1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

[Matthew L.]

Has anyone seen other 1971 March assembly date stamps that have 2 different style 3 characters.

[Edward J.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

Matt, its very common to see different letter and number stamps.

[Dick W.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

Don't think I would have a problem with the characters on the judging field.

[Don H.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

How about the two very different 0 s? John Hinckley would be a good one to address this question.

[Michael H.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

Look good to me. Like the broach marks.

Mike

[Bill M.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

Would like to see what an 8 looks like. The second 3 looks like an incomplete 8.

[Edward M.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

I have seen this many times, and on many engines besides Corvette engines. I would not have an issue with it.

[Dick W.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

How about the two very different 0 s? John Hinckley would be a good one to address this question.

Very common occurrence

[Jack M.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

Here's a 'mirrored' sample of some potential stamp pad characters (from JohnZ)...
I also lined up a few similar characters on the pad in question.

[Don H.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

Very common occurrence

I too have seen different 0s many times, just not that square 0. But I see it in the stamp holder. And the 3. Thanks Jack.
It looks like the guy who filled the gang that day was having some fun with oddball stamps.

[Matthew L.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

Thanks you for all the responses.

[Tim G.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

Good work, Jack. I like how you reconstructed the stamp.

[Richard F.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

Jack, excellent contribution, well done!

Rich

[Jack M.]

Re: 1971 LT1 stamp pad character differences

THANX for your kind words... I'm just an idiot with an old version of Photoshop, allowing me to recreate the pad stamp.
As mentioned previously, the gang holder photo credit goes to John Hinckley (JohnZ).
On CorvetteForum, he also posted this additional info:

That's my photo of a utilityman's stamp setup block on Line #2 at Flint V-8, and it shows exactly what this thread is all about. The engine plants bought their gang stamp holders from the George T. Schmidt Co. in Chicago (or made them in their toolroom), and bought the individual stamping dies from five different stamp die vendors, depending on price and delivery (there were slight differences in similar fonts across the different stamp die vendors, and no attempt was made to commonize the font appearance where the same character was used more than once in a given stamp). The VIN derivative was stamped at the car assembly plant, and those individual stamping dies were one size smaller than the ones used at the engine plants for the plant, date, and suffix.