1970 E Body Stamping Question

[pbajeff]

Question - is there any chance that the radiator support would not of been stamped on a car?
On this 70 Cuda i just bought, i can not find a stamping on the radiator support.
The car is a one owner since 1970 and they swear the car was never wrecked.
I have the original fenders, hood, and bumper and they have obviously never been bent or had body work done.
If any of the metal around the radiator support has been replaced I would be shocked.
There is nothing on the front end to indicate that anything has been replaced or re-worked.
The stamping on the cowl is there and legible although it is lightly stamped.

Tonight I will get some pics of the area around the radiator support and see if i can show what i am seeing.
I am also going to take the seats apart and see if I can find a build sheet.

TIA

[1 Wild R/T]

It happened... Rarely...

[Cuda Cody]

There are other ways to tell is something has been replaced.  Factory spot welds and part stamping batch numbers.  If the car has been repainted it's more likely that the number was covered up with thick paint.  I've seen that a few times.  I've yet to see a core not stamped, but it's possible it could have happened.  Can you post some photos of the front radiator support area and we'll be happy to tell you if we notice anything unusual.

[cuda hunter]

I've seen one. 

I wonder if any of the unstamped ones line up with specific days and shifts.  Like the machine didn't work when they were installing the front radiator support on 100 cars or something. 

[Cuda Cody]

They stamped the radiator and cowl at the same time (with the same machine) and that's why the numbers match exactly in the font and if the numbers are slightly high or low they usually are the same on both.

[cuda hunter]

Oh, Ok. 

so one shift over the year had a guy that was drunk and forgot a bunch of stamps?  I assume the machine was manned.?

[anlauto]

Anything is possible The Barrelcuda cowl stamp is one number off the VIN number

[anlauto]

They stamped the radiator and cowl at the same time (with the same machine) and that's why the numbers match exactly in the font and if the numbers are slightly high or low they usually are the same on both.

with Cody...Check out the two stamps on my last AAR Cuda...see how the "3" is out of wack on both stamps...

[xx88man]

Anything is possible The Barrelcuda cowl stamp is one number off the VIN number

I've seen that a couple of times before 

[fc7cuda]

Hi Jeff

Does your car still have the coolant decal on the rad support, could be under there. 

Tom

[pbajeff]

Ok, here are several pics (I hope not too many) of the radiator support where I would expect the stamping to be.
Also one of the cowl stamp. The cowl stamp is fairly light but readable. I can also feel the cowl stamp on the back side.

The area has been repainted and at first i thought maybe it had been painted over with heavy coat of paint, but I can not feel any sort of stamping indention anywhere around the radiator support.
I also included several pics of the places where the support ties to the fender apron and other places that would have to of been changed if it had been replaced.
i do not believe there has been any work done on the front end of this car. All the spots look as if they are factory welds and never drilled out.
The apron has not been bent or reworked. None of the sheet metal or bumper has been bent or reworked.

[anlauto]

The entire rad cradle has been replaced 

[challenger6pak]

I'm looking at this on a small phone screen. To me it looks like the core support was replaced. The inner fender looks a little wrinkled and the welds at the frame rails in front don't look factory. Again I am looking at this on a small screen.

[cuda hunter]

 

[pbajeff]

Ok, what are you seeing that makes you think that?
Not disputing your opinion because i have seen enough on here already to know that you know way more about these cars than i do.
Had couple of buddies look at it that are in the body/paint business. They dont think any of the sheet metal has been replaced because of the way all the welds and joints look.