Topic: Date Code

[Brian Conway]

The shock tower braces on my 69 are; 11   8 O 2  &   11   2 O 8 These are probably not OE for the car but how do these decode.  What does the ' O ' between the 8 & 2 mean ?  Thanks,  Brian

[J_Speegle]

Would be easier if you posted a picture but the "0"s make me think that they may be reproductions as I don't see the use of a "0" before a digit in any of the sheet metal dates I have. I would normally ask if the "0" could possibly be a "D" but sine the second list shown does not fit the pattern that will not help

Does the pattern and location of the stamping look like the one below?

[Brian Conway]

The ' O ' in question more akin to a circle rather than a letter or number.  Thanks for taking a look.  Brian

[J_Speegle]

The ' O ' in question more akin to a circle rather than a letter or number.  Thanks for taking a look.  Brian

Easy to see I had different braces on my mind - sorry

First looking at yours it appears that they are not correctly dated for your car being a couple of months after your car was built (November dates).





If you look closely at the small circle - is there a letter inside the circle?  There was a period where I've found what looks to be Dearborn stamping to have possibly used a "D" inside a circle in some panels for a very short time - normally I find this on fender stampings





Here are some other examples for you to compare the first three are from earlier cars like yours

[TLea]

I see that O along with another letter on a lot of 69 hood hinges. It is seperate from the date

[Brian Conway]

     Thanks for the replies and info.  I have looked closely at the ' circle ' in the stamping and  there are no letters inside on either stamping.  I believe this particular shock tower brace model was used in the 70's cars and was thought to add some extra rigidity.  These braces have a short piece of metal added to the underside at the firewall end for extra strength ?  The rest of the sheet metal on the car carries the more typical stamps.   mo/day/plant-shift.  Brian

[Andrew@MagMustangs]

I have had and seen plenty of 69s with the Reinforced Shock to Cowl Braces. Not all 69s used them(unsure of reason why some did and didn't, maybe an early vs. late thing?) but all 1970 cars apparently did. I agree, the date codes are to new for your 9/19/68 Car. I don't believe any other cars used this style brace besides Mustang-Cougar so I don't think that could be an 'O' Stamping Plant on them. I posted to your same question over on CJ and I also have seen the D inside the O that Jeff mentioned. Kinda looks like this (D) and I have had tower braces with that style (D) stamp.. Maybe repros that someone stamped? I remember when I was a kid my dad had a Die Stamp Set that I would use to stamp my initials on the bottom of my bicycles in case they were stolen, so the stamps are available. Andrew