1969 early vs. late what's the difference? Where's the cutoff?

 

No cutoff just many changes throughout the model year

 

You could use several methods to come-up with what is early, mid and late. Most of us the change of certain items that were modified or resigned. For me I would break it down to 3rds about 13,000 in each Early Sept 68 to Jan 69, Mid Jan 69 to Aug 69 and Late Aug 69 to Dec 69.

 

Female hood latch on pass. side is different. After the strike ended, looks like mid summer, some suppliers had switched to 1970 design parts and the extended build out of 1969 Vettes results in Chevy using those.
Hence the need to specify Early/Late.

 

Get this book...

 

A compilation from the Doc:

A word of caution about radiator seals:

Be aware of sponge rubber seals with wrinkled pressure sensitive adhesive. If the protective peel- off paper that covers the pressure sensitive adhesive is wrinkled, you have a defective substandard part. These parts will not stay attach e d to your fan shroud or radiator support. Wrinkled pressure sensitive adhesive allow s the adhesive to dry out and pull away from the seals.

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Radiator seals:

Early 69 uses a short one piece air dam; late 69 uses three piece air dam If the air dam is missing, inspect the top of the radiator support for glue residue to help determine the correct application. Earl 69 radiator support seals do not use push in fasteners to attach the seals; therefore the seals do not have mounting holes. Late 69 seals use push in fasteners and have holes.



427 Radiator seals:

Early 69 427 does not use push in fasteners to mount the radiator seals to the support --thus these seals do not have mounting holes. Late 69 427 uses push in fasteners and has holes.

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LT-1 radiator seals:

Early LT-1 uses a 3 piece air dam, while Late LT-1 uses a long 1 piece air dam. If the air dam is missing, inspect the top of the radiator support for residue of the glue to help determine the application

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Wiper relay valves:

Early 69 is mounted under the right side fender skirt. Late 69 is mounted on the firewall next to the master cylinder.

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69 Coupe rear door weatherstrips

Early 69 is until approx November 22, 1968

Mid 69 is approx November 22, 1968 to February 20, 1969

Late 69 is after February 20, 1969

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69 convertible lock pillar weatherstrips

Early 69 is before approx August 22, 1968

Late 69 is after and uses an auxiliary plastic wedge

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The actual date on most coolant expansion tanks usually predates the final assembly of the vehicle by 1 to 3 months. However some tanks are dated the same month.



Factory GM blueprints show eight different manufacturers as GM approved suppliers for both 5/8” and 3/4” heater hoses. Each company used a different pattern of marks for identification.

 

Engine block casting numbers vary. After the strike the 3963512 block was introduced, intended for the 454 for the 1970 model year but was installed in the 1969 model run (with the 427 crankshaft). Another big change post-strike was the introduction of the 3946074 “Open chamber” heads (aka “2nd design”) and related parts.

 

I once saw a pair of 074 Cylinder Heads on e-bay with 1968 Casting Dates.

 

As Wolfgang (Arte Johnson) used to say “verrrrry interesting”

 

...a little pricey though:

 

My 69 coupe , # 13669 , production date 1-21-69 , have all of the early items on it .

 

You really can't generalize what early or late is. It all depends on what part you are concerned with. Some "early" 69 parts changed to late within weeks of production start. An example would be the bellowed rubber boot behind the windshield wiper door actuator. The first version (as on my Oct. 68 car) was shorter and was affixed with 2 small screws front and back. Quite early this was changed to the commonly available reproduction boot which has an additional bellow at each end and has no screws. In the same area the actuator itself is considered early if it is the coffee can style which was changed almost at the end of production to the pie pan style. As was said above, there were running changes throughout production so early and late differs for different parts.
Jeff

 

My January 16 build (#13367) came with the '68 style, chrome kick panel vent *****. I don't know when they changed over to the round ones but I've never seen another '69 that had them.

 

My sept 68 (69) has the rectangular ***** as shown. I have the coffee can wiper actuator also and the female belt buckles with the blue GM buttons.
Joe

 

They changed to the round version around VIN 14000. Also there are TWO distinct type rectangular ***** for the 69 model year. I have them on my car vin 12871.

 

There are soooo many changes.
Off the top of my head I can think of these:

Vent switches as described in my last post.
Seat belts. Early style up to about the 21st week of production 1969 then switched (around the time of the end of the strike)
Console plate. Three types, not sure of when they switched but two versions had 4 screws and one version had 6 screws.
Wiper actuator. Early Coffee can up to about maybe September/Oct 69 then pie pan after that.
Wiper relay valve (mentioned by 3x2) moved to firewall around March 69. Then changed again slightly because it interfered with the hood closing, not sure how late.
Early grill had the ‘chrome’ painted front. Then around late Jan early Feb 69 it was not painted.
Headlight cover size may have changed, not sure. I know they changed from 68 at some point.
Early interior compartment doors had spring hinges. Some time around late Feb/Mar 69 they didn’t.
Here is a little known one. Early BB radiator frames up to Feb 69 (not sure if they are the same as small block) had a drilled and tapped hole on the drivers side facing the front that a ground wire would be screwed into. Later cars had the ground wire hooped to the middle screw that screws into the radiator to the sidewall and did away with the screw hole.

Theres lots more.

 

My 69,Sept, 6, 1968 (#737) has what I thought were the 2nd design 68 chrome triangle vent *****. Your seat belts appear to have a stud for the shoulder belts while mine has a hole.

 

Correct, those are aftermarket seatbelts. The originals were long gone when I got the car which, BTW, most of it came in boxes.

 

Battery cables changed from top post to side terminal in the summer of 1969

 

This ground wire?