68 Yenko Camaro Engine Accessories Date Codes

[KNAPPY]

I am in the process of buying some engine accessories for my 68 Yenko Camaro.
The engine build date is probably between T0524 and T0606, ( Between some known dates.)
The build date (Trim Tag) on the car is 07E. Should the Carburetor, Alternator, Distributor dates be closer to the engine build date or the Trim Tag date?
Two month separation makes me wonder which was to go.

[enio45]

The engine stamp date - T0606 is probably the correct date - consistent with my protecto place and close to your car. The question is, with the stamp date on the block - and the actual trim tag build date on the trim tag, 07E, the question is - was the block assembled at the time of the stamp date or was the short block only stamped and the rest of the engine accessories (heads, carb, distributor, water pump etc) installed later?

If the engine was complete at the time of the engine block stamp - then the dates could be a month or so before the engine stamp date. If the block was built later at around the body assembly then later dates for components would be appropriate.

Having said all the above, as i shared earlier, there are anomalies, like the transmission stamp date 8B - that 6 months before the car was build and it was a simple M21 trans, nothing unusual.

Others may have some thoughts - better experiences on this topic.

My thoughts -

[Mr70]

Your Alternator,Ex. Manifolds & Distributor etc. should be dated before your Tonawanda engine pad date,since that engine pad date denotes when the engine became a self sufficient running engine,so it needed those parts to make it run.Remember,they were installed when the engine was made at Tonawanda,NOT at the cars overall production date,(Trim Tag).
But your Carburetor should be dated later on,just before your vehicles Trim Tag date,since it was put on the engine after the Alt./Dist. were,and they used Liquid Propane and a Run Box to start the engine@ Tonawanda w/o a carburetor for safety reasons @ that exact moment.

[KNAPPY]

Thanks guys,
That is the info I needed. I never heard of the factory using liquid propane.

[jwbavalon]

The hot test is detailed in http://camaros.org/flintV8.shtml. It details a SB assembly but the BB was similar.

[enio45]

Excellent background - thank you for sharing -

Another question - when did they stamp the VIN ?

[TerryD]

Here's my list for date coding engine components based on information provided by John Hinckley at the CRG.
Date coded components installed at the Flint Engine Plant would pre-date the engine build date stamped on the block pad.
Date coded components installed at the Norwood Engine Dress Line would pre-date the cowl tag build date although there are some documented exceptions to that.
My understanding is that dated components can pre-date the engine or cowl tag build dates by approx. 3 months.

At Norwood, the vin was stamped on the engine and transmission just after they were mated on the Engine Dress Line.

[KNAPPY]

So was the car ready when the engine made it to the Dress Line in normal situations? Was the cowl tag already on the car?

[jeffschevelle]

Your Alternator,Ex. Manifolds & Distributor etc. should be dated before your Tonawanda engine pad date,since that engine pad date denotes when the engine became a self sufficient running engine,so it needed those parts to make it run.Remember,they were installed when the engine was made at Tonawanda,NOT at the cars overall production date,(Trim Tag).
But your Carburetor should be dated later on,just before your vehicles Trim Tag date,since it was put on the engine after the Alt./Dist. were,and they used Liquid Propane and a Run Box to start the engine@ Tonawanda w/o a carburetor for safety reasons @ that exact moment.

Alternators were not installed on the engine at the engine plant. The alternator (along with its brackets) was a vehicle assembly plant item. The alternator (and brackets) are shown in the car AIM with part numbers (and the AIM does not show part numbers for any engine components that were already on the engine when the engine arrived at the vehicle assembly plant from the engine plant).

I would suspect that if a 68 was converted at Yenko, they simply reused the alternator that came on the car. So that should be dated based on the car build date, not the engine assembly date.

[TerryD]

So was the car ready when the engine made it to the Dress Line in normal situations? Was the cowl tag already on the car?

Very good read:
http://www.camaros.org/assemblyprocess.shtml#fisher

Yes, the completed engine and transmission were sent from the Engine Dress Line to the Chassis Line for installation in the subframe. The completed subframe and chassis components were sent to the Final Line for installation to the body.

Yes, the cowl tag was already on the car. It was installed at Fisher Body during the body framing operation.

The car assembly was like clockwork. Fisher Body did their part in 2 days, Chevrolet took 1.5 days for their part....a completed Camaro in 3.5 days. Pretty cool!

[TerryD]

Here's a photo from the CRG that shows the cowl tag in place during body framing.