So been working through collecting and evaluating documenting the possible change over date at San Jose this time and I felt I should share the results. To be useful, surveys like this rely on documentation (pictures in this case) and actual completion date for each example.
As a reminder here are examples of both styles
The "smooth or flat" style has two short rib one at the lower rear corner in front of the shock tower area and one at the bottom of the panel above the frame rail. Wire loom often blocks the view of the rear one from clear view in pictures or in person.
The "ribbed" panel has two addition ribs for strength and sound deadening placed vertically in the center of the panel as shown
In collecting the data I found the following and offer it here as evidence of when the change took place. Using a group of cars and my findings the results are pretty clear IMHO. Focus is on the 30 period when the change took place. The vast majority of cars used for the survey were unrestored cars
As a reminder the panels would have been attached to the unibody during the first half of the build then placed in a holding area for a number of possible purposes and to reorganize their order for the second "half" of the process. It would be expected that a holder (crate, rack, or something else) of some shape and size was rolled to the assembly line or "bucking area" with a load of drivers side forward inner panels and when empty a new one replaced it. So that the different panels would not be intermixed but of course two cars built with the two different versions would have been assembled that day or shift. I'm offering this since I came up with two cars that were completed during a two day period and the car completed first may have had its unibody built before the car that was completed during the day after. In any case we have an indication when the running change possibly or likely too place at San Jose
Do have other cars built slightly before and after that support these findings/version types.
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- Completed Apr 25 - 9R16154x - Smooth Panel
- Completed Apr 24 - 9R16713x - Ribbed Panel As always interested in other documentation from other San Jose cars built in April 69
