Topic: Original Control Arms?

[ChrisV289]

Are there any stampings or date codes on the upper and lower control arms?  Trying to determine if mine are original or not.  If so what location would they be?

[Hipo giddyup]

  Upper control arms will have a date stamp on the round part (where the ball joint goes up into). This can been seen when you remove the wheel. (see pic)

 Lower control arms- unsure of these 

[CharlesTurner]

http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=9984.msg59236#msg59236

[Bob Gaines]

As has been mentioned before the dates codes can be hard to see. Of course the boots are another way  to tell is assemblyline type or not. The C4 assemblyline boots look very similar to the C7 and hard to tell once mounted . You can many times still read the the engineering number very close up. The later service boots are a different shape and easier to tell even when installed. One of the things that has not been discussed and should also be taken into consideration in determining originality and if a date code can not be seen like most of the time, is the style of jack tabs. Much more visible IMO. 65 and to mid 66 predominately seem to be one way and mid 66 on predominately another way. Early style is more box shaped and the later way is more rounded with small sidways tabs sticking out and is the same as 67-70. What have others observed?

[Brant]

Here are examples of a couple of variations on the lowers:

[ChrisV289]

Just got home and took some brake cleaner and was able to find the date codes. Pics below. One upper appears to be D4 or 4D looks upside down. Car was built 29k. Is that normal to have a gap that big or were the control arms mass produced in certain months? Also the lower ball joint is still riveted in. Is it suppose to have that zerk fitting?

[CharlesTurner]

I don't think we have determined if it's a month/year code. 

The zerk fitting should not be there, it should be a plug instead.

Here's some restored examples:

http://65kresto.blogspot.com/2010/05/5310.html