The next survey in a line of 66 running change surveys which all feed into the main survey thread shown below.
http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=14786.msg119022#msg119022For this one we look at the two methods that Western Modine used to identify the radiators they supplied to the San Jose car assembly plant during 1966 production. We know that at sometime during production they changed from what they had done through 1965 San Jose production (stamping the date and the ID code) to a practice of stamping only the date in the top tank and them brazing a small identification tag over one of the side straps. This appeared to be a cost savings measure since the new practice meant they no longer had to stamp specific (for the application) top tanks for every application and inventory them for the whole month.
For this study I went through my collection of data and think I've reached a conclusion as far as when Western Modine changed over but invite anyone with something outside of this to contribute. Remember we're only looking at 66 San Jose examples.
The first part of the survey is only when the radiator company made the change over not when those radiators would likely been installed in specific cars. That would be less accurate IMHO but could be a follow up to this one and one where the transition may have spanned over months of production.
So with all that said it appears that Western Modine changed over in July 1965 as the two examples (one early version one later version) below show.
This example dated 7 65 does have the raised stamping showing the application code. C4ZE G2. Found a fair number of these on very late 65's in my records.
This example dated 7 65 does not have the raised stamp showing the application like the earlier version above.
When the identification was removed from the top tank it was replaced by a soldered on ID metal tag attached as shown below. Over the passenger side strap top loop
