- Joined
- Sep 7, 2001
- Messages
- 820
For years I have been trying to find out what the hand righten numbers on the core support were meant to be. I first discovered the numbers on my unrestored ’74 Bronco back in 1988. The numbers are located behind the passenger headlight on the face of the core support.
I have seen core support numbers righten on plenty of other Bronco’s and other members have e-mailed photo’s of their numbers. I always thought it had something to do with the build sheet but could never prove it. Build sheets in Bronco’s are found in the interior usually under the floor mat. Only a handful of owners have found them, so I then started studying build sheets that C.B. members have found in their Bronco’s.
For the last 4-5 years I have been trying to find someone with a build sheet AND visible core support numbers. Finally someone has found both, Andy G. (Blue71)has. The pictures are hard to see but it confirmed my Theory. The core support numbers (2883) are the same as the “Rotation Number’’ on the build sheet.
I then started a search on Rotation Numbers on the net.
Here is what I found out ….
The rotation number is the order they come down the line in. They start at 0001 and go to 9999 then start all over again. This is done so a worker can find the car in various parts of the plant without looking at the VIN number. The vin AND rotation numbers are printed on a few papers taped to various parts of a car (front, back, sides and underbody/frame) that tell what options the vehicle takes to help the guys on the line, they are called teletypes. Its an in plant only number and means nothing when it leaves the factory.
These numbers were assigned to all of the vehicle’s built on the line. Once they got to 999 on the forms they just started over again at 001. 001 could have started down the final line (these rotation numbers were the second of two assigned to the car) at 2pm on a Thursday or 9am on a Monday, no way of telling. Just when ever the rotation started over. Same thing with the car that was 564th in the rotation - just a relative place keeper that allowed workers to identify the car and the parts that would go on it rather than use a sequential VIN number that would not be in any order during the build process.
So there you have it, Mystery Solved.
I have seen core support numbers righten on plenty of other Bronco’s and other members have e-mailed photo’s of their numbers. I always thought it had something to do with the build sheet but could never prove it. Build sheets in Bronco’s are found in the interior usually under the floor mat. Only a handful of owners have found them, so I then started studying build sheets that C.B. members have found in their Bronco’s.
For the last 4-5 years I have been trying to find someone with a build sheet AND visible core support numbers. Finally someone has found both, Andy G. (Blue71)has. The pictures are hard to see but it confirmed my Theory. The core support numbers (2883) are the same as the “Rotation Number’’ on the build sheet.
I then started a search on Rotation Numbers on the net.
Here is what I found out ….
The rotation number is the order they come down the line in. They start at 0001 and go to 9999 then start all over again. This is done so a worker can find the car in various parts of the plant without looking at the VIN number. The vin AND rotation numbers are printed on a few papers taped to various parts of a car (front, back, sides and underbody/frame) that tell what options the vehicle takes to help the guys on the line, they are called teletypes. Its an in plant only number and means nothing when it leaves the factory.
These numbers were assigned to all of the vehicle’s built on the line. Once they got to 999 on the forms they just started over again at 001. 001 could have started down the final line (these rotation numbers were the second of two assigned to the car) at 2pm on a Thursday or 9am on a Monday, no way of telling. Just when ever the rotation started over. Same thing with the car that was 564th in the rotation - just a relative place keeper that allowed workers to identify the car and the parts that would go on it rather than use a sequential VIN number that would not be in any order during the build process.
So there you have it, Mystery Solved.
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