build card decoding

[ggdad1951]

some of this is obvious, like delivery location and date...but what about all the punches?

[Young Ed]

Mark there's the number that should be stamped on the pad above your generator. And looks like it was delivered new to Mpls thats neat.

[TodFitch]

some of this is obvious, like delivery location and date...but what about all the punches?

There are two lines of teletype/lineprinter text on the card, one at the top and one along the middle. Looking at the numbers and letters printed and the associated holes below them, it looks very likely to me that the punched holes are the same as the text.

The coding looks unfamiliar to me, but then I've only been programming computers since the early 1970s and your card is from the pre-computer (at least pre-computer in any significant commercial use) days when plug board based accounting machines were using punched cards. And it has been so many decades since I've had to look at a punched card to decode it.

Looks like the even numbers have two holes, perhaps one for parity. The top hole gives the number, the lower whole confirms even/odd? And over on MINN... it looks like a top hole indicates alphabetic.

Edited September 12, 2011 by TodFitch

[oldmopar]

May not be much help but below is some link to some information on WWII dodge trucks build cards

http://www.command-car.com/technik/technikbuildcards.html

[ggdad1951]

well from the explanation they give I figure the following further info (which matches up with my truck knowing the info):

chassis model: 310

wheel base:126

color code: 3

axle ratio: 4.3

Body Type: 36

Prodction Number: 24685th in production

now from the punches in the card I wonder if they line up in the "cell" that it meant it was a selected option?

In the upper section there are punches in "_ T PUMP", "ARM REST", "AUX TL LM_" and "NEW ___ SER". I don't have an arm rest (I think, altho for some reason I thought I did), and no idea what the others may mean.

In the lower section I have the "delux body" and there is a punch there, and a "1" typed in. But I have no idea what the "B" by the "__USM E" is or the "5" that is typed in by the hole punch in "AIR CL D P".

Edited September 13, 2011 by ggdad1951

[OLD DODGE]

ggdad,

The punches mean the exact same thing as the text at the top of the columns. There are two rows of 45 columns on each card. A single punch is an odd number. That same punch along with a punch for a 9 makes it an even number. Top punch is a 0. Next down is a 1 or 2, third line is a 3 or 4, fourth line is 5 or 6, fifth line is 7 or 8, last line is the 9. The alpha characters use combinations of 2 and 3 punches.

One anomaly is the "B" in column 49. That would normally be a number in that spot. I don't have my books in front of me, so later I'll look up your codes and tell you what they mean.

Kevin Clause

Edited September 14, 2011 by OLD DODGE

[OLD DODGE]

ggdad,

First to expand a little more than earlier. This generation card actually has three rows of columns, the third one being down the middle. You were referencing the third row in your original post. If you have any options appearing in the third row of columns the punches would be in the the second row columns 73,74, or 75 and the corresponding printed number would be in the appropriate third row columns. I hope thats not to confusing. You do not have any options there anyway.

Your truck's sales order number is 412756. This number is generated when the truck order is entered and eventually becomes the invoice number to the dealer. See my attached photo of a half ton invoice number. The trucks didn't leave the factory in the same sequence that the orders were entered so that is why the invoice numbers are not in chronological order.

You have a red 1951 one ton express truck with single rear wheels. The original tire size front and rear was 7.50 x 16 - 8 ply. I believe the anomaly with the "B" in your transmission column is a mistake. It is probably supposed to be a "7". If you take away the top punch the "B" becomes a "7". That would be for a four speed helical tranmission with an 11 inch clutch. you also have the Delux cab and optional heavy duty air cleaner and oil filter.

Anything I didn't mention should be obvious but if you have a question on anything let me know.

If anyone is interested in obtaining a build card for their truck, which should be everybody reading this, they are available up through 1954 and some '55s. The Chrysler website says something else, 1950 I think, just disregard that. They won't fix it for some reason.

Kevin Clause

[ggdad1951]

wow, cool. THANKS! That all lines up with what I see on the truck.

Yah, they go up to at least 55 from the e-mail I got back from them when I first inquired...it just takes 2-3 months for them to get it looke dup and sent back to you, but not a bad $25 spent!

[OLD DODGE]

This truck was recently entered into Eric's registry.

 

http://www.townwagon.com/4853registry/display.php?serial=82208532

 

It too has a letter for the transmission. This is only the fourth example from this revision of build cards that I have seen

and two of these have letters for transmissions. So I am changing my opinion to this.

 

  What this means is Dodge had more than 9 possibilities for transmissions.  After the number 9, A=10, B=11, C=12, and so on. This also applies to the date in the upper left corner of this most recent example. The owner appears to have re-created his build card and in doing so incorrectly put "0" instead of "C" in these two positions.

 

ggdad, what do you have for a transmission?

 

Kevin

[David A.]

I have certainly made my share of mistakes, but in this instance I am pretty sure I got those letters right. I will try to attach a couple pictures of the original copy I got from Chrysler. The transmission is a 3 speed fluid drive. I'm not sure what the circle is above and between the numbers 52 & 52. It seemed out of place so I didn't put it on the build card I reproduced.

David Anderson

[David A.]

Well... I may have to eat crow on my above statement and chalk up another mistake. Since Kevin has seen many more build cards than I have, I went back and looked harder at the original copy. It's very difficult to make out and since it seemed everything was a number, I assumed those were zeros. It does appear however that if the state abbreviation NC at the far right were to barely intersect a line on the right hand side, it would make the "c" look like a "0". What about the letter at the top above capacity? Should that be a "c" as we'll, or do you think a "0" is correct there?

Thanks for the advice!

David A.

[OLD DODGE]

David,

 

 I first want to tell you how much I was admiring your re-creation. I know how much time you had to put into doing that as I did one myself before. Also thanks for sharing your original build card.

 

The numbers or letters at the top of each column must match the holes that are punched in that column. Your CAPACITY is punched and marked 0 for a half ton truck. You have three columns that are marked and punched as the letter "C". These are columns 1, 49, and 89.

 

Column 1    C=12=December

Column 49  C=12= Three Speed Fluid Drive

Column 89  C= Carolina

 

The small mark between columns 50 and 51 is nothing. The second digit in your engine serial suffix appears to not be a 9. It looks like either a 3 or an 8 but its hard to tell with the lower part filled in and a white line right through the part that distinguishes those two characters apart from each other.

 

Great job and thanks for sharing!

[David A.]

Thank you for the information. I will now have to make a new correct build card. I agree with you about the 9 looking more like a 3 or an 8, but my engine number is definitely 99562, not 98562. I would think it highly unlikely that if the engine was replaced, it would be different by only one digit? I can only assume whoever set up the number stamp made a mistake? That seems unlikely, but I can't think of another good explanation.

Thanks again,

David

[TodFitch]

. . . I can only assume whoever set up the number stamp made a mistake? That seems unlikely, but I can't think of another good explanation. . .

My build card shows my engine number correctly. But the number on the frame has "PC" instead of "PD" as the engine number prefix. Digits are correct.

 

I'm pretty sure that mistakes were made on that type of thing from time to time. And I bet shipping the car was more important that making sure all the build documentation was perfect.

[ggdad1951]

what, they weren't ISO1948 certified!   I'm SHOCKED! 

[Phil363]

I will be ordering a build card for my Dodge B-3-B tomorrow after reading this.  If your still willing to review others build cards I will be sure to send you a copy of mine.

 

Phil

[Merle Coggins]

I got my build card a couple days ago and I'm trying to understand it. Comparing mine to Mark's, and others from this thread, I understand most of it. But what's up with the date code in the upper left corner? Mine is stamped with a Build Date of Dec 21 1950, which matches up with other clues I found during the build. And yet the date at the top is 1-4 (Jan 4th). That would be after the build date. I see that Mark's has a similar date anomaly.

Mine shows BODY TYPE as 12. This must be the code for 3/4 Ton Express, and Mark's 36 must mean 1 Ton Express.

.Also curious about column 39... SHIP ??? Mark's and mine both show "3", but the tires and wheels are different. I would expect the tires and wheels to be different since I have a 3/4 ton and Mark's is a 1 ton, but what is that next column?

I have a "D" in the Transmission column. This must be the code for Fluid Drive with 4 speed spur gear trans, since that's what my truck has.

I also have 1's in the "RUN. BRDS. column and RR FENDER columns. What does that mean? I don't recall anything special with the rear fenders. Is RUN BRDS running boards? Both Mark and I have running boards on our trucks. His are obviously longer being a longer truck, but why doesn't he have a mark in that column?  I'm also curious about the AIR C L ??? column where Mark has a code and mine does not. Anyone know what that one is?

Lastly, What is the _EG just before the DESTINATION area. Mine is 15, Mark's is 13. Is that some sort of Dealer code?

Mine shows it went to Red Oak, IA, which makes sense. I bought my truck from a guy in Marion, IA. He had it for about 1 year and didn't do anything with it. He told me he got it from a farmer that may have been the original owner. The Iowa title showed the previous owner as being from Glenwood, IA, which is about 30 miles west of Red Oak. 

Not sure why it wants to turn the picture sideways. I thought I had that corrected before uploading it.

[48Dodger]

Guess its time I get my build card.....just incase it turns out to be a ford or something unfortunate like that.

48D

build card info

 

 

Edited May 3, 2017 by 48Dodger

[JBNeal]

I am glad to hear that FCA is still in the build card business, maybe I'll try again 

[ggdad1951]

still never cashed the check I sent in...now it's a little late!

[Pete]

They never cashed my check either. It's been many months...

 

[JBNeal]

After cross-referencing the factory parts manual, I am thinking the AIR CL. O.F. stands for Air Cleaner Oil-Bath Filter, with either a 1 pint or 1 quart fluid capacity.  Depending on the truck's standard equipment, upgrading to a 1 quart could have been an option.

The punches for running boards and rear fender have me stumped; maybe it has something to do with the chassis model...?  On p.13 of Bunn's Bible, there is a picture of a cab and chassis model with running boards and fenders but no bed.

On ‎4‎/‎22‎/‎2017 at 8:42 AM, Merle Coggins said:

...
I also have 1's in the "RUN. BRDS. column and RR FENDER columns. What does that mean? I don't recall anything special with the rear fenders. Is RUN BRDS running boards? Both Mark and I have running boards on our trucks. His are obviously longer being a longer truck, but why doesn't he have a mark in that column?  I'm also curious about the AIR C L ??? column where Mark has a code and mine does not. Anyone know what that one is?
...

 

[Merle Coggins]

Thanks Brian,

I haven't had a chance to follow up on any of it yet...  And my check was never cashed yet either. Why state a fee for the service and not accept payment?

[Vet Doc]

I received a build card in the mail today and was concerned about decoding.  Mine appears much easier to decode than the others. I guess because of its bit earlier age?  Does anyone know where I should look for the body number?  All the rest seems to match.

 

Todd

[Frank Elder]

My neck.....