Michael in Sedona--Gas Tank Date Question

JoeWay

JoeWay

Well-known member
I'm curious about the gas tank date stamp on your Seattle-assembled Tudor #AS8729.

My Tudor is #AS8675, 54 bodies earlier, with a date stamp of 5/10/29.

Tanks could have been pulled from stock in any order, but it would be interesting to know how close the dates are.

Joe
 
My memory may not be accurate, but wasn't the date stamped on the tank, on the assembly line to represent the day it was assembled?
 
Steve, there has been considerable discussion of this question. The theory I like best is that it was stamped immediately after the tank passed a pressure test, probably to keep track of quality control during minor corrections to the welding process. After the welding was fully dialed in, there was no further need to keep track of the date and the stamping was discontinued.

The tester could have had a fixture over which to slide the firewall, to provide backing for the stamping. It's almost impossible to get a good stamp in an unsupported area of sheet metal.

Joe
 
I agree with you Joe, In a past issue of the Model A News,showed a photo of the date stamp upside down, leading one to surmise stamping was done much prior to installation.
 
Interesting, I wonder if any one really knows for sure? Your theory seems valid, I am going to pay attention to unrestored vehicles with the stamping. Most of the stamps I have paid attention to have been inconsistant in the depth of the numerals, I just got rid of an unrestored tank with a date stamp so I can't look at that. There seems to be a very slight indent to the metal around the stamp on my roadster along with the first two numbers are deep and the last two are very shallow, my thinking it was from being unsupported from behind durring stamping, But it was restored before I got it so who knows. As always, more things to ponder. It would be interesting, to here of the stamp date of michael in sedonas....
 
Ok, if the firewall was slid over some sort of jig, how could the stamp be upside down? If it were a hand held stamp that was 'hit' it easily could be held upside down. Sort of like an old poultry stamp, needles surrounded by a frame, smack the end with your hand and you have marked your chicken.....
 
Joe,

I've never been able to find the firewall date stamp. Maybe I don't know exactly where to look, or it has been painted over too many times.

FWIW, the frame number is A1811325, and I always thought that narrowed the assembly date to approximately June 1929.

I'll try again to find the stamped firewall date if you could tell me about where to look. Thanks.

BTW, here she is.
 

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If the tank is stamped it should appear just above the seam where it bolts to the lower portion of the firewall on the drivers side.
Greg
 
Michael in Sedona said:
Joe,

I've never been able to find the firewall date stamp. Maybe I don't know exactly where to look, or it has been painted over too many times.

FWIW, the frame number is A1811325, and I always thought that narrowed the assembly date to approximately June 1929.

I'll try again to find the stamped firewall date if you could tell me about where to look. Thanks.

BTW, here she is.
Click to expand...
The frame no. on my 29 coupe is A1818700 and the tank date is 6-17-29 so it would appear to be just after yours. I have a spare 29 tank upstairs on the shelf but it has no date stamp.
 
My stamp is also upside down. I figured it was just a Monday car, but turns out the 6th. was a Wednesday. Two days after Herbert Hoover was inaugerated. Who cares to most, but neat trivia for me. Look up your cars birthday on Wikipedia.
 
Sorry I didn't remember it was your article Pluck--I do thank you for all your input for our Great hobby, Model A's!! Best regards, Pete.
 
Barry B./ Ma. said:
The frame no. on my 29 coupe is A1818700 and the tank date is 6-17-29 so it would appear to be just after yours. I have a spare 29 tank upstairs on the shelf but it has no date stamp.
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I've always found it interesting that my '29 Tudor was from mid-year, but still has the drum tail light. Guess that the Seattle plant was using them up before switching over to the teacup design.

Oh, by the way, ignore those whitewalls. Since that photo was taken, they've been replaced with blackwalls. Looks much better to me now, but of course we all have different ideas about what looks nice.
 

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I have a 1929 AA 188-A truck motor number AA1955916, # on the cowl is 8 29. Can't read the date don't know if that would be of help. The pics you see is my truck.
 
gunmetal blue said:
I have a 1929 AA 188-A truck motor number AA1955916, # on the cowl is 8 29. Can't read the date don't know if that would be of help. The pics you see is my truck.
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Nice looking 1929 AA Gunmetal Blue! Am working on one just like it (September/October 1929)!

Well, it is either "?? 8 29" OR "8 29 29".

The engine number is a July 17, 1929 stamping.

What is the assembly plant code?

Pluck
 
Michael in Sedona,

My uncle purchased a 29 AA new in Stockton, Ca.; it didn't have a date on the gas tank; my uncle said two months after he took delivery of the AA the gas tank started leaking around the steering column gas tank bracket. The Ford dealer replaced the gas tank with a new one which had no date stamp ?

Ron
 
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