Topic: 1967 390 Carburetor Tag

[BKnapp]

I am in the process of looking over my fastback before I start tearing it apart and have a couple questions regarding the carb. If I understand the stamping nomenclature correctly, the date decodes as 3rd week of October 1966. Is this too early for a Mar 1967 build date?

Also, I am not sure how to decipher the last few characters on the carb tag. I guess I am wondering if this could be the original carb.

TIA

[Bob Gaines]

I am in the process of looking over my fastback before I start tearing it apart and have a couple questions regarding the carb. If I understand the stamping nomenclature correctly, the date decodes as 3rd week of October 1966. Is this too early for a Mar 1967 build date?

Also, I am not sure how to decipher the last few characters on the carb tag. I guess I am wondering if this could be the original carb.

TIA

Logistically speaking the carburetor had to be made a good bit in advance given it had to be completed (typically in large batchs) then shipped to the engine plant to await to be installed on a engine. The engine then has to be sent to the assembly plant to wait to be installed in a chassis . The build date is when the entire car was completed not when it was started. The longest time I believe based on the large batch's is after the carb is built the wait before being shipped to Ford. Just want to provide a back drop so as not to lose sight of some of the process's .

[J_Speegle]

Agree with Bob's comments. We have to look at some parts (dist, carb ...)  differently that parts that were common (fenders, blocks...)  since one type was being made on an ongoing basis while others were done in batches and redone when they forecasted another need.

I looked at examples I have of all (mostly not common high volume models)  and found a wide range of spreads between the completion date of the car and when the individual part was made or assembled.  If I was looking for a carb I would likely be looking at one with a shorter spread but if I found the right carb (type and model) on the car and it appeared to have the same level of use and condition I would not remove it or replace it.  Just document it and move on to the next part  

[BKnapp]

Thanks, Bob & Jeff

That certainly makes a lot of sense. Gaining perspective on the logistics is very helpful.

Can you help with the last 4 characters  of the Tag?

C7OF -B appears to be correct for my application.

Is the “A” a change level thing? And would it be correct?

“6K” I assume is Oct 1966. Is the last character a “C”...3rd week?

So, going back to the logistics thing...Holley made the carb in Oct...shipped to Ford...then the Autolite tag was added to reflect change level? I apologize for the naivety and appreciate the education. Learning the how and why is one of the reasons I wanted to try a restoration.

Thanks!