What info can you get from the Body tag

[wlfrench]

What information can you get from the body tag? I just bought a 62 GT off of ebay that had this body tag "62V K6 1896".

Thanks Wayne

[8E45E]

No surprises for you at all. '62V' = 1962 model year, with V8, and 'K6' = K-body which is a Hawk 2-door hardtop body style in the only trim level offered, and '1896' is the 1896th K6 body with V8 produced.

Craig

[Roscomacaw]

Craig means the BODY TUB of your Hawk was the 1896th -> 1962 V8 body tub<- that was welded up by the body dept. Since the body tubs didn't run in sequence with the production of cars, that tub that your Hawk was constructed with was not necessarily "in step" with the progression of serial numbers. In other wards, it's not a great indicator of how early or late your Hawks actual production might have been.

[StudeRich]

Great explanation Bob K! That is about the best I have heard to explain the Non-relationship between the Body sequence and the CAR and it's Serial Number's sequence.

Unlike newer Cars, older Cars do not divulge much info from their Serial number, usually not much more than Build sequence.
In Studebaker's case we do also learn the Year Model, Factory, and the Number of Cylinders.

The Body Tag gives the Year Model, Engine Type, Body Type, Trim Level and just the Body's build sequence # within that Body & Engine Group Type on South Bend Cars, 1959 to 1964.

[8E45E]

Yes, it is a well-known fact bodies were placed in storage in no particular order.



Craig

[Roscomacaw]

Hey Rich.... was '37 the only prewar year where the first two digits of the body tags reflected the year of manufacture?

[StudeRich]

Sorry Bob, wrong Guy to ask, I only know and care about Post War and '54-'66 Models.
Maybe the OTHER Richard... Quinn will tell us.

[Roscomacaw]

I never realized they were store PRE-painted! That would lead me to believe there might be some color-instigated bottlenecks to smooth production flow. What if they had an order for a Seafoam Green 14G-C3 and there weren't any stored?

[8E45E]

And the front clip was not mated to the main body at the same time it was painted, and it often showed in the metallic finishes. http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...etallic+flakes

Craig

[Studebaker Wheel]

Hey Rich.... was '37 the only prewar year where the first two digits of the body tags reflected the year of manufacture?

Yes it was.

[57pack]

Yes, it is a well-known fact bodies were placed in storage in no particular order.



Craig

This may solve an old Studebaker question I had for quite some time. The front clip paint wear issue I've observed with several Studebakers I've owned. Our 47 Champion had very little of the original paint left on the hood, front fenders, and front valance. WHere as the body of the car retained much of its it's original paint. Same issue was observed on our 57 Packard wagon. The front body clips must have been painted and assembled separate from the main body.

[Roscomacaw]

What you surmise is a known fact. If I remember right, the body drop came with the hood attached - and once on the frame, the front clip was preassembled and ready for installation.

[Mark L]

Like this?

[Studedude]

What information can you get from the body tag?

It depends on what is known about the body.



Sorry, just depends on experience/perspective.

[57pack]

Like this?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]42653[/ATTACH]

Yep! Just like your picture. Our 47 looked very similar.