Stamped Body Numbers - Factory Goof?

[doitwright]

We know there are 4 places besides the ID plate in the engine compartment where you will find a 4 digit number representing the last 4 digits of the production run.

Front Hood

Soft Top Compartment Lid

The Hard Top

Transmission Support Bracket

As I prepare my car for paint, we discovered what might be a factory production line goof-up. Nothing that would jeopardize the safety of the car mind you.

My car has number 2259 stamped on 3 of the 4 parts and 2262 stamped on the soft top compartment lid (STCL). That is a 3 digit difference.

My guess is that after the STCL was stamped with 2259, it was dropped or stepped on or who knows what and replaced with STCL 2262. Sound logical?

[Garry]

Unfortunately the logic of that does not follow through. They would then have a problem with the next vehicle not having numbers match.

I was shown a GMH vehicle production line once and when there was a spare problem they would continue the build without it and then put the vehicle aside in a seperate lot at the end of the line and fix it when they could. Having a body to panel number match would give them an even bigger headache. Like their engines they could easily re-stamp another lid number.

Bit of a coincidence though.

[mercakungen]

Frank,

I believe it´s a factory goof. During the factory painting process these STCL´s have been separated from the car. 2259 and 2262 must have been very close of each other on the assembly line. Even German can be fallible. So I believe that they have mixed these parts. Of course only if the color has been the same...

On my ex W111 Coupe -61 all wooden parts had "532" on back side of them. Except one of the front windshield surrounding piece which had "475". All pieces looked very same(the wood and the ageing). Due to that I believe that these parts had been in the car from factory. If I remember right they built approx 2500 coupes and convertibles in 1961. So "532" and "475" could have been been on production at the same week.

BR,
Matti

[Shvegel]

I could easily see a swap at the factory.  If it really is a mystery you need to solve you could contact the Classic Center and ask if they could verify that 2262 was the same color.