the body was going to be a GT and needed certain things added or not added



Since NJ are fairly rare in unrestored condition (allot of them too rusty to help out in unrestored form) I don't have allot of radiator support pre paint markings to help or give us many clues

You interior and exterior codes might help - just for comparison purposes and maybe a place to start

Very interesting stuff.   

Does my PIO appear consistent in terms of size of markings you've seen on others? I mean each letter is very fat, like a paint brush was used‎, not a wax crayon. Thoughts?

[J_Speegle]

Very interesting stuff.   

Does my PIO appear consistent in terms of size of markings you've seen on others? I mean each letter is very fat, like a paint brush was used‎, not a wax crayon. Thoughts?

As mentioned we don't have allot of 66 NJ examples of these markings to compare with. Yes they are much wider than I would have expected based on how the other marks were applied and how they were applied (as well as the results on term) at other plants. But we do still have the pitting/etching that suggests that the product was still a wax base and not a paint IMHO. If it had been paint the area would be smoother than the surrounding metal rather than the reverse we see in your picture.

Who knows. Maybe the worker was screwing around and ran is hand across, finger over or tried to correct a mis-mark

Maybe all he had was the short end of a crayon so he turned it side ways to do this last mark before he tossed it in the trash

[evantugby]

Reply #2 picture #3 may show a 26 if you rotate the picture counter clock-wise from how its posted.

Jeff,
I'm still trying to see what you see in reference to this specific post you made.  Can you outline what you are seeing please? 

[JKWilson]

In your #1 photo the first line is 63A (which I realize you've already figured out). The second line is a "Y" that's written backwards. The last digit on the third line is "2". I am familiar with the backwards "Y" as my Oct 28, '65 Metuchen fastback had the same marking in the same location. All marks I located were on the passenger side of the radiator support. The third line on mine though had "GT" and "22". My fastback is a factory GT
"A" code car and is documented with a copy of a build sheet located and the buck tag. I can understand a the "Y" and the "22" on mine due to it being Silver Blue exterior and standard blue interior. Since you state your original exterior was not Silver Blue that sure throws things off as to what the "Y" stands for then!

A few suggestions to helping see the markings better: 1) wet the surface with water (it can provide some contrast in the color differences of the metal); 2) shoot your pics with no flash. The flash really washed out a lot of details in the photos you attached. I wish I had taken photos of my radiator support but it was stripped and then replaced many years ago (well before inexpensive digital cameras!). I did record all of the markings I found (which weren't many).

[sgl66]

All marks I located were on the passenger side of the radiator support. The third line on mine though had "GT" and "22". My fastback is a factory GT
"A" code car and is documented with a copy of a build sheet located and the buck tag.....

A few suggestions to helping see the markings better: 1) wet the surface with water (it can provide some contrast in the color differences of the metal); 2) shoot your pics with no flash. The flash really washed out a lot of details in the photos you attached. I wish I had taken photos of my radiator support but it was stripped and then replaced many years ago (well before inexpensive digital cameras!). I did record all of the markings I found (which weren't many).

I discovered marks on mine in the same place back in the 80’s and seem to recall a K and/or GT designation but didn’t take any pics or write anything down. If I ever pull the front of the car off again, I’ll check it out.

As far as OP reading what he has, try misting it with paint and block sand with 400 or 600 grit which would remove paint from unetched metal

[evantugby]

For info purposes I wanted to add my radiator support codes for my 66 Fastback GT K-code built at Metuchen.

Pic 1:  Found what looks like "PIO" on driverside. 
Pic 2:  inked for visual
Pic 3:  close up of 63A
Pic 4:  63A inked for visual.  Can you tell what assembly line code is above it? 

[Bob Gaines]

Interesting subject but would like to emphasize it is more typical that the markings are invisible on unrestored cars and less typical that you can see any signs of them . Consequently if any sign of them would be seen on a restored car it would be some kind of ghost look seen through thin engine compartment paint if at all. Just to be clear if the typical radiator support markings are seen on top of the black engine compartment paint that are meant to be under the paint (not to be confused with the rotation numbers etc) of a restored car in concours they would be subject to deductions.

[sgl66]

I discovered marks on mine in the same place back in the 80’s and seem to recall a K and/or GT designation but didn’t take any pics or write anything down. If I ever pull the front of the car off again, I’ll check it out.

As far as OP reading what he has, try misting it with paint and block sand with 400 or 600 grit which would remove paint from unetched metal

I pulled my front valence to fix a little ding and as usual, one thing led to another so tonight I decided to see what was under the paint. Instead of 63A, I have FB etched into the metal on the passenger side. The driver side could be PI or some variant.

[CharlesTurner]

I pulled my front valence to fix a little ding and as usual, one thing led to another so tonight I decided to see what was under the paint. Instead of 63A, I have FB etched into the metal on the passenger side. The driver side could be PI or some variant.

Probably F8 for the interior code?

[sgl66]

Probably F8 for the interior code?

Don’t think so, it’s a black interior car, 26 code. Also an interior color code would have been painted over long before it made it to interior paint. Definitely would make sense going down the line to know if it’s a 63A or Fastback (FB) - or coupe or convertible - to know what parts to weld on.

Looks like another example of Metuchen being consistently inconsistent.

[J_Speegle]

Don’t think so, it’s a black interior car, 26 code. Also an interior color code would have been painted over long before it made it to interior paint. ..............

Interior paint would have been the first paint applied to the unibody after primer sealers and primer surfacers. Before exterior/trunk or engine compartment paint applications

[sgl66]

Interior paint would have been the first paint applied to the unibody after primer sealers and primer surfacers. Before exterior/trunk or engine compartment paint applications

Going a little off topic maybe but out of curiosity, was the radiator support sprayed with primer/sealer before making it to interior paint or was it left bare metal?

[J_Speegle]

Going a little off topic maybe but out of curiosity, was the radiator support sprayed with primer/sealer before making it to interior paint or was it left bare metal?

Depended on the worker how far up the radiator support and other panels up front they applied the primer sealer to. There are examples where the pocket created with the hood bumper brackets were not fully covered inside with the black and they often rusted fairly quickly due to the shadow (if the painter passed the spray gun only from above ) the bracket created and the primer guy didn't coat much above the front cross member as he applied primer to the front frame rails. in many examples the primer (overspray and all) may have only traveled half way up the face