What is the approximate change over serial number in 1963 model year from a no hole spare tire lock to a small hole lock and later on possibly to a larger hole spare tire lock. Your input would be appreciated.
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Founder - Carolinas Chapter NCRS -
Re: 1963 Spare Tire Lock
Excellent article on this subject in Restorer. Use your copy of Restorer on CD-ROM and search on spare tire lock to read all about it. Then, use your '63 Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM) and you'll see the AIM date(s) that introduced changes to the assembly (old lock P/N, rubber boot, Etc.).
If memory serves, 'maybe' the first month of so of '63 production would exhibit no drain hole locks, followed by small drain hole locks for the balance of the year with the rubber boot (curious as it defeats the logic behind drilling a weep hole into the lock body) coming on somewhere around Oct/Nov (see AIM's Enginering Change Record for date of boot introduction).
Small hole locks then, still going from memory, continued into '64 when the hole dimension was enlarged so, by '65, all locks had large weep hole. Now, as with any running change, there will be exceptions based on St. Louis 'burning up' inventory on hand and perhaps finding and re-using misplaced inventory and/or supplier warranty returns.
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