I reckon it was stamped prior to assembly as Pagewood, Dandenong and Mosman Park assembled cars have chassis numbers from the body assembly plant (Elizabeth). Otherwise they'd have the assembly plant's number.

The bodies were assembled in the Body Assembly Plant, and got a chassis number and BODY plate (and ADR plate if after 1/1/70). Then it was shipped to the Vehicle Assembly Plant for vehicle assembly. Sometimes the plants were local to each other. Sometimes they were in other States. The reason I suspect the HK-HG chassis numbers were stamped prior to the body being put together is the fact that they got a chassis number from the BAP. If they got a chassis number AFTER body assembly they'd have gotten a VAP chassis number like happened in HQ-HZ.
Just to clarify, a HG van assembled in Pagewood VAP used an Elizabeth BAP body. It had an ELizabeth BODY plate, chassis number and ADR plate. The only thing Pagewood was the VIN plate.
For the same thing but in HJ, the car go only an Elizabeth BODY plate, the rest was Pagewood ie the chassis was stamped (and probably chassis also built) at Pagewood.

Logic to me says that logistically it would have been better to stamp a chassis number at the VAP, but this was not done in HK-HG (proven by HG vans) therefore it must have been stamped prior to body assembly. The fcat the early cars (pre 1970) had a code for the BAP and VAP on teh end of the chassis number also hints at this.

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Originally posted by HK1837
I talked to the guru on this, appears that the chassis (firewall) number on these was stamped AFTER painting, hence done after the body was assembled.

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Are you sure about this Byron ? Why is it that the stamping never disturbs the paint, they really do look as though the stamping came before the painting.

I just had a look at an HD & an HG in my shed & they both look the same in that regard.

On the HD the second 'S' has actually disturbed the paint & looks to have been stamped later.

Dr Terry

wernt only certain types of body built at each plant i.e sedan maybe all, utes and vans at one copes at another broughams prems at another then the body shipped to another assemble plant?

The stamp on my car even after having it's firewall "smoothed" is still quite clear, however the 2nd B is missing, which would agree with what Warren said.

So, is it that they all were stamped when the body got to the assembly stage and then the factory of final assembly stamped the second letter?

thats about right unless some sort of metal dolly(which could also be possible ) was used behind the number being stamped. as without it would distort the firewall as warren said

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Originally posted by Warren Turnbull
All of what we are talking about happens only the HB to LC Torana, HD to HG Holden.

Pre HD holden the number was stamped into the chassis, which was not part of the car, the same with HQ to HZ. These cars have a number fromthe VAP, not the BAP.

When a body is assembled and shiped it has nothing forward of the firewall and is painted. So if the chassis number is stamped before painting it MUST be stamped by the BAP. If afterwards it could be stamped by the VAP.

As the machine stamps the entire number at once, I beleive there is a lot of force involved, making the placement of a solid object behind it manditory. This would be impractical after the body was asembled. So my beleif, which is probably wrong, is the chassis number was stamped into the firewall before it was welded into the body.

Someone with more experience in sheet metal stamping might be able to add something here, as to distortion of the metal if that number was stamped into a fully assembled body. If no distortion then my theory would be wrong.

Warren

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the way to tell for sure would be to remove that section of the wall & see if there is a indentation in the plenum or section directly behind the stamping, it may need to be done to multiple cars? maybe greg at classic oz wreck could have a look next time he's wielding the gas axe?
a bit extream but if you wanted to know!

The chassis number stamping, according to Ben, is always stamped after painting. So the inner guards of FE to EH, chassis on HQ to WB, front member of Commodore and Gemini etc would all be the same. Stamped after final painting.

The reason being is a chassis/identification number is not allowed to be painted over.

So any Holden with a stamped chassis number can be checked to see if stamped before or after painting, not just HD to HG and LC and LJ Torana.

I shall still stand behind the second S on my car being stamped before painting, but this might not be relevent to the full chassis number. Even though GMH include it in the number according to their literature.

Warren

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Originally posted by petaus
thanks for the replys ,good thread i just cant see it being stamped on the car on a hk if you look under the dash there,s no room.
i beleive it must of been stamped just befor that panel was fitted to the rest of the shell.
i was told by a kid i went to school with who,s dad worked at acacia ridge that gaurds and bonnets were made at that plant as these were common to every car except gts this was in hq days, and when they switched to hj they spents days out the back putting axes through panels that were no longer needed. lol
pete.

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Hi Pete, Not too sure about HKs but I have an HQ coupe that has a number stamped in the firewall as it is a Sydney car. Before I restored the car and had it all stripped and painted, the firewall was as per original and the number on it had obviously been stamped after the car was painted as minute rust was starting to show in the letters. The car had been left outside for a time with no bonnet on. Maybe the earlier cars were made the same way as they are all Holdens after all. It could also be a plant to plant thing as I know the Monaro guru told me once to only look at Sydney coupes when seeking references for my resto. The Melbourne cars were done quite differently.

But probably the best way to confirm the stamping question you brought up is to go to a wrecking yard where you will see every car that has a stamped number on it with the letters rusting while the surrounding paint is just fading away. I went to Kelly's wrecking in Brisbane many times to get bits and look at other HQs whilst doing my car and walking through the rows of old Holdens you would notice the rusting numbers on panels. After seeing this, the only answer is that the numbers were done after painting as if they were painted over as suggested then they should not have rusted like they do. I have never worked out why some cars rust much worse than others though. Maybe this will help you.

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Originally posted by D. A. Barnes

the only answer is that the numbers were done after painting as if they were painted over as suggested then they should not have rusted like they do.

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This is not conclusive proof, corrosion occurs where stress and energy levels are highest, ie around deformations such as stamping, regardless of which stage it was painted.