Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
Bosch Hella SWF SHO Blaupunkt date codes
Page: 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Forum Index -> Beetle - Split-Window/1938-53 VWs Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
EverettB Premium Member
Administrator


Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69733
Location: Phoenix Metro
EverettB is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:04 pm    Post subject: Bosch Hella SWF SHO Blaupunkt date codes Reply with quote

This information has been posted on the site at various times but not in a specific thread so here is the information for reference and use in FAQs.

As many of you know, various parts used on Volkswagen and other vehicles were date-stamped by the original parts manufacturers. Due to production lead times, these date stamps typically preceded the manufacture date of the vehicle by 1 or more months.

Bosch
Parts are stamped with a 2 or 3-digit sequence.
From 1920-1963, the format was 1 or 2 numeric digits, then an alpha character.
The first 1 or 2 digits are the month, 1 through 12.
The last digit, a letter, is the year.
I was not used as they are too similar to the month digits.
For 1945-1963, O was also not used for the reason above.

From 1920-1944, the following apply:
A=1920 B=1921 C=1922 D=1923 E=1924 F=1925 G=1926 H=1927 J= 1928 K=1929 L=1930 M=1931 N=1932 O=1933 P=1934 Q=1935 R=1936 S=1937 T=1938 U=1939 V=1940 W=1941 X=1942 Y=1943 Z=1944

For 1945-1963, the following apply:
1945=A, 1946=B, 1947=C, 1948=D, 1949=E, 1950=F, 1951=G, 1952=H, 1953=J, 1954=K, 1955=L, 1956=M, 1957=N, 1958=P, 1959=Q, 1960=R, 1961=S, 1962=T, 1963=U

Example: 8M would be August, 1956:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


For 1964-1969, Bosch used a 3-digit numbering scheme. The first digit is the last number of the year. The second 2 digits represent the month.
Example: 401 would be January, 1964.

For 1970-79, Bosch continued using a 3-digit numbering scheme but the months were numbered 21-32. In addition, 33-36 were used for the 4 quarterly periods. 33 = Jan.-March, 34 = Apr.-June, 35 = July-Sept., 36 = Oct.-Dec.
Examples:
021 = January, 1970
932 = December, 1979
436 = 4th quarter, Oct.-Dec., 1974

Bosch documents, thanks to hazetguy:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=675476
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=675477

Bosch chart from 1960-onward, thanks to glutamodo:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=1167254

======================================

Hella
1950 and earlier parts are stamped with a MM DD Y sequence where MM=Month, DD=Day, Y is a letter indicating the year.
1951 and later parts are stamped with a sequence consisting of 1 alpha character and 2 numeric digits.
The alpha character is the year where:
1949=H*, 1950=I*, 1951=J, 1952=K, 1953=L, 1954=M, 1955=N, 1956=P, 1957=S, 1958=T, 1959=U, 1960=V, 1961=W, 1962=X, 1963=Z, 1964=A, 1965-B, 1966=C, 1967=D
O, Q, R, and Y were not used.
* H & I are unverified
The numeric characters are the week of the year.

Examples:
M 05 would be the 5th week of 1954.
07 26 H would be the 26th of July, 1949.
31 T would be the 31st week of 1958
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


======================================

SWF
Parts are stamped with a sequence consisting of alpha characters.
The first character is the month, A-M
January=A, February=B, and so on
I has been reported to not be used to prevent month/year confusion but tyhe letter I has also been seen on some semaphores as a month stamp.

The second character is the year, where:
1949=A, 1950=B, 1951=C, 1952=D, 1953=E, 1954=F, 1955=G, 1956=H, 1957=J, 1958=K, 1959=L, 1960=M, 1961=N, 1962=P, 1963=Q, 1964=R, 1965=S, 1966=T, 1967=U
I and O were not used.
Example: BB would be February, 1950.

SWF semaphores are date-coded on the steel pivot arm, the part that the arm and lens are screwed to.
More semaphore information

======================================

SHO
Parts are stamped with two sets of numbers; year (last one or two digits) followed by month (also last one or two digits).

SHO semaphores are stamped on the back, on both sides of the locking tab. SHO produced replacement semaphores at least through 1968.
More semaphore information

======================================

Blaupunkt
From 1955(?) onward, Blaupunkt radios have a simple letter code to indicate the year the radio was produced. Note that a radio produced in 1961 could be seen in either 1961 or 1962 model vehicles.
1955 - 1956 - R
1956 - 1957 - K
1957 - 1958 - S
1958 - 1959 - G
1959 - 1960 - Q
1960 - 1961 - D
1961 - 1962 - E
1962 - 1963 - T
1963 - 1964 - U
1964 - 1965 - V
1965 - 1966 - W
1966 - 1967 - X
1967 - 1968 - Y
1968 - Z
1968 - 1969 - A or B
1969 - 1970 - B, then 7 630
1970 - 7 630
1971 - 7 631
1973 - 7 633
1974 - 7 634
1975 - 7 635
... and so on, last digit increases by 1 each year.
_________________
How to Post Photos
Everett Barnes - [email protected] | My wanted ads
"Water is the only drink for a wise man" | "Communication prevents complaints"
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!


Last edited by EverettB on Sat Jun 19, 2021 9:52 am; edited 17 times in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Facebook Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Anchovy
Samba Member


Joined: August 05, 2000
Posts: 2921
Location: San Diego, CA
Anchovy is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 11:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good summary Ev.

I have a Hella headlight assembly that is the early style with the date stamp "K". I think this corresponds to 1952 and would fit with the alpha sequence for Hella.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
janerick3
Samba Member


Joined: June 04, 2006
Posts: 1879
Location: Colorado
janerick3 is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ev, it's good you posted these codes here, as I received the January/February 2008 VVWCA newsletter (Vintage Voice) in the mail today and it contained a reprint of an old date-coding article from 1996 that contained the erroneous assumption that the letter codes for Bosch and Hella were the same.

That very article is what got me started collecting data on what letter codes were correct for Hella headlight assemblies, year by year.
_________________
Thanks,
Jan K.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
IN2VWS
Samba Member


Joined: January 29, 2006
Posts: 2521
Location: Australia
IN2VWS is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Ev, good info,

There is also a Blaupunkt from 1955 that has the letter code 'R'.
_________________
( ⫏ ⫐ )
(ọ\ ¡ /ọ)¹⁹⁵⁴ ¹⁹⁵¹
(⦷ ⥢ Ĭ ⥤ ⦷) 𝗞_𝗔_𝗥_𝗠_𝗔_𝗡_𝗡 𝓖𝓱𝓲𝓪¹⁹⁵⁶
⨴⨵--⊗--⨴⨵ 𝕊ℙ𝟚¹⁹⁷³
𝟵_𝟭_𝟰¹⁹⁷³
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
EverettB Premium Member
Administrator


Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69733
Location: Phoenix Metro
EverettB is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 12:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, I made some updates to the lists.
_________________
How to Post Photos
Everett Barnes - [email protected] | My wanted ads
"Water is the only drink for a wise man" | "Communication prevents complaints"
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Facebook Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
HeSa
Samba Member


Joined: January 15, 2007
Posts: 466
Location: FINLAND
HeSa is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here´s a Hella headlight with 43J date code. VW logo at 18.00 hrs in the lense and Hella logo 18.00 in the chrome rim.

IMHO evidence enough that 1951 could be added to the list.

Looking at this unit the Hella example is the wrong way around:

"Example: M 05 would be the 5th week of 1954"

Should read 05 M = ....

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Last edited by HeSa on Sun Feb 24, 2008 1:56 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
HeSa
Samba Member


Joined: January 15, 2007
Posts: 466
Location: FINLAND
HeSa is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 1:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a brass reflector from Hella with date code 07 26 H which IMHO adds 1949 to the Hella list. Basically same kind of unit as the 1951 above.

Note that the numeric part is probably MMDD and not number of week as in the 51 and later units.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
EverettB Premium Member
Administrator


Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69733
Location: Phoenix Metro
EverettB is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks.

I added some SHO information tonight as well. Thanks to members on the site who posted information elsewhere and the person who pointed it out to me to add.
_________________
How to Post Photos
Everett Barnes - [email protected] | My wanted ads
"Water is the only drink for a wise man" | "Communication prevents complaints"
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Facebook Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
turkishgecko
Samba Member


Joined: February 28, 2008
Posts: 68
Location: istanbul
turkishgecko is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 2:43 pm    Post subject: Re: Bosch Hella SWF SHO Blaupunkt date codes Reply with quote

What are the letter codes of blaupunkt radios after 1968?Thanks.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
RichOakley
Samba Member


Joined: August 30, 2004
Posts: 1108
Location: Midlands, UK
RichOakley is online now 

PostPosted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:32 pm    Post subject: Re: Bosch Hella SWF SHO Blaupunkt date codes Reply with quote

turkishgecko wrote:
What are the letter codes of blaupunkt radios after 1968?Thanks.


Not really relevant in this forum, but..
68 Z
69 A
70 7 630
71 7 631
72 7 632

etc.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
eurodub
Samba Member


Joined: August 05, 2007
Posts: 1321

eurodub is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 6:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

what does a 3Y stands for on a Bosch 343 distributor? 3 is march, ... and Y?
_________________
1960 1200 model 117 deluxe ragtop
1974 T2 Westfalia Campmobile
1976 MK1 Golf
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
janerick3
Samba Member


Joined: June 04, 2006
Posts: 1879
Location: Colorado
janerick3 is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

vwbeetleeurope wrote:
what does a 3Y stands for on a Bosch 343 distributor? 3 is march, ... and Y?


1943???
_________________
Thanks,
Jan K.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
johnshenry Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: September 21, 2001
Posts: 9359
Location: Northwood, NH USA
johnshenry is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 7:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thought I would post a pic of the Bosch Dist date code since there wasn't one already:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


4 is 4th month (April) and "G" is 1951. "A" was 1945, and "I" is skipped. So this dist is an April '51 unit.
_________________
John Henry

'57 Deluxe
'56 Single Cab
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
EverettB Premium Member
Administrator


Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69733
Location: Phoenix Metro
EverettB is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 11:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I added some additional Blaupunkt radio codes I found today to the first post.

Corrections or additions are always welcome.
_________________
How to Post Photos
Everett Barnes - [email protected] | My wanted ads
"Water is the only drink for a wise man" | "Communication prevents complaints"
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Facebook Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
tazm
Samba Member


Joined: June 10, 2001
Posts: 530
Location: Belgium
tazm is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have here a Bosch D regulator dated "11 Z"
What year would be that regulator??
There is also a stamp GR
II.B.III
Anybody knows what that could mean??

Thanks,

Guido
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger Gallery Classifieds Feedback
johnshenry Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: September 21, 2001
Posts: 9359
Location: Northwood, NH USA
johnshenry is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

D regulators are also date coded:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


This one is a 7F, or July 1950. "6M" is on all D regs (that I have seen).


I think I have seen the "Z" codes on some Bosch items and can only guess that that might have been a post-era marking, your Z reg is actually made in '63 as a replacement part for earlier cars.
_________________
John Henry

'57 Deluxe
'56 Single Cab
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
tazm
Samba Member


Joined: June 10, 2001
Posts: 530
Location: Belgium
tazm is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi John,

I removed that regulator from a 47 engine , I opened it and I found something strange ! The housing is in poor condition, I never had a D regulator with that kind of pitting on the housing ! So I think it is old !
I've bin told that these regulators where used in a Radio car ??????
In the last picture it is next to a 50ties regulator !
Check the pictures please !

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.



Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.




Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Regards,

Guido
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger Gallery Classifieds Feedback
johnshenry Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: September 21, 2001
Posts: 9359
Location: Northwood, NH USA
johnshenry is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting! It appears to have a condenser (capacitor) attached to the circuit breaker contact bus. As a noise reduction component, I would have expected to see it on the regulator contact instead.

Is the reg on the right a 1950? What month? It has the larger tab on the ground bus that my 7F does not. I thought the earlier regs did not have that.

I have a reg that was on an engine that was left exposed to the elements for probably 20 years. It is quite pitted, but not as rusty on the inside as yours. But it WORKS! I will probably sell it in the classifieds here soon, it would be good on a "rat" split....
_________________
John Henry

'57 Deluxe
'56 Single Cab
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
tazm
Samba Member


Joined: June 10, 2001
Posts: 530
Location: Belgium
tazm is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The other regulator is 5 G so 5/51
I thought it was my 5/50 regulator but that was sold recently !

Any thoughts about The "GR II & III " stamp
And RS/GK/136/6/2Z

Thanks,

Guido
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger Gallery Classifieds Feedback
tazm
Samba Member


Joined: June 10, 2001
Posts: 530
Location: Belgium
tazm is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Found this licst for Blaupunkt Radio's
R = 1955/56
K = 1956/57
S = 1957/58
G = 1958/59
Q = 1959/60
D = 1960/61
E = 1961/62
T = 1962/63
U = 1963/64
V = 1964/65
W= 1965/66
X = 1966/67
Y = 1967/68
Z = 1968/69
A = 1969/70
B = 1970/71
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> Beetle - Split-Window/1938-53 VWs All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page: 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Page 1 of 4

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.