The Ford Barn

Ghost of elmirage · 10-11-2012, 11:15 PM

Hi where can I go to find out the exact build date of an A frame that I have? The number is clear enough to read. I want to find out the year and month and hopefully the day?

Thanx
Ghost

160B · 10-11-2012, 11:23 PM

Go to Steve Plucker's web site and look at his tables for engine numbers. The same number was stamped on the frame rail. Go to the bottom of the page and click on the link for the engine numbers 1928-1931.
http://www.plucks329s.org/studies/studies_ep/studies_ep.html
Or go with this link
http://www.plucks329s.org/pdf/studies/Model%20A%20Daily%20Motor%20Production%20Charts.pd f

newshirt · 10-11-2012, 11:56 PM

Is this the site you're looking for?

http://www.modelahouse.com/cgi-bin/enumbers/numdate

BRENT in 10-uh-C · 10-12-2012, 05:56 AM

Umm, I kindly disagree that the engine numbers will tell you an exact frame build date. Even if the number on the frame was legible, this still does not give an indicator as to the frame build date as the engine was manufactured at Rouge and had to be shipped to the Branch. Depending on travel time to the Branch, their sales volume, and inventory distribution of the engine as it was placed onto the assembly line would affect dates. Therefore the swing could be 60-90 days.

RonC · 10-12-2012, 08:29 AM

Frame features along with the engine date could help narrow down the date

29ModelA · 10-12-2012, 08:40 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

Umm, I kindly disagree that the engine numbers will tell you an exact frame build date. Even if the number on the frame was legible, this still does not give an indicator as to the frame build date as the engine was manufactured at Rouge and had to be shipped to the Branch. Depending on travel time to the Branch, their sales volume, and inventory distribution of the engine as it was placed onto the assembly line would affect dates. Therefore the swing could be 60-90 days.

So a engine/frame stamped Sept 24th 1929, with a car assembled in California probably would have been assembled in November/December?

I'm guessing my car probably sat around awhile on a lot in 1930 due to the stock market crash that happened during it's production on top of that.

160B · 10-12-2012, 09:23 AM

The Model A Ford Judging Standards and Restoration GuideLines revised 2011, in Area 1 Engine Compartment states that "the assembly date for a vehicle may be as long as three months after the date the engine was produced (four months in 1931)"

Thus with the engine number you could determine approximately when the car was assembled. As to the actual build date of the frame it could be within the same lag time as the engine.

duffer · 10-12-2012, 09:30 AM

How about frame numbers..Is there a place to check them too? my car has a different frame number than what is on the engine. And the number is stamped on the bottom of the frame. I thought they were stamped on the top of the frame.

160B · 10-12-2012, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duffer

How about frame numbers..Is there a place to check them too? my car has a different frame number than what is on the engine. And the number is stamped on the bottom of the frame. I thought they were stamped on the top of the frame.

The frame was stamped with the engine number when the engine was set in the frame. So it typically was on the top of the frame on the left hand side just under the cowl section.

The only numbers I have seen stamped on the underside was on a 1930 Roadster that the previous owner re-stamped so he could get the car through an inspection for an out of state title transfer

Charlie Stephens · 10-12-2012, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duffer

How about frame numbers..Is there a place to check them too? my car has a different frame number than what is on the engine. And the number is stamped on the bottom of the frame. I thought they were stamped on the top of the frame.

Post #9 covers it. I assume the bottom was stamped later by someone trying to register the car. Is there a number stamped on the top of the frame? Do the stamps match those used by Ford?

Charlie Stephens

Ghost of elmirage · 10-12-2012, 04:09 PM

THANKS you guys as usual "A" (get it? lol ) ton of great info. Well that was easy now I just feel stupid lol May 8th 1930

10-11-2012, 11:15 PM	#1
Ghost of elmirage Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Worcester , Mass Posts: 300	Exact build date? Hi where can I go to find out the exact build date of an A frame that I have? The number is clear enough to read. I want to find out the year and month and hopefully the day? Thanx Ghost __________________ [email protected]

10-11-2012, 11:23 PM	#2
160B Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Port Orchard, WA Posts: 1,498	Re: Exact build date? Go to Steve Plucker's web site and look at his tables for engine numbers. The same number was stamped on the frame rail. Go to the bottom of the page and click on the link for the engine numbers 1928-1931. http://www.plucks329s.org/studies/studies_ep/studies_ep.html Or go with this link http://www.plucks329s.org/pdf/studies/Model%20A%20Daily%20Motor%20Production%20Charts.pd f

10-11-2012, 11:56 PM	#3
newshirt Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 868	Re: Exact build date? Is this the site you're looking for? http://www.modelahouse.com/cgi-bin/enumbers/numdate __________________ Ray White

10-12-2012, 05:56 AM	#4
BRENT in 10-uh-C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eastern Tennessee Posts: 11,508	Re: Exact build date? Umm, I kindly disagree that the engine numbers will tell you an exact frame build date. Even if the number on the frame was legible, this still does not give an indicator as to the frame build date as the engine was manufactured at Rouge and had to be shipped to the Branch. Depending on travel time to the Branch, their sales volume, and inventory distribution of the engine as it was placed onto the assembly line would affect dates. Therefore the swing could be 60-90 days. __________________ . BRENT in 10-uh-C . www.model-a-ford.com ...(...Finally Updated!! ) .

10-12-2012, 08:29 AM	#5
RonC Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 1,868	Re: Exact build date? Frame features along with the engine date could help narrow down the date

10-12-2012, 09:23 AM	#7
160B Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Port Orchard, WA Posts: 1,498	Re: Exact build date? The Model A Ford Judging Standards and Restoration GuideLines revised 2011, in Area 1 Engine Compartment states that "the assembly date for a vehicle may be as long as three months after the date the engine was produced (four months in 1931)" Thus with the engine number you could determine approximately when the car was assembled. As to the actual build date of the frame it could be within the same lag time as the engine. Last edited by 160B; 10-12-2012 at 03:13 PM.

10-12-2012, 09:30 AM	#8
duffer Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: clinton township michigan Posts: 273	Re: Exact build date? How about frame numbers..Is there a place to check them too? my car has a different frame number than what is on the engine. And the number is stamped on the bottom of the frame. I thought they were stamped on the top of the frame.

10-12-2012, 04:09 PM	#11
Ghost of elmirage Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Worcester , Mass Posts: 300	Re: Exact build date? THANKS you guys as usual "A" (get it? lol ) ton of great info. Well that was easy now I just feel stupid lol May 8th 1930 __________________ [email protected] Last edited by Ghost of elmirage; 10-12-2012 at 04:40 PM.