Help with C1 era shock date codes? (62)

[Verne Frantz]

I have a pair of original Delco spiral front shocks from my car with date codes of IE62. I "think" that should translate to Jan. 5th week 1962, but the "I" is just a straight vertical slash with no "ornaments" on top or bottom of the character. I haven't encountered this before, so I'd like to ask for opinions from the body of knowledge here.

Sorry I couldn't get a better photo. I used my film SLR and couldn't focus any closer.

Thanks
Verne

[Steven B.]

Re: Help with C1 era shock date codes? (62)

Verne:
Mine has a date of 2 C 57, which is March 2, 1957, so I will say your date is E=May, 1, 1962. Just my attempt at decifering, but if your date is determined by the same sequence as earlier years, then this should hold true for your shocks.

If someone can confirm or deny, I welcome the knowledge!

Steve

[Gary C.]

Date Coding: DD, M, Year = 1 May 62 *NM*

[Verne Frantz]

Re: Help with C1 era shock date codes? (62)

Steve,
Thanks. Do you think it's possible that your shocks are really (2) Feb. (C) 3rd week? That's pretty close to a March 2nd date and would probably be ok for your car.
Are there any documented letters higher in the alphabet than "E" to prove that the letter is the month and not the week???

The reason why I ask is that my car was delivered in April. If the original owner had the shocks replaced, what are the chances that he received May shocks?

Verne

[Ron B.]

Re: Date Coding: DD, M, Year = 1 May 62

Verne:

My experience with hundreds of GM spiral shocks has taught me the dating on shocks. The first one or two digits are the month,the letter is the week of the month,and the year is last.( l =Jan,A=1st week,7=July C=3rd week) GM later went to a Julian system..up to 3 digits dash year.
Good Luck
Ron 1008

[Verne Frantz]

Re: Date Coding: DD, M, Year = 1 May 62

Thanks Ron,
That's the method I was leaning toward also. (Month-Week-Year) So, unless someone can come up with a number higher than 12 or a letter later than "E", I'll stick to that one.

Verne

[Mike E.]

Re: Help with C1 era shock date codes? (62)

Verne--
Definitely 5th week of January, 1962.
What's really curious, in my way of thinking, is that those are spirals. We had pretty much felt that by 62 they weren't producing spiral shocks anymore. I went out and checked the original shocks I have (9 of them, none of them usable, some later than yours, some earlier) and none have spirals.
Who knows what Delco/GM was doing in those days? (or now)

[Verne Frantz]

Re: Help with C1 era shock date codes? (62)

Thanks for the response Mike. Those shocks I posted are originals from a passenger car, built late March '62. But I have documented many original passenger cars through '64 production with spiral shocks. The car in question has spiral rear shocks as well, which I will be removing soon to check dates. I have no reason to believe they are not the originals. They have the undercoating overspray on them that the dealer applied. And I don't know if Delco changed their shock design between Passenger and Corvette in those years.
I can't answer what Delco was doing in those days either. All I can do is dig up what I can that I feel is truly original and document that. Printed material is one thing, but taking apart an original car lets us know how to accurately record history.

Thanks for your reply
Verne