Topic: 68 Intake Manifold date code

[Wad 68]

My 1968 fastback (289 2V) was born January 5, 1968 in Dearborn.  The engine date code is 8A2P, which I interpret as January 2, 1968, literally the first working day of the year in 1968.  Is it reasonable that my intake (C8AE-9425-B) could have a 1967 date code, such as 7M18 - or December 18, 1967?  If so, how far back do you think Ford could reach to put an intake on a very, very early 1968 car?  Just days, weeks, months?  I ask because while I don't think I have the original intake, I do have my hands on a 7M18 dated intake and a 7E29 - May 29th 1967 intake.  I'd like to of course stay in the ballpark of what would have been correct for the build.

[CharlesTurner]

When you say born on date, is that the actual date of manufacture from the Marti report?  If going by the door warranty plate alone, that could be off days/weeks in either direction.


That would be very quick for an engine to be assembled at the engine plant and make it into a car being assembled 3 days later.


The intake 7M18 date would even be tight, but would be acceptable.


Remember that Ford was probably just getting back into the swing of things about that time after the UAW strike in Fall of '67 that lasted until the end of October.

[Wad 68]

According to the Marti report, here are the dates:
Order Received: 12/26/67
Car Serialized:   12/26/67
Bucked:             1/1/1968
Scheduled for build: 01/05/1968
Actually Built:          01/05/1968
Released:                01/05/1968
Sold:                      05/22/1968
I do have to keep reminding myself about the UAW strike in fall of 67, so that might put a spin on some date stamps.  Given it was sold in 05/68, is that sold to the DSO or to a customer?  Anyway, I don't think that matters in terms of date stamp on parts given it was built on 1/5/68.  What do you think acceptable part stamp ranges would be on that intake or perhaps even something like a rear axle tag?  In my mind they stand a chance of being stamped in 67, but I'm just not knowledgable enough of the 'just in time' or delays in parts reaching the assembly line.
Thanks for the input.

[RoyceP]

A lot of things could affect the purchase date being months after the build date. Often the car would be a rental car lease. Or maybe it just sat in dealer stock all that time. The "Order Type" on the Marti Report might help.


In any case for the original question 7M18 would be a near ideal date code for the intake on an engine assembled in the first week of January 1968.

[Wad 68]

Awesome, thanks for the input on the 7M18 date code.  The Order type was 'STOCK', delivered to Herb Tousley Ford in White Bear Lake, MN.  I sure do wish Marti or someone could reproduce the build sheet on these.  Would love to see it too.

[J_Speegle]

Looking at other small block examples I have records of I can offer the following

#1 - intake cast the after the block (27 days later)
#2 - intake cast the same month as the block (14 days earlier)
#3- intake cast the before the block (2 months 10 days earlier)
#4- intake cast the after the block (approx 1 month)
#5- intake cast the after the block (4 days later)


 Hope this helps some