body codes

[nigelb42]

Howdy all,

Just picked up an FC special with the following id plate info:

FC 225 - 14298M
Trim - 310 - 630
Paint - 256 - 7770
RPO top - 253 - 9751

Body - FC 28473 M
engine - L601242

My problem is that when I pumped in the numbers on the decoder it kept saying that my interior did not match my exterior colours (something about India Ivory and Post office red??).  No doubt I buggered something up can you guys please tell me where I went wrong?

Thanks

Nige

[Geoff_K]

Hi Nigel,

I think the problem is in the line:

RPO top  - 253 - 9751

The number 9751 is/should be  9741

The way the 4 is stamped it could be misread, or the 'stamper' was having a bad day.

Having keyed these revised numbers in your car was built about 17-20 August 1959.

Car is/was:
Fountain Blue over India Ivory, with
Viscount Blue & Black Trim

Cheers.

Geoff_K

[nigelb42]

Thanks geoff,

The last set of numbers is definately 253 - 9751 (I have the plate off and cleaned up) so I guess the stamper just stuffed up.  


Nige

[4hammers]

Hi Nige.
yes, they often made mistakes (Or so it seemed). Maybe they were Friday cars. My ute had a body number of.....hamg on, I forgot it! But, I do know, it ended with 65. Say 2565. BUT, the last digit was double stamped. i.e. it had 6 & 5 stamped on one another.
I also found a wagon the other day & entered the numbers in. One was all crook & came up odd.

I asked the Guru (Ken) & he checked as well, but it seems it was wrong.

Rob J

[nigelb42]

Howdy,

Being that the car was built somewhere around Aug 59, does this mean that the engine is potentially original? Seeing that it had a supposed manufacture date of around Sep 59?

Also the engine is a very light bluish grey rather than the very dark grey I have seen on a lot of other 'grey' motors.

Just one more........ on the inner doors there are some unusual door pulls.  They are finned (much like the alloy rocker covers) and very angular rather than the nice curved shape.  Are they just cheesy repro stuff or did some of these aftermarket accessories differ?

Thanks for your help

Nige

[earlyholdenfan]

Nige, check the parts for sale section for door pulls and explanation of the various types! most interesting reading, but from what I can assertain ther were several "other" manufacturers for these and it may be that you have one of their sets, the NASCO ones all appear to be smooth rounded from FE to EJ.
Cheers
Matt

[Effie C]

Nige
The engine could be a rebuild, GEM used to paint their "Grey" motor rebuilds a light blue.
John M

[Geoff_K]

Nigel,

I calculated the build date from the engine build date range.
Being a Melbourne built car, the engine could go to the body shop almost immediately if engines were in short supply.
OR, the engine could have had to wait for the body to be completed.
It would only take one part to hold up the body, or the completed car was a little slow in transit or selling to get a registration date of September/October (there are pictures of partially built/completed cars stored outside plants).
One of my cars had the engine (L 297127) built on 16 Aug 1956, but the car was not registered until 4 Oct 1956.

Cheers,

Geoff_K

[nigelb42]

Wow, John you are a clever chap  thats got to be worth ten minutes on the back patting machine  

When I pulled the drivers side sunvisor off, lo and behold written in very faint texta was 'New Motor Fitted at 65 867 Miles'

I wonder if it was a GEM ? there was no date on the visor and I can't be sure the current speedo is original...I love it when little mysteries and bits of history pop up.  Its pretty wierd to me that the 'replacement' engine could have a build date close to the cars build date - or am I missing something here ?

Thanks

Nige

[customFC]

It could be that the original motor was recoed. Alternatively, the original engine # could have been stamped onto the exchange motor. Compare the size and shape of the #'s to another motor to see if they match factory stampings.
Regards
Alex

[Effie C]

Nige
Gem used to stamp their reco on the pad near the fuel pump, my Effie has a gem motor, they used to do them to a "repco sports" normally 60 thou over and a mild cam.
John M