Post office has stamps...and now I do too!

[69hurstolds]

Ok, after about 2 hours of stamping, I dampened a cloth and wiped the hose to see if the ink would hold up. It basically wiped off any excess, but left a clear and distinct lettering. Which I could live with. But I was still initially disappointed. I thought maybe it was technique or the ink or something. See here: The very top one and the one facing you was the 2 hour wipe test.

Figured it was one for the FAIL column. But I then stamped the hose again, with different stamps and then I left the hose out all night Tuesday, then it rained like a mother yesterday, and left them out in the sun to dry again, and then performed another wet rag wipe test just to satisfy the drying time issue....NO SMEARING! I think this stuff is pretty decent and water resistant if not waterproof as they claim. The key is, it's a pigment ink and everything I read on them you have to let them dry a LONG time for them to set, or use a heat gun or something to set them. Below is after stamping them Tuesday afternoon (about 11:40 AM Thursday here now), so they've been out in the weather for 2 days being rained on and the sun cooking on them, and then earlier today I did the wet rag wipe test on them. I'm calling it good, just as long as you let them dry overnight at least.

So here's my 87 442 with the ACDelco hose on it. So it's getting the first official stamp.
BEFORE-

30 seconds later- AFTER-

 

[84 W40]

Looks good to me

 

[fleming442]

So, Mr. NOS, does a Big A/Gates stamp count as an acceptable replacement?

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[69hurstolds]

So, Mr. NOS, does a Big A/Gates stamp count as an acceptable replacement?
View attachment 175540

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For you, it's probably as close to NOS that you give a crap to even admit!

Since Gates was a top tier supplier for GM, and maybe still might be, I'm sure that's a win in your book.

 

[fleming442]

Guess y'all didn't have Big A auto parts down yonder? I thought they went under long ago, but 1998 seems like yesterday.

COMPANY NEWS; APS HOLDING TO SELL 142 BIG A AUTO PARTS STORES (Published 1998)

APS Holding Corp, owner of Big A auto-parts chain, is selling 142 stores and 10 distribution centers for more than $100 million as part of its bankruptcy reorganization; APS is selling centers and stores to General Parts Inc, BWP Distributors Inc and Parts Source Inc (S)

www.nytimes.com

 

[69hurstolds]

More stamps! I have more inking to do. This hose recreation thing seems like it's coming to fruition. I'm slowly working up to what's needed to do several years' worth of G-body Olds hoses.

The lower hose has the Goodyear "foot" stamped on it. And they used that pretty much for 81-88 with all the same number stamped on them, although the parts book shows 557966 vs 65 for whatever reason.

There's at least 3 different versions of the foot stamping. I made 2 versions. One with the angled foot I did, but it's not shown here.

I was running out of room on my junk hose I've been using for "testing".

The 86-88 upper hose p/n stamp I made is a tad incorrect. It is and it ain't. They did have some NOS over the counter hoses stamped that way, but the factory version had a more compact setup, so I recreated that one. Also made a YA stamp for the steering gear. And an 84 H/O upper hose p/n stamp.

Also had the "coded" number/lettering that was sporadically stamped along the sides of the 84, 85, and 87 hoses.

I got to work on my stamping technique. Also, I had to use areas of my junk hose that aren't really where the stamps would go, so that has an affect. Got to lighten up a bit on the inking as well. I'll get there. The good part is, even if it's a little "hosed" up, it still passes.

The 84 H/O stamp example

86-88 upper hose p/n example (condensed version as factory)

YA test stamp for steering gear. (will actually be "inked" with black paint on the gearbox when the time comes).

87 lower hose (based on my 87 442 factory hose).

Here's the factory stamp-

And here's the repro stamp.

 

[JAMCAR223]

The Goodyear "shoe". Anybody remember?

 

[69hurstolds]

The Goodyear "shoe". Anybody remember?

You should see the "shoe" on 84 W40 's original hose. It looks like an Iron Man Boot. Apparently whoever stamped it back then had a bit of slippage (easy to do I've found out) and it made the toe real fat looking.

My 87 442 "repro" hoses are coming along nicely. I have the tiny ID markings all stamped in place and now waiting for this archival ink to dry so I can finish them off with the p/n stamp. I even "wrapped" the writing around the hose just like original. They stamp the hose before molding it, then after it's molded, the writing slightly barberpoles in places. The white ink I have is great, but man does it take a long minute for this stuff to dry.

 

[JAMCAR223]

You should see the "shoe" on 84 W40 's original hose. It looks like an Iron Man Boot. Apparently whoever stamped it back then had a bit of slippage (easy to do I've found out) and it made the toe real fat looking.

Good year steel toes

 

[84 W40]

Yup looks like a boot