mmurphy77

I'm trying to fly the fine line between correct tags/stamps without looking like some of the cars I see that look like GM spent more time tagging/stamping/chalking than building the car. I've replicated the firewall stamps but see a round A/C stamp ("O.K. Eval - OLDS" in Yellow) and brake booster/master cyl line paper tags available. Anybody know what's correct?

rocketraider

I have personally not seen the A/C compressor stamp on later than 1970. Both the blue Starfire and the Toronado had it. The Ninety Eight and Hurst do not, and far as I know the Hurst still has its original compressor.

Can't help you on the brake tags but someone, somewhere, knows. You must consider that almost everyone working the lines back then is retired or close to it.

I agree on over-restored cars. You can bet the line workers did not take that kind of pains placing stamps and decals. The objective was to get the car built, out the door and sold with the least warranty work possible. Not to satisfy a fussbudget's idea of what it should be 40 years down the road.

mmurphy77

Thanks Rocketraider (neighbor). I agree with the A/C stamp ending in '70 but I had recently come across an ad that listed it for '64-'75. Other GM cars have had the thin cardboard tag around the brake booster check valve and colored tape on the two brake lines from the master cylinder but I have not seen these on an Olds though.

rsandhoff

This doesn't apply to you, but just another example of an AC stamp. The 69 442 I bought had not run since 1983, and it appeared that the AC system had never been apart. Of course, I can't be 100% sure. Anyway, my compressor had the stamp (OK Final Test) in the light yellow circle with the letters CHEV in caps underneath the circle. Looks like all one stamp.

compedgemarine

years ago I read an interview with an old chrysler line worker by a mopar "expert". the line worker was asked about a certain mark that had been found on several cars that they could not attribute to any option or action and the expert wanted to know what it meant. the worker quite seriously said that it meant they were going to O'tooles (or some such bar) for beer after the shift ended and they wanted the guys down the line to know were to meet.
moral is not everything written on the cars is important. I plan on putting back whatever marks I find but if I miss something so be it. I plan on driving the car not looking at it.