I'm trying to hunt down original/dated wear and tear parts for my late '70 A/C car #16610,i.e.starter,alternator.I came across a post by Juliet(that's almost 4 years old),and one recently,that helped me to realize my dilemma.I realize that my chances are slim to none on the alternator,but not impossible.Sifting through the archives,I noticed that there is some debate on wether or not GM started using the "closed face" front casing before the end of the '70 model run.Has anyone ever seen such an animal?.Also how pre-dated to the build date is acceptable on these parts.Thanks,Barney
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Re: #1100884
Kinda sounds like a broken record...how pre-dated to build date should this 'n that be? The question keeps replaying like a record with stuck groove....
Judging guide books 'may' reverse standard NCRS policy in certain years on certain parts (read for your car & the specific part), but general NCRS policy is '6-months prior' with the burden of proof on owners for individual exceptions.
Now, prior...prior to what? In the case of engine components, those installed on the engine when it left Flint or Tonawanda as a functional sub-assy are prior to the final assy date of the engine as wacked on the stamp pad. For those components that joined the final vehicle assy at St. Louis or Bowling Green, the 'prior' date is prior to when the interpolated VIN number of the car was built.
In this case, the alternator met up with the car/engine when the Corvette was built on the final line (it wasn't shipped with the engine sub-assy from Flint/Tonawanda and shows up as a call-out item in the AIM book). So, prior is 6-months prior to the interpolated build date of the VIN of your car.
Why do I use the term 'interpolated' here? Simple, while there are 'Corvette birthday' calculators out there, I don't know of ANY that are actually accurate. Why?
Well, they're base on end of month GM production records. That means we can calculate the number of cars built in a given month and have to 'interpolate' the day a given car was built. But, there are drawbacks....
You need to subtract non-work days (Saturday/Sunday) to come up with the actual number of production days in a given month. Some, birthday calculators are 'intelligent' and understand known strike periods and adjust for those.
But, to my knowledge, there are NO CALCULATION methods that embrace non-scheduled work days (catch up), overtime production (swing shifts, third shifts), nor calculatior that comprehend assy line speed up/slow down and emergency stoppage events (often the focus of union shop steward vs. management 'discussion'). So, in my book, unless a given VIN is very close to the start or end of a given month, I cut consider the precision of 'interpolated' final assy build dates as accurate as within a given week--no more.
Therefore, I'd go visit the Wisconsin Chapter's Corvette birthday calculator (link runs from 'contacts' on this website, input your model year and VIN number, get the interpolated final assy date, then cut a week's slack as to how late the date code on your alternator could be.
If you find an '884 in this date range that looks to be original, BUY IT regardless of the controversy regarding front frame's aperature geometry. These suckas, like '544 AC alts, are rare enough items to stumble upon. Since the PN and date data was embossed on the front case half, the size of the front vent openings will fall out of the woodwork--UNLESS the specific alternator is a 'made up' part.... -
Re: #1100884
You can also check the trim tag on the driver's door pillar for your assembly date.
I have never seen a real 884 alternator that didn't have the open face, I would highly suspect a non-open face 884's originality but they may exist. You can certainly buy an original 884 alternator for about $400 to $500 from somebody like Chicago Corvette - but I would have him bring it to a show so I could see it first. If you just want an original configuration case without the correct number, those are easier to get and run about $100 (Buick or Pontiac alternators). Generally it seems that the 1969 alternators are more expensive than the 1970's so at least that's in your favor.
Good luck!Comment
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