Topic: Original Toploader photos

[J_Speegle]

Thanks Mike added the pictures to my collection and the data to my article as well as spreadsheet

Top cover markings appears to be a possible car plant or a specific worker thing since many don't have those so far in my pictures

[Anghelrestorations]

Mike...thanks for the photos and posting them here.  Sending you a separate message on this. 

[Anghelrestorations]

Im looking now at the drain plugs on the bottom of the toploader transmissions.  I think as a general rule we can say that the drain plugs were eliminated at some point into 1969 production and 1970 Mustangs would not have a drain plug in the bottom.  If anyone has seen something different let me know. 

[Anghelrestorations]

Adding a photo here for a visual. 

2021-04-16_23-25-30 by Marcus Anghel, on Flickr

[K-HESS]

I have a Toploader transmission from a 1969 Mustang 390 with tag code RUG-M3 that is original and unrestored. It does not have a drain plug. The date code on the front case is D119 and the best I can tell the tailhousing has a date code of C20. Unfortunately the transmission has one of those poor stampings from Metuchen with only part of the vin 9T0 being legible so no way to track the original car to verify the actual install date. If we assume the tag on the side started with a production number of 10001 as some have suggested and counted up from there it would seem odd that this transmission would have such a low production number of 4272 and not have a drain plug but on the other hand the later date on the case of April 1969 would presumably be a reasonable casting date for a transmission to have been used in the transition. I check inside the case and it does have a magnet glued in place so it's not something that got missed during production. One other note-I also have a Toploader out of a 1969 Torino/Fairlane RUG-AJ without a drain plug and the front case has a date code of B69. The tin tag has a production number of 018709. The vin number stamped in the top right ear is 9A249770. Both transmissions have the C8AR-7006-D W1 case.

[J_Speegle]

Thanks for posting

I have a Toploader transmission from a 1969 Mustang 390 with tag code RUG-M3 that is original and unrestored. ................... If we assume the tag on the side started with a production number of 10001 as some have suggested and counted up from there it would seem odd that this transmission would have such a low production number of 4272 ...................

Believe you meant to type 014272

Believe that the serial number might have placed it about mid year or a little later looking at other examples produced in 69. Possibly Feb production.

Does that match the cars real build date?

[Anghelrestorations]

Actually what I am most interested in is the casting date of the toploader case as that gives us an exact period of when it was made as related to the drain plugs or no drain plugs.  The D119 that is cast into the case translates into April 11 1969. 

As another example, I have a case here cast with an A120 which make it a Jan 12 1970 date.  Its stamped with the VIN and matches the car which was built middle of June 1970.  Big gap between cast date and assembly of the car but as I am expecting no drain plug.

[K-HESS]

Jeff I don't know anything about the original car I just have the transmission and with the poor vin stamping there is no way to find the original car.

The RUG-AJ Toploader I have has a B69 date which is the earliest date that I've seen so far without the drain plug. I also have an E189 dated case without a drain plug but this one could possibly be a very early 1970 production part having a mid May date. It does not have a tag or a vin number stamping.

Marcus I'm curious the case that you have with the A120 date was it a close or wide ratio and which plant was the car built at?

[J_Speegle]

Jeff I don't know anything about the original car I just have the transmission and with the poor vin stamping there is no way to find the original car.

Looks like we have pictures from two different cars/transmissions

The one Vin is clear but for the other as you say its not clear.  Both AJ's at least?

[K-HESS]

Jeff the second one has no tag and no vin number. There is no paint stamping either so it's unknown