Sense and nonsense of fender tags

[PeugFra]

L25 Trunk Light on Furys remains a funny thing: It was a standard feature on PP and PH from 1969 on and all other trim levels with A01 Light Package have it as well.

On fender tags it appears only from 1971 on, however. The earliest tag with L25 I know is from Belvidere: PP23U1D173853, SPD B28. Still without L25 you have PH29G1D133509, SPD A01, for example.

L25 remains a fixture on Belvidere tags until 1975: PP43M5D217433, SPD 425 does not list it anymore. Before that you can find, still with L25, PP29N5D170000, SPD 109. As a feature it is there on the Fury right up until the end in 1977.

This whole obsession with L25 left Newark tags untouched: I didn't see a single Newark fender tag that mentions it.

 

[Fury Pursuit]

If you really want to know the options of a car, the build sheet is your friend.

I know you strive for accuracy, so not to be pedantic, but it's a "Broadcast Sheet". NOT a build sheet. Get a Marti report for one of those.

How's the pasta over there?

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Frequently occurring codes on 1974 Fury and Monaco fender tags are:

L25 Trunk Compartment Light
L31 Fender-Mounted Turn-Signal Indicators
L81 "Door-Ajar" Indicator

Less frequently you also get:

N88 Automatic Speed Control

For L31 you need holes in the front fenders, L25 may need a bracket. But what about L81 and N88?

L25 only occurs on Belvidere tags. Newark tags do not mention it.

I think the L81 "Door-Ajar" Indicator used a second switch in the door jam (to the rear not the front)


Alan

 

[PeugFra]

... it's a "Broadcast Sheet". NOT a build sheet.

I'm sorry! It won't happen again.

How's the pasta over there?

Which one do you like best: Barilla, De Cecco, Divella, Garofalo, Jolly, La Molisana, Voiello?

 

[Fury Pursuit]

I'm sorry! It won't happen again.



Which one do you like best: Barilla, De Cecco, Divella, Garofalo, Jolly, La Molisana, Voiello?

I really enjoy Anelli and Fideo, but they are difficult to find in the States, unless you like Spaghetti-O's.....

 

[PeugFra]

I think the L81 "Door-Ajar" Indicator used a second switch in the door jam (to the rear not the front)

So it was a technically different solution from the Lock Doors Reminder w/Time Delay of the previous years?

 

[69CoronetRT]

L25 Trunk Light on Furys remains a funny thing: It was a standard feature on PP and PH from 1969 on and all other trim levels with A01 Light Package have it as well.

On fender tags it appears only from 1971 on, however. The earliest tag with L25 I know is from Belvidere: PP23U1D173853, SPD B28. Still without L25 you have PH29G1D133509, SPD A01, for example.

L25 remains a fixture on Belvidere tags until 1975: PP43M5D217433, SPD 425 does not list it anymore. Before that you can find, still with L25, PP29N5D170000, SPD 109. As a feature it is there on the Fury right up until the end in 1977.

This whole obsession with L25 left Newark tags untouched: I didn't see a single Newark fender tag that mentions it.

I have PP23U1D A26 SPD with L25
PP23U1D SPD A23 without L25.

Hope that helps.

 

[PeugFra]

Yes, that pins it down very nicely!

There seems to be a connection with the SPD, making me think that the contents of the fender tag were decided before or at the scheduling stage rather than at the start of the actual build stage.

Would the latter have been the case the SPD order would have been reshuffled somewhat.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

50 years later and we're still trying to make sense of something that wasn't clear at the time.
I gave up on this 30 years ago.


Alan

 

[Fury Pursuit]

Yes, that pins it down very nicely!

There seems to be a connection with the SPD, making me think that the contents of the fender tag were decided before or at the scheduling stage rather than at the start of the actual build stage.

Would the latter have been the case the SPD order would have been reshuffled somewhat.

Or it could be a completely benign reason not related to data in any way.

You could just befriend Darryl Davis and just ask him,...he would tell you. You should hurry though as he is quite old.

Or find one of the many line managers and ask them, and you would end speculating.

 

[PeugFra]

You could just befriend Darryl Davis and just ask him,...he would tell you. You should hurry though as he is quite old.

That's an excellent idea! Only who is Darryl Davis and how do I get in touch with him?

 

[PeugFra]

50 years later and we're still trying to make sense of something that wasn't clear at the time.

So you would stress the nonsense part of the thread title?

I thought the auto industry was a highly competitive business, where every penny counts. Hard to believe they spent time, personel and money on activities without purpose.

 

[Fratzog]

MMC Detroit

Thanks. Excellent link.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

So you would stress the nonsense part of the thread title?

I thought the auto industry was a highly competitive business, where every penny counts. Hard to believe they spent time, personel and money on activities without purpose.

I wouldn't say nonsense but I feel the system was very fluid, dynamic, it was more manual than computer so errors will happen, last minute changes, it wasn't the kind of business you think of today. Even the computerized equipment wasn't perfect, I'm not sure broadcast sheets were necessarily a computer printout, a human inputs a code, tab/spaces to the next one, there are plenty of examples of sheets with codes in the wrong boxes, I'm sure this idea could carry over to data/fender tags and have codes missing, included, wrong. Not only these but VIN tags as well.

I could go on but there are just way too many variables to think of in an imperfect system. Yes they had bean counters but the technology just wasn't what it is today.


Alan

 

[69CoronetRT]

I wouldn't say nonsense but I feel the system was very fluid, dynamic, it was more manual than computer so errors will happen, last minute changes, it wasn't the kind of business you think of today. Even the computerized equipment wasn't perfect, I'm not sure broadcast sheets were necessarily a computer printout, a human inputs a code, tab/spaces to the next one, there are plenty of examples of sheets with codes in the wrong boxes, I'm sure this idea could carry over to data/fender tags and have codes missing, included, wrong. Not only these but VIN tags as well.

I could go on but there are just way too many variables to think of in an imperfect system. Yes they had bean counters but the technology just wasn't what it is today.


Alan

Evidence to support your theory would be greatly beneficial.

 

[PeugFra]

I think the L81 "Door-Ajar" Indicator used a second switch in the door jam (to the rear not the front)

So this black plastic push-button is the sole reason to include L81 on the fender tag?

At the front you have a metal push-button:

Was this metal button already present on pre-1974 models?

 

[LocuMob]

Was this metal button already present on pre-1974 models?

Got them on all my cars, '66-'68.

 

[PeugFra]

Thinking about it, that metal push-button could well be the switch for the courtesy lights. Stupid me!

PS. Just checked that on the car: it's the courtesy light switch.

In the Dealership Databooks for Dodge and Plymouth I see a Lock Doors Warning Light only from 1971 on. So the question becomes: does the plastic push-button on the rear door jamb occur on 1971-1973 models as well, and was it absent before that?

 

[PeugFra]

In 1973 the "Lock Drs Lite" was coded L71 on broadcast sheets (row 10):

L71 does not show up on the fender tag, though:

And, as a matter of fact, there is no L81-like plastic push-button in the rear door jamb on cars so equipped, as can be seen an another car:

See also the thread on this car.

So what switch does the trick on 1971-1973 cars with the L71 Lock Doors Warning Light?

 

[ImpJay]

I think the L81 "Door-Ajar" Indicator used a second switch in the door jam (to the rear not the front)


Alan

It uses the same door jamb switches as possible interior courtesy lights as well as those on the door panels, if the car is equipped with them to warn other road users about an open door.

@PeugFra

Have you observed the front edge of each door opening?