'69 parts showing up on a '68 - ???

[Gary K.]

I've been studying the 68/69 judging manual and keep finding things in my car that are supposed to be for a '69. My trim tag date is G13, Feb 68. A couple examples: my radio knobs are '69, as is the fan controls plate showing "off air defog de-ice" instead of just "off air de-ice". I really doubt that these parts were replaced anywhere along the line, they look 40 years old, not repro, and asking my Dad the former owner he states the radio, dash components, etc have never been fooled with. Is there a possibility of mingling of parts as the '68 production year continued past "early" models into the middle of production.

Any opinions or similar occurrences from 68 owners much appreciated.

[Chuck S.]

Re: '69 parts showing up on a '68 - ???

I'm not a 68 owner, and know little about them, but I'll give you a bump back to the top to learn something myself.

Your car is in the MIDDLE of the 68 model year. That would normally be too early to consider any phase-in of following year parts in my opinion. Running changes made during the model year would normally be made to address a function or reliability concern rather than aesthetics...the HVAC controls might fit that description, but radio knobs typically wouldn't.

[Terry B.]

Re: '69 parts showing up on a '68 - ???

Gary,

I strongly doubt that '69 parts such as what you described came on a February '68 built car. Maybe more '68 owners will chime in and tell us more. Mine is a December '67 build. If it was a very late production car, it would be more as a slight possiblity. A more likely scenarior, some of your parts were replaced in early 70's and the owner at that time forgot about the replacement.

[Gary K.]

Re: '69 parts showing up on a '68 - ???

Could be - but it just seems kind of strange to replace radio knobs and such, I mean after all the cars I've ever owned I can't think of any reason I would ever go out and find different knobs for a radio, it's not the kind of item that gets stolen, damaged or lost. Anyway I'll look forward to hearing if any other 68 owners have seen anything similar.

[Reba W.]

Re: '69 parts showing up on a '68 - ???

We are gathering information for a judging manual update. We need to hear from owners of 1968 cars later than Gary's.

This will be the third revision of this manual, and it seems that this would have been pointed out previously if it is a pattern.

1968-72 Interior Judge

[Tom H.]

Re: '69 parts showing up on a '68 - ???

Do you have any original documentation for this car ?? Perhaps it was a car ordered without a radio originally and it was installed by a dealer or owner with a current for the time part ????????? Just a thought !

[Jim T.]

Re: '69 parts showing up on a '68 - ???

I've been studying the 68/69 judging manual and keep finding things in my car that are supposed to be for a '69. My trim tag date is G13, Feb 68. A couple examples: my radio knobs are '69, as is the fan controls plate showing "off air defog de-ice" instead of just "off air de-ice". I really doubt that these parts were replaced anywhere along the line, they look 40 years old, not repro, and asking my Dad the former owner he states the radio, dash components, etc have never been fooled with. Is there a possibility of mingling of parts as the '68 production year continued past "early" models into the middle of production.

Any opinions or similar occurrences from 68 owners much appreciated.

Gary our original owner 68 was built in FEB 1968 and still has the original 68 radio knobs.
It also has it's original OFF, AIR, and DE-ICE selection.

[Joseph Y.]

Re: '69 parts showing up on a '68 - ???

gary my father was the original owner of my car it's build is also G 13 the radio knobs are 68 knobs and the heater selection is off air de-ice. G 13 Febuary 13th 1968