A CO member needs an alternator for a 1968 cutlass with a build date in April 1968. I have one from Sept 1967, but I think this may be too early. What is an acceptable range for this part? Thanks

 

From my experience, a part generally precedes the build date of the car from two weeks to four months. However, there are times that parts can precede the build date of a car by as much as 6 months, or even more if the part is made in batches. On the other hand, I have two original parts on my '68 4-4-2 (the steering box and the steering box cover) that are dated April 1, 1968, and April 4, 1968, respectively, and the build date on the data tag is the first week of April 1968 (04A), so those two parts must have pretty much came straight from the manufacturer to the car.

They made alternators, as I recall, pretty much throughout the year, though, so I would speculate that an alternator that has a manufacture date on it anywhere from two weeks to four months prior to the build date of the car to definitely be in the "correct" window.

Randy C.

 

I agree mostly with Randy, but personally I don't go crazy on dates! If it predates then it's good, 1-12 months or so, depending on what it is. I judge for the OCA, nobody is going to check the date on your client's alt...I guarantee that! We don't have time. A closer date would be better, but if was the only one I could find, I'd take it! I scored 999 last time out, and I don't sweat the dates!

 

on my 62 Jetfire, (far from 68) it was built the 5th week of may and every date i have found so far is may of 62 also. everything so far is withen 4 weeks.

 

I agree. I still have the original alternators in my 63 Buick and 71 Cutlass. The Buick alt predates the production of the car by 3 months, the Cutlass is 2 months. Anything from 2 weeks to 6 months prior to the build date would work.