67 GT500 4 speed bell

[shelbydoug]

How close to the Ford build date is the date code on the bell housing EXPECTED to be?

[shelbydoug]

No opinions?

[CHOPPERS]

It's always been 3 months prior, But, there was some Work Strike around then, So that kinda plays into it....

[Bob Gaines]

How close to the Ford build date is the date code on the bell housing EXPECTED to be?

3 months to a couple weeks is a safe zone IMO. 1 month would be closer to the sweet spot IMO.

[J_Speegle]

I would "measure" it to the engine assembly date since it was installed at the engine plant. Think that is what Bob was thinking of. From hot casting to removal and deburring, placed into inventory at the casting plant, the transporting to the engine plant, being put into inventory there and installing, even though some of the casting plants were close - did take time. 

Now if you included everything done with the completed engine, loading, transporting across the country since its a San Jose built car, placing the engine into inventory, then installing and finishing the car all those dates add up if your comparing dates.  Plus lots more thingws that can soak up time if you compare to the real car finish date also.

The few I have records of (difficult to see once everything is installed on a finished car) were the same month or within a month of the casting dates on the block or heads

[shelbydoug]

So if the bell date was the same as the block date it would be near perfect? 5 months earlier then the block is obviously not right?

[J_Speegle]

So if the bell date was the same as the block date it would be near perfect? 5 months earlier then the block is obviously not right?

Its a range rather than specific number of days.

5 months before the engine was built would IMHO not be typical nor believable at this point without seeing another handful of similar original examples.

[shelbydoug]

The few I have records of (difficult to see once everything is installed on a finished car) were the same month or within a month of the casting dates on the block or heads

The top two items I find the most difficult to get right are the block and the bell. I know they exist because I have the block but the bells in this date range seem to be very scarce? In fact any 67 castings I rarely if ever see at all. I've only seen one 1967 bell. January 20.

The 67 A blocks sure are and so scarce I didn't think that they even existed? Plus they are close to the switch to the C scratch changeover. Mine is May 30, 1967. About two weeks from the Ford build date.

So I have the tendency to jump at anything remotely close, then when reality sets in I don't want to pay the premium to a compromise that is off by five months?

My tendency was to think the bells were done in batches but it looks like the evidence shows them in regular consistent production? What is probably throwing me off is that it looks like items like the bell were produced upon demand and there may be variations in customer demand in each month by transmission choice? Automatics must out demand manuals by four or five to one? Maybe that varies from month to month?

I'm surprised to see the 428 bell application used on 390's though and even with some FE trucks so I guess there is always the possibility one will show up eventually? Ironically the heads seem to be in much greater supply then the blocks and bells? A May 67 date is what I need on the bell.

[J_Speegle]

I'm surprised to see the 428 bell application used on 390's though and even with some FE trucks so I guess there is always the possibility one will show up eventually? Ironically the heads seem to be in much greater supply then the blocks and bells? A May 67 date is what I need on the bell.

Head may be much more available since they were shared with tens of thousands (all) 390 Mustangs, Cougars and so on where the bell housings were more limited.

Blocks - well limited production and use likely is the reason for the challenge there