Andy Mace posted to the list
Bob wrote:
> > Well I bought it! What can the GT-6 experts tell me with only the
comm#
> > DKF20576U?
Tom Beaver replied:
> Oooh Bob, your car is 105 more than mine(KF 20461U). Not sure about
your D.
> Never have seen that on the front or rear of a #.
I mentioned this privately to Bob, but others might find it
interesting.
Several years ago, TSSC's Lion Guyot mentioned to me that, on
occasion, a "D"
initial prefix letter was used when duplicate commission numbers were
accidentally assigned during production. Perhaps that is the
explanation here?
Jonmac, do you know anything about this?
Hmmm. I won't challenge Leon or his source but I find this surprising.
I've never seen or heard of a D prefix anyway in which D signifies
duplicate. In fact, bearing in mind the automated nature of chassis
number allocation and the all important method of creating the plates
for fitment, I can't work out how any car could be allocated a
duplicate alpha or numeric. While the alpha coding obviously
identified the model, it was the numeric used to physically identify
the car at all stages in the build process.. This was demonstrated by
the appearance of windshield sticker in which the prefix and suffix
alphas were really quite small (say font pitch 20) in comparison to
the numeric which was substantially larger (say font pitch 50). For
example, when stockchecking the transit parks we would identify the
car by its overall shape and the check the numeric only. This was
because Production Control adamantly maintained the whole numbering
system was absolutely inviolate and incapable of corruption.
Personally, I'd err towards D signifying Development in which the D
was later added by engineering for a car in a batch of 'x' units
shipped out in advance of a new model year for Federal homologation.
Its worth remembering US spec vehicles were radically different to
cars for the UK and other export markets to the extent that they were
almost an entirely 'different' model. In this respect they would have
incorporated new safety and emission control features required for the
forthcoming model year and its my guess (stressing its a guess) that
any car shipped out of the UK from July onwards would qualify. The
cutover for new model requirements was finally notified from the US by
June 30 in any one year, though the 'likelihoods' were advised before
then. Consequently, a batch of cars would be built beforehand, later
modified by hand with the new features (when advised) and then shipped
out. A Heritage Certificate will confirm whether DKF20576U went down
the line in that format or as KF20576U. If the latter, then later
modification took place for purposes probably now unknown. D might
also signify De-toxed, though I'd expect this to appear on many more
cars than may have actually been produced.
With respect to Leon, I can't follow the D for Duplicate theory with
any conviction, though I am more than happy to be disproved with
documentary evidence.
Cheers
Jonmac
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