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Re: Commission Plates

To: <spitfires@autox.team.net>, <griffco@cadvision.com>
Subject: Re: Commission Plates
From: "Nolan Penney" <npenney@mde.state.md.us>
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 07:56:25 -0400
Henry Ford, being the cheap skinflint that he was, in the manufacturing of the 
Ford Tractors the serial numbers were stamped using an I for a 1, a 6 as a 9 
upside down, and a few other things, just to save money on the purchase of 
punches.  I kid you not.  

So, it would not suprise me at all if what you've seen is another example of 
exactly that.  Though it may very well have been a worker "making due".  If it 
would have required shutting down the line to allow the worker to get another 
punch, or facing an irate supervisor about needing another punch, it becomes 
even more likely.

>>> Fred Griffiths <griffco@cadvision.com> 06/21 12:18 AM >>>
Looking at a friends MK IV Spit tonight, I noticed a few
interesting points about the commission plate and the dash.

The stamped date is APR 1971, the comm number is FKI1429        L.

Note that the third digit is definitely an "I", compared to
the fourth digit which is definitely a "1".  The "I" has no
tails, points or seriphs, while the "1" has the upswept
point at the top.  The "L" is separated from the rest by a
long distance.

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