Sorry, but that does not hold water. Chrysler started using part numbers back in the 1920's so the second decade would be the 1930's and thus "24" would be 1934. Also, under the system you describe, the "1" for the first decade would be 1950's. However, 1946-1949 cars used part numbers beginning with "1" and 1949 going up to "13xx xxx". By your decoding, "13xx xxx" should be for a 1953 model. But it's not. Note sure who came up with the decade/year system, but I wish they had taken the time to verify the system works. Because it does not. As you can tell, this is not the first time I have run into this decoding system. Would like to know how part numbers 6000 001 and up are squared away. They started in 1957.
Now, if you checked the 1963 passenger car parts book you would find the lowest number is 50 082, for a Water Outlet Elbow Gasket" for V8 engines (A, B, RB) and run up through 1400 xxx, 1500 xxx, 1600 xxx, 1700 xxx, 1800 xxx, 1900 xxx, 2000 xxx, 2100 xxx, 2200 xxx, (skips 2300 xxx), 2400 xxx, to 2486 042, "Link, Rear Door Locking Control" for Plymouth and Dodge (TP and TD).
The numbers restart at 6000 050 and goes up to 6025 084, then jumps to 9405 928 finally ending at 9418 772. Lots of jumping around for the 94xx xxx numbers. The 6000 xxx numbers are for trim pieces and the sequence was first used in 1957.
The 2300 001 to 2399 999 sequence is not in any passenger car book I have. Do not have truck parts books for 1961-1968 so cannot tell where the numbers were used. Chrysler Engineering may have used them for Australian or some other subsidiary. Or, they may have been assigned to parts but the project was cancelled. Such as Exner's "S" series for 1962 with the curved side panels and windows. That whole block of numbers may have been set aside and used for parts assigned to the "S" series cars. But when the project was cancelled, all the number assigned to the "S" series were cancelled. Something similar occurred for the stillborn 1962 DeSoto (a Chrysler Newport with DeSoto nameplates). When the DeSoto was cancelled, someone took a pen and X'd out all the part numbers assigned to the 1962 DeSoto. Part numbers were never re-issued. (As per article by Jeff Godshall in Collectible Automobile on the S Series cars).
Part numbers were assigned numerically and each part was given a unique number. If a group of parts was assembled and marketed as one assembled piece, a part number was also assigned to the assembled part. Casting numbers were also recorded along with the part numbers. No duplication of casting numbers and / or part numbers. And Chrysler added different styles of part number layouts to handle items such as vinyl roofs, colours of upholstery, upholstery materials, etc.
Go to this website and download the 1963 parts book. All my numbers will be verified. And also check out the part numbers for cars built in the 1970's and 1980's.
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network