what date codes/quarter spark plug wires

Joseph Bisinger

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I have a 1969 Chrysler Newport custom 440 build date is March 3,1969.
My question is what date code/quarter spark plug wires to use, I think it’s the 1st quarter, doses that go for rad hoses and belts ext. Thank you for any help.

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I believe it depends on the supplier and logistics and how many days of supply on hand. If Jan or Feb build I would say Q4 1968. Since it was built towards the end of the quarter then it could feasibly be Q1. What’s the date code of your engine and transmission castings, plug wires and hose dates would likely be a little later, but not always. Parts like that may not have been organized in the FIFO manner (First In First Out).
 
Date-coded NEW plug wires and bulk heater hoses can be found via the "restoration parts for Mopars" industry. Usually B- and E-body items, some of which CAN also be used on C-body cars. They have been around for quite some time to fuel the very $$$$$$$ over-the-top B-body restorations of the last 20 years or so. E-body restorations, too.

Seeing to chase OEM production date-coded parts can be problematic, in the long run. Remember, you know pretty much how long they have been awaiting a car to be installed onto, so in their quiet eating, in their containers, the oils in their rubber parts have been slowly evaporating, which can mean the plug wires will not completely unwind from their circular state unless they are heated a bit. Then, their ultimate durability will be less than a new set. For example. Which makes the new-production wires with the correct/desired date coding stamped on them to be the best option in that desire. No different with "never on the ground/mounted OEM-production tires. Hidden dry rot.

As with ANY part on the car, there CAN be a date code somewhere on the part. Which pre-dates the actual vehicle's actual production date. With the production month and year on the production/VIN labels on the driver's door, from about 1969 model year or so.

Back in the middle 1980s, well before anybody in the Mopar hobby getting excited about production dates, I observed some of my Mopar club friends getting excited about these things, related to 426 HEMI engine blocks and such. For those items, it was known (at that time) that a block's casting date could precede the actual build date for the block by up to six months. Just depends upon the actual production schedules of the various items. As @HWYCRZR mentions.

Just some thoughts and observations,
CBODY67
 
I believe it depends on the supplier and logistics and how many days of supply on hand. If Jan or Feb build I would say Q4 1968. Since it was built towards the end of the quarter then it could feasibly be Q1. What’s the date code of your engine and transmission castings, plug wires and hose dates would likely be a little later, but not always. Parts like that may not have been organized in the FIFO manner (First In First Out

I believe it depends on the supplier and logistics and how many days of supply on hand. If Jan or Feb build I would say Q4 1968. Since it was built towards the end of the quarter then it could feasibly be Q1. What’s the date code of your engine and transmission castings, plug wires and hose dates would likely be a little later, but not always. Parts like that may not have been organized in the FIFO manner (First In First Out).
engine casted date is 1-2-68
 
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