Interested in these 2 options on Fender Tag that can't seem to be decoded

EurekaSevven

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Hoping to again get some help here as I got interested with what my Newport was equipped with.
I had used the tool that decoded most of the tag options, besides two, which are listed below with [x]. Googling didn't show me anything for them that seemed to make sense, and mymopar.com didn't give me much info either.
Here's the list I do have:

h7: Fender or Hood Mounted Turn Signal Indicators
j7: [x]
m6: Driver's Outside Remote Operated Mirror
A1: 26in Radiator
H1: Power Brakes
R2: Music Master AM Radio
S1: Air Conditioning
X1: Tinted Glass (all)
66: [x]
78: Wheel Lip Mouldings
AXLE: 2.76 Rear Axle Ratio
INTERIOR: Turquoise Interior.
PAINT: Mist Turquoise Metallic (Chrysler).

I'll attach the picture below showing the tag itself.

photo_2021-02-18_18-11-34.jpg
 
I don't know your code question, but you have that interesting other tag that looks like it has a 43 on it. That tag is kinda rare, and it was a Quality Control item. Some cars got them, most didn't. It was (once) about a foot long, and was a series of tags or "tabs" with info stamped on them, and were scored and easily bent/snapped off from the long tag. As your car went down the line, various inspectors would snap off "their" tag to indicate that they did a more rigorous QC inspection than they typically did for all the other cars.

What they did with that tag I have no idea, and everything I wrote above was told to me by a bigtime Mopar guy who used to work with Galen Glovier, meaning I have no firsthand knowledge about your "43" tag. But it's an interesting possibility.

Here's mine:
Inspection Tag.JPG
 
I always wondered the purpose of those extra, thin tags. I remember seeing some that were pretty much intact at the dealer, though.

The next thing in line with that would be the associated paint daubs /inspection marks and such for the related items snapped off? Or not snapped off?

Thanks for that info,
CBODY67
 
The next thing in line with that would be the associated paint daubs /inspection marks and such for the related items snapped off? Or not snapped off?

As I understand it.....and I'm parroting what I've been told.....the normal paint daubs/inspection marks were still performed by the various installers (or their line supervisors, perhaps?) on every car as per normal. But the metal tags were for a more thorough QC of something. Perhaps it was for QC on the daubs and marks? And obviously it was for record keeping regarding the QC process.

And think about all the fender tags you've looked at over the years, and how few of these QC tags you've seen. Were they on every 10th car? Every 100th car? Dunno!
 
I don't know your code question, but you have that interesting other tag that looks like it has a 43 on it. That tag is kinda rare, and it was a Quality Control item. Some cars got them, most didn't. It was (once) about a foot long, and was a series of tags or "tabs" with info stamped on them, and were scored and easily bent/snapped off from the long tag. As your car went down the line, various inspectors would snap off "their" tag to indicate that they did a more rigorous QC inspection than they typically did for all the other cars.

What they did with that tag I have no idea, and everything I wrote above was told to me by a bigtime Mopar guy who used to work with Galen Glovier, meaning I have no firsthand knowledge about your "43" tag.

Each plant handled inspection differently.
Some plants used separate tags and some didn't. That's one reason 'some cars got them and some didn't'.
Each year can be similar but different.
There are numerous variations of inspection tags through the years.
Inspection tags are not particulrly rare. They become rare if people have taken off the tag and thrown them away.

Specifically: this car is a 68 Chrysler meaning it was built at the Jefferson plant. The inspection tag shown is very common and very typical for that year and plant.

Other examples:

68_CH23_83_5_PP1_346586.jpg
68_CM23_81_5_MM1_A32639.JPG
68_CM27_81_5_MM1_072767.jpg
 
I always wondered the purpose of those extra, thin tags. I remember seeing some that were pretty much intact at the dealer, though.

The next thing in line with that would be the associated paint daubs /inspection marks and such for the related items snapped off? Or not snapped off?

Thanks for that info,
CBODY67

Paint marks were used to help distinguish various assemblies and parts to facilitate assembly.

For example, there are various possibilities of torsion bars. Paint daubs helps a line worker quickly distinguish the appropriate bars for a specific applications.

Rear end assemblies have various markings to indicate Sure Grip or not, gear ratio, brake other other items that could vary between assemblies.
 
Yes, there were paint stripes for visual ID of parts, rather than having to focus on numbers and such. The iinspection paint was put over assembled bolt/nut/stud items to indicate they had been torqued and then inspected to have been done correctly. In addition to paint stamps on various components (as RV-2 a/c compressors) indicating their application or otherwise having passed some sort of inspection.

There were also some black (or white or yellow) grease pencil hand-marks for various things too. As in coolant freeze protection written on the core support or some other easy to get to location where it could be easily seen.

When we were doing the Superbird restoration in the earlier 1990s, in prep for it to be at Mopar Nats in 1992 or so, we started researching the inspection paint, daubs, and stamps. There was an illustrative article in one of the Mopar magazines which showed the correct restoration of an E-body car. There were more inspection paint that I ever recall seeing on any new Chrysler that came into the dealership back in the earlier 1970s. Really colorful on that E-bpdy! The careful and gentle cleaning of the SBird's rear axle housing revealed the three paint stripes on the housing. We took pains to preserve and then replicate all of the existing paint items on that car's various assemblies. Even the black grease pencil marks on the front of the lh valve cover.

Those were very neat and fun times, back then!
CBODY67
 
Good discussion, gentlemen. I'm glad we were able to raise the knowledge base regarding "that funny little metal tag that's diagonal from my fender tag" and that we all agree that it was a QC item.

As for relative rarity, it clearly doesn't make one car more "important" than a car without a QC tag. But 1) I've looked at a zillion fender tags and rarely see a QC tag, and 2) I doubt it has been removed by owners in previous years. After all...look at the underhood of most old cars, particularly "survivors". It's an ugly hodgepodge 70s and 80s repairs and "upgrades" under there, and I very much doubt the owner would remove that tag. Most could care less about the fender tag in the first place.

Anyway, good discussion, and I appreciate 69Coronet providing us his knowledge regarding the variations on plant practices, etc.

My 2020 Vette has a damn barcode........
 
I'm probably the 3rd owner of it (technically 4th if you count the used car place the other owner bought it from, and that was back in 2008, so original family just needed money most likely). She's a true survivor car. Has the original title and booklets with her and everything.
I guess this is tangentially related to my original topic, but Hurst's post got me in a philosophical mood:
After all...look at the underhood of most old cars, particularly "survivors". It's an ugly hodgepodge 70s and 80s repairs and "upgrades" under there, and I very much doubt the owner would remove that tag. Most could care less about the fender tag in the first place.
In my specific car's case, if you did the necessary repairs to the interior and exterior (such as a new coat of paint), but still had all the original parts under the hood, does that make a car more of a "survivor" than one that might have the factory original paint, but has aftermarket engine parts (such as intake and carb, air cleaner, aftermarket A/C, etc.)?
As far as I know, all of my car is from the factory as is, but isn't perfect. Does it take away from the quality of survivorship to do a complete restoration, even though it would make the car look much better, than to try to pick and place with newer parts that don't fit the style of the car?
 
If you happened to stroll through the Survivor Car tent at Mopar Nats (circa 2005 and prior, which is the last year I went), you'd see cars which were original and unmolested in every aspect. Not perfect or significant other than they were still around in OEM condition. Not perfect or high-option cars, but just plain cars like many that were used and discarded by their owners. BUT usually low-mileage cars which were not used very much by their owners, including what I term "estate cars".

On the other hand, I might consider my '77 Camaro LT as "survivor" at 625K+ miles on it. With an engine swap (350 for 305), a NOS THM350 trans, rebuilt (bearings, shafts, seals) rear axle, and other OEM-type maintenance items. Mostly original, even with the changes. Term that "Survivor with patina". Cars which were used and discarded, which are not seen very much any more because so many ended up as compressed metal squares.

Another ref to survivorism would be "How many late 1960s or earlier 1970s Plymouth Valiants have you seen when compared to their similar GM and Ford competitors, lately?"

Possibly several different layers of "survivor" status? Some related to "toughness" and others related to minimal use with maximum protection? BUT all unrestored in all aspects. Which means that "restoration" is not always the same as "maintence of cosmetic or mechanical items" with an OEM-production orientation. Which can be a whole 'nuther thread discussion.

Enjoy!
CBODY67
 
Good discussion, gentlemen. I'm glad we were able to raise the knowledge base regarding "that funny little metal tag that's diagonal from my fender tag" and that we all agree that it was a QC item.

As for relative rarity, it clearly doesn't make one car more "important" than a car without a QC tag. But 1) I've looked at a zillion fender tags and rarely see a QC tag, and 2) I doubt it has been removed by owners in previous years. .......


I respectfully don't agree that it was QC item.

I believe it was for acknowledgment of a task or process completed; not an indication of the relative quality of the task or process. The quality control checklist came much later in the process. The relative presence of paint, or lack of paint in some cases, tells us the tag was fixed and stamped closer to the BIW assembly process when there was very little to inspect for quality. Given the relative proximity to the fender tag, which was, mostly (some plants were different), attached to the body early in the process, this makes sense. A single stamp would certainly not indicate a comprehensive quality control inspection nor indicate a pass/fail concept.

Of course, I do not know what you have seen or look at but finding inspection tags from plants that did use inspection tags are not particularly rare.

Inspection tag use varies by year and plant. If you are looking at cars from plants and years that did use additional tags, say 1970 Chryslers built at the Jefferson plant, you will find they are relatively common. If you are looking at cars from plants that did not use additional tags, say 1969 Dodges and Plymouth B bodies from 69 St. Louis plant, you won't see an additional tag.
 
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That's the trim codes, aren't they?
1-8 are external moldings/ mirrors/ and the like. Somewhat difficult to decipher because the digit under which the code appears does not correspond to the 2nd digit of the complete 3 digit code. There can also be multiple codes with the same last digit, some of which may not even be available on a given model. Often can be a best guess type situation. The build sheet should give all the complete codes (ideally).
 
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