I was under the hood of my 88 this noon, and noticed something I never seen before in all the times I been working on it. On the driver side strut tower, just rear of the ring on said tower, is a few numbers stamped in by hand it seems. Anyone else have these numbers and what do they mean. I'm guessing the second row is the date. Maybe of when the chassis was made? The paint isn't chipped off around the stampings, so I'm guessing it was done before it got painted. These are the numbers as they are stamped on the car:

20 63 5051
2 23 88

I'm guessing it's 63 cuz it was double stamped and each one only showed up half way. But the left edge of the number would indicate it's a six. Everything else is clear. So, what are these numbers?

Can you take a pic?

I am pretty sure you are reffering to the part # stamped into the pieces...

If you look carefully, at least on 84-97's There are part #'s stamped into/on most of the structural pieces of the frame...

my $0.02

quote Originally posted by AquaHusky: 2 23 88

Feb 23, 1988? Maybe your car's birthday?

It's just a guess... though.

Janell

quote Originally posted by KlingonFiero: Can you take a pic? I am pretty sure you are reffering to the part # stamped into the pieces... If you look carefully, at least on 84-97's There are part #'s stamped into/on most of the structural pieces of the frame... my $0.02

It must be the chassis p/n then, cuz I couldn't fine any more stampings anyplace else on it.

This is pretty interesting. If that is the "birthday" of your car then maybe all our cars have them. Where exactly did you find this? Can you post a pic?

This is them. But, after I took these pics, I looked on the right side again and removed a bit of dirt from the tower and saw it had numbers as well. But, it also had a letter in there as well. I think these are p/n's as mentioned above.

According to the P080 Parts Catalogue the part numbers for the top of the 1988 Strut tower are:

7.395 Housing, RR SUSP STRU UPR-RH.......................................20672892
7.395 Housing, RR SUSP STRU UPR-LH.......................................20672893

There is no 20 63 5051 listed on the entire page 2P12-303
It may be a sub manufacturer's number?

[This message has been edited by Tinkrr (edited 04-19-2007).]

You think it's some sort of computer setting for the suspension maybe? It was stamped in for the assembler's notes, if you will, to know what the offset or whatever due to the tolerances allowed? For like a precision setting of sorts.

Edit: I want to know who else has these and what those numbers are, if they are the same.

[This message has been edited by AquaHusky (edited 04-19-2007).]

Anyone have the struts out of their pre-88 cars? I took a look at one of my 85's and there is a plate in the way. They may have the same numbers but I can't tell for sure. Lets see if it really is a birthday.

That may just be an internal lot/tracking number related to that particular stamping, or some such arcane number not likely to be found anywhere else outside of GM.

JazzMan

quote Originally posted by JazzMan: That may just be an internal lot/tracking number related to that particular stamping, or some such arcane number not likely to be found anywhere else outside of GM. JazzMan

The forum may never know....

My guess is it was a time code when the tower was stamped out?

Many times large parts like this are date coded so if there is a problem they know what parts to pull.

This is a common thing on cast peices and has become more common on other parts.

But does anyone else have these numbers as well?

I just went and looked at my '84. Cannot get to my '87 right now...

The '84 doesn't have the number printed on top, like yours. There is a number stamped in to the strut housing, and on the frame rail, and on the firewall, and on the trunk, but not on the top of the strut tower

I will try to get to the '87 this weekend...