Topic: Date code 1969 390 Distributor

[SC69]

     My car was missing just the air cleaner and distributor when I got it. Its a 1969 Mustang 390 4spd close ratio. Cars build date was Jan 30, all engine pieces are early Jan to mid Jan 1969 dates. I have found the correct part number distributors for my car, but the date codes are not 1969 Jan. Its December 1968 date code. Would this be close enough or off since all original pieces on engine are Jan 1969.

[Brian Conway]

     Some of the other guys will be along and maybe can narrow this down ?  My understanding is that the distributors were ' batch ' made and your distributor date is mostly based on your cars actual built date.  Handy info. to have is the block casting date and the engine assembly date and the cars built date.  This is the one on my car dated 9/10/68 and the built date 9/19/68.  So pretty tight but the window or time frame could be up to 8 weeks prior to your cars built date.  Brian

[J_Speegle]

Think the best date to compare replacement part dates would be the engine  assembly date

Not sure if the distributors and carbs were built in batches - IMHO would need ALLOT more examples and data to feel secure with that statement but that is a common belief currently for especially the less common distributors.  Though its not the best comparison (since it covers across many different engine sizes) I've got distributor dates a month to two months prior to the engine build date during 69 and 70 period. In 68 for common applications (ones were allot of engines were built) like the C codes I have a fair number that are 7-9 months prior. So dates can vary allot depending on application it appears