Someone is telling me that 1970 and later model year cars got date-coded jacks, but that 1969 and earlier did not. Thus there are 9-J jacks out there (i.e. Duane sold one here) but few or perhaps zero 8-H or 8-J jacks, which are what my very early 69 would need. True? False? Varied?
The date codes are usually stamped on one of the rivet heads on the jack body, but sometimes they are stamped directly on the jack body. The original jack for my 70 Chevelle is "0C" March of 1970, and is stamped on the jack body. Duane
Based upon Duane’s book (I hope it’s ok that I posted it) your jack hook is a design that was introduced for ‘68, which makes sense because the ‘68-‘69 bumpers are essentially the same. Patrick I looked all over my jack (rivets, flat surface, etc.) a few days ago and didn’t find any codes.
So the U68 is a "Date code" (and could be original) vs a model thing. I need to dig out the book for the base.
I have Duane's book, but it I did not see where it clarifies what the U means in the date code on the jack hook, nor what A B means on the jack base. Does anyone know for sure? Cheers
I don't think anyone knows what the "U" stands for. It was some type of code Fisher Body used. Just like all the 70-72 Skylark/GS rear quarters are "F" and all the 70-72 trunk lids are "X", that's just the way it is. It may have been a factory or area code, to designate where or what part of Fisher Body was responsible for making that specific part? The important thing here is the Date "68", which is for the 68 model year. I think the 69's had a different shape at the top. I remember seeing some 68 & 69 hooks being taller then others. As far as the "A-B", I always took it as being for GM A-bodies and B-bodies. Some have this designation while others are "dated" like the hooks are, as I stated in my book. My book only goes into date codes, it will not decode all the info surrounding the date codes. Back to the codes, most of the jack bodies have a letter/number stamped into the top of one of the rivits, or sometimes stamped onto the housing itself. That is what will "ID" the date of the jack Body. Duane PS. It is fine to post parts of my book. That means it is being used as a reference, which is exactly what it was designed to be.
Believe GM would used 2 sources for the jacks. The photo of the U70 base is from a manufacturer called Universal. Universal jacks had the date code on the rivet. Another manufacturer used a T-type jack staff and base. Date code is in the jack itself as shown in the photo from my 1970. I don't remember the name of the manufacturer for this style. It is not Walker which was another from the period
