Topic: San Jose VIN Sequence and Build Date

[s2ms]

Years ago while trying to determine the SJ build date for my 66 GT350, 6R09K178xxx, I found several cars who's VIN sequence closely surrounded mine (+/- 500) that had a 29C build date so I was fairly certain mine was the same. However recently I have found two other cars with VIN's that also closely surround mine but have build dates of 24E and 06F. Just wondering if anyone has an explanation for this?

Thanks,
Dave

[jwc66k]

Dave,
Remember, those dates are "scheduled". What has been determined is that certain odd factors actually put cars in the assembly line in a certain order. Paint was one. Like colored cars were grouped - sometimes. The same "might" apply to cars with a special engine or special T-10 aluminum transmission. The groupings are interesting, but don't put much into them. The "why" is long gone. And as a side note, a 66 GT Fastback I owned was on the line about the same time, 6R09A178590, 28C scheduled. It now lives in Australia.
Jim

[ChrisV289]

My dad's Hertz car VIN is 6R09K174 but we don't know the scheduled build date due to the door tag taken off by Shelby, however according to documentation it was shipped to Hertz in Miami towards the end of March.  The fastback with the VIN right before his was also a Hertz car (Shelby VIN 5 off) was also shipped around the same time to NY. 

[CharlesTurner]

29C vs 24E/06F is quite a discrepancy.  How reliable is that information?  Original door plates?

If those are reliable, to ascertain if your car would have had that late of a scheduled build would take a close inspection of sheet metal/component date codes... assuming most of that is original to the car.  Inner fender panels/fender date stamps, under-dash area component date stamps and other date stamps throughout the car will offer clues.

[s2ms]

29C vs 24E/06F is quite a discrepancy.  How reliable is that information?  Original door plates?

If those are reliable, to ascertain if your car would have had that late of a scheduled build would take a close inspection of sheet metal/component date codes... assuming most of that is original to the car.  Inner fender panels/fender date stamps, under-dash area component date stamps and other date stamps throughout the car will offer clues.

Thanks for the replies. Yes, that discrepancy is what threw me. One source was verbal from a seller on ebay so not super reliable but the other is from the original door tag. Even the commemorative one millionth models with special paint, etc., VIN's as late as 178000, had 29C scheduled builds like almost all the others around them.

All the date codes on my car fit a late March build very nicely.

Thanks again,
Dave

[J_Speegle]

Part of the challenge is that the plants assigned both VINs and projected (best guess) build dates so yes its odd to see such a variation as you posted. Good thing is that they really mean little in the big pictures since they reflect no real dates and we don't know when the VINs or dates were assigned (that date.) In comparing Shelby VINs and projected dates remember that those were added into the system in groups (small and large) though not built together IMHO so the speed and VINs assigned to groups would have likely produced conflicts with the typically seen patterns of cars entered as individual orders