Topic: Fender / Rotation Number Clarification Please - '66 SJ

[rockhouse66]

We found these numbers on the RF of my 9/65 San Jose car.  I have some questions related to these.

1)  Based on prior posts, these should be white rather than yellow?

2)  Are these strictly fender numbers or would one of these be the rotation number?  If so, which one is the rotation number?

3)  On a car built in this time frame, would the rotation number be on the front crossmember (like my '69 car) or where?  Always 3 digits?

My search gave me some info on this, but did not 100% answer these questions.  Thanks for any input on this.

[jwc66k]

We found these numbers on the RF of my 9/65 San Jose car.  I have some questions related to these.
1)  Based on prior posts, these should be white rather than yellow?

My Oct 65 San Jose is yellow, however as is much if not all that I've seen

2)  Are these strictly fender numbers or would one of these be the rotation number?  If so, which one is the rotation number?

Yes, one is rotation, but check the other side and the radiator support. Both on my RH side were the same, 31.

3)  On a car built in this time frame, would the rotation number be on the front crossmember (like my '69 car) or where?  Always 3 digits?

See above. Mine were two digits, 31. I believe that at 999 they started at 1 again.

My search gave me some info on this, but did not 100% answer these questions.  Thanks for any input on this.

Jim

[rockhouse66]

Jim

Good - I thought we did yellow for a reason but then I saw some posts that said otherwise.  My car has 53 43 on the left side frame rail, so maybe one of these is the rotation number?  We didn't find a number on the front of the car, just a "T" on the PS front panel and a "R" on the DS front panel, but we believe these were under the paint so did not reproduce them.

Where is your rotation number located on the front?  And would it be over or under the paint?

[J_Speegle]

We found these numbers on the RF of my 9/65 San Jose car.  I have some questions related to these.

1)  Based on prior posts, these should be white rather than yellow?

Not sure what prior post but for 66 San Jose I've never seen white used on any of the thousands (maybe ten's of thousands) of cars I've seen. If the chalk is old and oxidized it can look sort of white in some pictures in some areas but if you look close you normally find it yellow in areas where there is a stronger sampling of the original marks

Are these taken from the original car?  They don't match the typical pattern seen on most cars (66 San Jose)  so had to ask

2)  Are these strictly fender numbers or would one of these be the rotation number?  If so, which one is the rotation number?

These are fender location numbers from the belt ( on a tag above the hook they hung on)

3)  On a car built in this time frame, would the rotation number be on the front crossmember (like my '69 car) or where?  Always 3 digits?............................Where is your rotation number located on the front?  And would it be over or under the paint?

No not on the cross member nor always a 3 digit number 

- if your asking about the rotation number applied to the unibody they would normally be on the drivers side radiator support. Since they are the second rotation umber they would always be on top of the paint since paint was applied in the first half of assembly

My car has 53 43 on the left side frame rail,............

The "5" would be an unusual number to find never seen a hook number using that number - possibly a poorly written "3" I would think. Remember/consider that there was not an unlimited number of hooks and the nubers would repeat themselves over and over again.

We didn't find a number on the front of the car, just a "T" on the PS front panel and a "R" on the DS front panel, but we believe these were under the paint so did not reproduce them.

Do either of these match your exterior paint code.

Would agree that these would have been under the black and notes for the first half of production

[jwc66k]

Jim,
 The pictures that show the yellow rotation are in raw form (3648x2736 at 72dpi, 2.56mb) on a second computer. When I went to close the file, I found a picture of the LH side with the same "31" located on the frame rail just in front of where the fuel line goes in to the engine compartment, plus a "42" in yellow located on the frame rail under the upper A-arm. It looks like it was marked before the fuel line went in. To the rear of those in the middle of the steering box bolts is a "+" in yellow. I'm taking a break from replacing a fence (it's hot in Northern California) so I'll try to process those pictures later this evening.
Jim

[rockhouse66]

Jeff - yes, taken from an original car.  I have photos of lots of what was found during media blasting but I do not have (or can't find) a picture of the evidence that we found that lead us to these numbers.  It is possible we misinterpreted a "3" as a "5".  I'll check with my painter to see if he has some pictures.

So I guess there is no way to determine which of these would be the rotation number?

Also yes on the paint code.  It is a code "R" paint car.  Not sure what the "T" is on the other side but it is a GT car....??

This is how we reproduced what we found on the LH side.

[J_Speegle]

So I guess there is no way to determine which of these would be the rotation number?

If it was on the frame rail I don't believe it would have had anything to do with a rotation number. That location would not make it easy for workers on the line at the front of the car to see the number as it approached the next station. With that said there is on fill in worker (maybe seen on 1 out of 200-300 cars I've seen that we refer to as Bob   that like to apply the rotation number to thee drivers front wheel well high on the body in that area. Places liek the splash shield or spring cover for some unknown reason

Also yes on the paint code.  It is a code "R" paint car.  Not sure what the "T" is on the other side but it is a GT car....??

Haven't seen that on a 66 San Jose the location and the GT is IMHO a possibility

[rockhouse66]

Jeff

Here is the "R" - is that the one you are finding unusual?

[J_Speegle]

Jeff

Here is the "R" - is that the one you are finding unusual?

No though the "shopping list" or list of the interior and exterior color codes being applied on that side has not been seen on all cars built that plant and year its not unusual.

I was referring to the T or possibly the GT since I've not seen that nor have pictures of that on a 66 San Jose GT as of yet

[jwc66k]

Done "fencing" for the day. Here's the pictures of the front frame rail markings. These were taken July 2011 on my Oct 65 "K" San Jose Mustang when I replaced my front suspension (the alignment shop said to do it). Picture taken but not included here were the coil springs and parking lamp assemblies. 
Jim

[rockhouse66]

Jeff - OK, I misunderstood.  Here is the "T".

[J_Speegle]

Here are some examples from Aug-Sept 65 San Jose. Looks like at least one worker earlier,  into Sept,  liked to apply the drivers side further forward so it would end up under the bumper bracket



5R07C13496x





5R08A13716x




5R09A1406x2

[J_Speegle]

Jeff - OK, I misunderstood.  Here is the "T".

Wow that's pretty big to fit in a "G".

Will keep an eye out for more examples

[rockhouse66]

OK, I found the original picture of the LF frame rail numbers.  What do you think?  Is the first digit a "3" or a "5"?

Again, which of these would likely be the rotation number please.

[J_Speegle]

OK, I found the original picture of the LF frame rail numbers.  What do you think?  Is the first digit a "3" or a "5"?

"3"

Again, which of these would likely be the rotation number please.

Non of these are part of the rotation number - the complete sequence of numbers is for the location (from the hook number) of the drivers side fender for the worker

The second rotation number for the front of the car would normally be on the radiator support written with a different marker on a 66 San Jose car. Very rare to see them today. Didn't last long, wipe away with ease, thinner lighter marking style. Rear one is found allot more often, maybe because the bumper protected the surface from light and the elements more