Date Codes on Parts

I'm assuming those are sheetmetal? If so month-day-plant (D=Dearborn)-shift

 

Hi just some input on the stampings you are asking about.I think the month-day part is correct,but the D2 can mean Daytime 2nd shift.Remember that most sheet metal was stamped by outside suppliers under contract to ford.These companies were/ are needed to keep up with the demand for parts,and dearborn was an assembly plant,not a stamping plant.Some articles in various magazines have explained a few of these.Shelby info shows the supplier for steel hoods was pidgeon,as an example.This is done so Ford has an approximate idea when a part was produced, so if a problem arises they can trace the source to an exact point. I hope this helps explain things. This is still done on the line currently. I think most companies that are geared for mass production use this as a tracker.One other example is on cast iron pieces and you sometimes see a pointer and a dial,which also uses a D or N which is day or night shift..not Dearborn,most casting was done in cleveland or windsor,then final machining was done in variuos plants,as an example all of the FE series engines were done in Lima ohio.

 

Not sure I agree here. Yes there were outside suppliers and clocks (pointers) to indicate shifts but the final # such as 2 indicates the shift therefore the time of day was already established by the shift. Most plants in this era had 3 shifts working around the clock. Dearborn did in fact have a sheetmetal plant as well as an assembly plant. You will also find other letters to indicate other sheet metal plants such as;
A=Chicago IL
B=Buffalo NY
C=Cleveland (Walton Hills) OH
M=Monroe MI
W=Woodhaven MI
in addition to D for Dearborn. Also not all sheet metal stamps include a letter indicating the plant. Sheet metal date codes also don't indicate the year manufactured.
Tim

 

Yes you will typically find Dearborn stamps on NJ cars. (at least in your case, 68)
Tim

 

Hi again..Just curious why you are doing work on the shock tower area? and also realized tlea has very valid points--dearborn did have a stamping plant,my point was/is much like his..several places close to the assembly plant supply to keep up with demand,several shifts are involved,and just to throw a wrench into all this---nobody has ever been able to explain the production of mustang coupes in mexico..which for the longest time was home to a spring and engine plant.Remember folks FoMoCo has been global since the 1930's and so are most large mass production companies.This is how they are able to make money..also in mass quantities.Hope this is not too far off topic,and I hope we have answered your questions keep us posted! p.d.

 

JB,
Where in the Northeast are you?
Tim