Topic: Original front license plate brackets - 1969 and 1970

[Brian Conway]

This is the one on my car.  7  29  D3   Painted w/flat black not to long ago.  Brian

[J_Speegle]

Thanks for sharing Brian - that's a real early example

[specialed]

Marcus is someone drilled 1 of the holes in your bracket with both holes they went thru trouble off getting them in correct spots.  I have noticed the 69s have dates on lh side & 70 on rh side or both.

[Anghelrestorations]

Ed,  Here is a close up picture of the one with two holes, and why I think someone drilled the second hole.
 
I have four brackets with the holes in the top and the date codes would be July 17 and August 1 (2 of each), plus the picture we have here of Brian's.  Thats another thing pointing in the direction that these may be an early style bracket.
One way to maybe further qualify that is looking in an early MPC to see if Ford listed a -A part number.  I dont have an MPC dated mid to late 1968.  If there is something like that listed then that would really prove there is an early style since the later parts books refer to a -B part number. 

[J_Speegle]

Ed,  Here is a close up picture of the one with two holes, and why I think someone drilled the second hole.
 
I have four brackets with the holes in the top and the date codes would be July 17 and August 1 (2 of each), plus the picture we have here of Brian's.  Thats another thing pointing in the direction that these may be an early style bracket.

+1 On both - Thanks for sharing Marus

[specialed]

I looked up # in my books but only found the- B  I think the top hole is a early thing as that makes most sence. Will have to watch pattern on double date code stamping or just restamp when first stamp isn't clear or deep enough or 2 vendors & some with X  or  simply different stamping dies at plant.  I have some old NOS ones that are just like assembly line examples & some later NOS that have the deformed center rib (not deep or long clear rib) but never seen any inbetween & it makes me wonder if original tooling got damaged.  If you compare stamping around 2 mounting tabs on later nos service bracket & assembly line example you will see deeper cleaner crisp detail on OE bracket tabs & a sign of woren out tooling.

[Anghelrestorations]

Agree with the worn out tooling and we have seen that on other pieces as well that changed over the years.  That makes sense.
 

[specialed]

Just checked the dates on my upper hole 2 out of 20 center hole brackets 1 is 7 30 D3  & other 8 2 D2  so looks like early69 thing from cars built fall 68.  every B9 I seen had center hole Dearborn jan 69 on thru end of 1970 production.