There are some numbers stamped into many (all?) VDM steering wheels. Photo of mine attached showing number 47. I am interested in looking at a collection of these stamps for a little study I am doing. If you have such a photo, please send it to me and let me know as close as possible the year of the steering wheel or car it came from (production or model year).
I will report the results even if I don't learn much.
I have three VDM wheels. My original is stamped "35". Build date May 30, 1963.
The other two are ones I bought as potential donors for converting to wood. One was done by Jack Arct (r.i.p.) and is stamped "211". The other is stamped "311". I do have one done by Bruce Crawford on the car but I know it is not original to the car.
Dick, Seriously, I know nothing about those numbers in the steering wheel hubs -- as in photo below. Same as I said on this forum back in 10-2-2011: As for the numbers stamped in the center, I do not know what the numbers mean. I do not think they are date codes. If anybody has a pile of plastic wheels, jot down the number and type: T-5 smooth roundy spokes or T-6/C flanged spokes, black paint on the back. Maybe by studying the numbers, some conclusion can be drawn. I'm still curious to figure out those "codes"
I am working on a theory for this and need all the data points I can get.
Anyone having a photo and can send it with the info on the car model it belongs to, please send info to me. 65c356@comcast.net
I will report the tabulation of the information.
Thanks,
Paul
Paul Hatfield
"Miss April"
http://www.enginesinback.com
The numbers are VDM date codes, where the first digit represents the year, and the following digits represent the month.
Mike's number 35 is the date code for May 1963.
Paul's number 47 is the date code for July 1964, and the number 712 pictured is the date code for December 1957.
Here is the original wheel from my Roadster, built in September 1959, with the VDM number 98.
Jon-
I am in agreement with the date code description you provided above. I had the same "theory" and was looking for data points to confirm. So far everything lined up supporting what you have written. To my knowledge, this has not been posted or published before.
Paul
Paul Hatfield
"Miss April"
http://www.enginesinback.com