Firewall Pad Stamping?

[DennyD]

On the back side of the firewall pad, I found a number/letter combination pressed into the insulation. It looks like 6 B. Anyone out there have any ideas what this impression represents? Thanks.

[J_Speegle]

No idea of why the supplier added those - likely to identify a batch, mold, plant, time period. Looking at the one you posted there appears to be a "I" or "1" below the "GB" or "6B"

Have seen these three on one line or two lines (like yours) depending between 64-66 versions. There are multiple versions in the 64-65 production period of these from the maker who typically supplied the vast majority of pads to San Jose

[DennyD]

Hi Jeff, thanks for your input. I'm pretty sure the imprint on the pad is 6 B. The "I" or 1 in one of the photos is really just a shadow. It's very difficult to get a clear photo because of the texture of the material they used. In person with the naked eye, it looks different than through a iphone lens. I was thinking that it might be a date code, and 6B would fall right in line with most of the others on 6S1568. Thanks, Denny

[J_Speegle]

Hi Jeff, thanks for your input. I'm pretty sure the imprint on the pad is 6 B.

Not sure that I can agree especially given other examples found in 65 San Jose examples unless the "6" means something other than year.

The "I" or 1 in one of the photos is really just a shadow.

Looking at the examples below and the other that is pretty much a match (from this distance to yours it appears that there could be a mark below but your there in person.  Of course with angling and the depth of these the marks can disappear and then be seen again as you rotate them. That "shadow" you describe on yours sure seems to have a level and man made bottom surface that is uniform, flat and straight for most of the length

I was thinking that it might be a date code, and 6B would fall right in line with most of the others on 6S1568. Thanks, Denny

Just have found that people often decode things to match or fit their needs especially when only looking at a single example. Here are some additional examples taken from 65 and 66 built San Jose original firewall pads. Wish I had taken more of all the spare ones I had around the house until somewhat recently




Another detail to take notice of is  that the earlier versions were printed normally while the top pattern shown in the picture above, two digits over one maybe, were printed/embossed in reverse

[GT350Lad]

Interesting stuff guys. Thanks for sharing, where exactly on the firewall pad is this imprint? Is there an area where they are commonly seen?

[DennyD]

The imprint on mine, is nearly dead center on the back side of the pad. Easy to see once the pad is removed and flipped over.

[J_Speegle]

Interesting stuff guys. Thanks for sharing, where exactly on the firewall pad is this imprint? Is there an area where they are commonly seen?

Depends on when they were made or the mold that was used. Have some that are on the back side at the drivers side end on the back side. The example below is the later 65 version that continued into 66 production as you can see from the cut outs

[JD]

Hope these can help on this topic.

Helping a buddy with a '66 GT350, he found a '66 San Jose car that had the firewall pad and was able to buy it (told him he found a unicorn and to buy a lottery ticket).

No, he did not ask the car VIN number.

I saw it yesterday in person and took some photos, see attached.

The whole "6" vs "G" and  either of those also being a "B" or "C" in some cases is really rather hard to tell and I was looking at the darn thing in-person.  (Note the font I've used to help illustrate is not an exact match.)

[DennyD]

Thanks for sharing those photos! Now I'm thinking the the marks on my pad could be G B not 6 B as I originally thought. Strange too in that mine doesn't have any marks on the one corner of the pad like you've shown here, with the 4  6  G   
                                                                                                                                                   B

[J_Speegle]

.................... Strange too in that mine doesn't have any marks on the one corner of the pad like you've shown here, with the 4  6  G                                                                                                                                B

IMHO not strange given your cars Shelby VIN. As mentioned above the three digits in one line seem to show up on the earlier versions (like typically seen on 65 SJ cars) as mentioned above

Notice that the one JD shows is an earlier version. Notice the shape of the cut out for the AC line punch out