Date code on rear valance? How about the hood?

[Rutro]

I guess I've never paid attention to date codes on body panels. I have a rear valance with a 3 17 70 stamped in the license plate area. Is that really a date code? I know there codes on parts.
Please school me, I always like to learn something new every day. Thxs, Mark

[js27]

Yep they are date coded. My 70 Challenger also is stamped.
JS27

[Rutro]

Thanks JS27. That leads to my next question. Is there a date code on the hood? If so where?
The hood doesn't have the crumple zones. So I know it is 70-71.
Mark

[anlauto]

You find a lot of those stamped numbers through-out the entire car, some can be date codes, but some are also lot codes, stamping line codes, vendor codes etc....I worked in a stamping plant for 18 years and there would be no way to decipher the codes we stamped on each part. we were a non-union tier one supplier and we even stamped "ford" on the parts to make customers believe their parts were actual made by Ford which was certainly not the case.  

[198D13]

Thanks JS27. That leads to my next question. Is there a date code on the hood? If so where?
The hood doesn't have the crumple zones. So I know it is 70-71.
Mark

The date code on the rear valence means it is an assembly line part. Over the counter NOS ones have no date, but a lot of additional numbers, and no spaces between the numbers. That is common on NOS parts.

[js27]

I never saw a date code on the hood but I never looked either. I will check it out and see what I can see or not see.
JS27