1963 1964 Judging Manual Shock dates

[Dan P.]

It has been called to my attention that the latest 1963 1964 Judging manual says the shocks are dated DDMMYY.I know the older JM says they were dated DDMMYY but was not aware of the last version had these dates.Since Delco made the the first tube shock for 1938 Buick the dates were always Month /Week of the month/Year. The Example they used is 22M62 =Dec. 22 1962. December 22 1962 would b 12/D/62. You will never find the first set of numbers greater than 12,December or the letters past E 5th week.This was the way Delco did them from the beginning until they changed around January 1963 to the Julian date and on the bottom of the shock instead of the top. .Except for the rear heavy duty suspension and some front Nova shocks which had the old format.There are some exceptions .I have rebuilt several 5/D/63 standard shocks that were dated at the bottom with the Month/Week/Year dates and the wording is laid out like the earlier ones .I have also rebuilt some F/40 F/41 fronts with the Month/Week/Year dated on the bottom and laid out like the earlier shocks.

[Tony S.]

Re: 1963 1964 Judging Manual Shock dates

Dan, I know that for the '65 model year there were two shocks used: the standard and the F40 shock. The standard front shock contains a Julian date code: Example: 98-65 would indicate the 98th day of 1965 or April 7, 1965. The F-40 front shock is dated using a month, week of month and year format. Example: 11 A 64 = 1^St week of November, 1964. You'll have to get with the '63/'64 chassis judges and get their take on those two years. I'm not sure why the shocks would be dated any differently between '63 through '65 though.

Tony

[Marco H.]

Re: 1963 1964 Judging Manual Shock dates

Dan,
I agree with you on the dating format how you describe it. I believe the format description in the 63/64 JG is an error that was overlooked.
Marco