alternator and fan belt stamps

[Dwathencars]

I've become a good customer for a web based rubber stamp site called rubberstampchamp.com.  They have an easy to use design tool for selecting type, font size, spacing etc
to have rubber stamps made from.  Or you can send them a pdf.   A one line date stamp like on the alternator is $4, a long stamp like for the fan belt is $15.   I decided that CSX2367
should have the FoMoCo version of the alternator stamp, and I had to have the date stamp made because a universal resettable stamp I already had wouldn't allow tight spacing.  I have a spare NOS 1963
Ford Alternator with the FoMoCo stamp that I made a pdf of.     CSX2367 has an original COBRA fan belt with very faded lettering as you can see in the photo.  I realize that the newly stamped belt in the photo is too wide
(although it fits my pulleys just fine) and I'm going to try some alternate inks and paints.   

Same comment as on my posting about Cobra keyrings  -  now you know what those of us in the North do on snowy weekends...

Dave

[Bob Gaines]

I would like to hear what Dan thinks of the belt. The stamped versions were not the typical versions seen on 65-70 Mustangs. I expected to see the same scenario on the Cobra.I wouldn't be surprised much if it was ink stamped on the low production Cobra if there was not another application that used the same length and groove size. If the belt was totally unique would be the only reason I could think of for a the word "COBRA" to be also stamped as well as a engineering number.  The ink stamped belts are the ones that are reproduced in the Mustang lines because it is easy but they don't represent what typically came on the cars originally.  The embossed (raise letters type) was more the typical. Some of the heat stamped debossed belts have been used in reproduction as well. The heat stamped versions isn't typical ether . There have been examples of ether the ink stamped or the debossed stamped  versions used in production cars but they were more the exception then the rule . The harder to make more typical embossed raised letter belts are not being reproduced currently.  I am a little skeptical that the COBRA marked stamped one was original but I hope it is because it would be easy to duplicate  .  All of the early Cobra /Tbird type alts That I have observed as well as the later 65-70 Shelby/Mustang ones had the honey colored varnish used to seal the windings and not the orange glyptal paint. I have had a number of NOS 65 dated service Cobra /Tbird type alternators and they too had the honey colored windings.  The gylptal paint is something seen a lot in rebuilt alternators. Just some of my opinions and observations for the discussion.   

[rr64]

The COBRA lettered belts are stock for CSX2201 up Cobras including all the works racers. They are extreme duty fully cloth wrapped. There are more than a few still in use. There are zero markings on any original belt I have looked at beyond the white ink printing. The white ink printing is real fragile. Any solvent or pressure washing (the used car lots of decades ago) would easily remove the lettering. SAI offered a service replacement for years after production of cars ended. More than one September 1966 dated service belt has been found.

Before work on cars besides Cobras (GT40s, GT350s, 427 Cobras for example) the parts numbering system used was very Fordish C4SA- prefix and based part number. The original part number was C4SA-8601 and a suffix that has so far been lost to time. The belts are marked

'COBRA SA-8601 MADE IN U.S.A.' plus a date code like 'K 66' for the September 1966 service part I have.

I have been providing art work for people to make their own stamps for quite a few years.

[Bob Gaines]

The COBRA lettered belts are stock for CSX2201 up Cobras including all the works racers. They are extreme duty fully cloth wrapped. There are more than a few still in use. There are zero markings on any original belt I have looked at beyond the white ink printing. The white ink printing is real fragile. Any solvent or pressure washing (the used car lots of decades ago) would easily remove the lettering. SAI offered a service replacement for years after production of cars ended. More than one September 1966 dated service belt has been found.

Before work on cars besides Cobras (GT40s, GT350s, 427 Cobras for example) the parts numbering system used was very Fordish C4SA- prefix and based part number. The original part number was C4SA-8601 and a suffix that has so far been lost to time. The belts are marked

'COBRA SA-8601 MADE IN U.S.A.' plus a date code like 'K 66' for the September 1966 service part I have.

I have been providing art work for people to make their own stamps for quite a few years.

Dan, what is the correct lenght belt to try and get close to  or is there a length that is available that is the same? Thanks .

[rr64]

Dan, what is the correct lenght belt to try and get close to  or is there a length that is available that is the same? Thanks .

I haven't measured one in years but my reverse engineering drawing (see post above) says the outer circumference is 48.0 inches.

On my drawing I indicate silk screening to apply the letters. The cloth texture of the belt cover is fairly rough. Most belts that barely have any lettering left have ink down in the low spots and nothing on the high areas in the texture. The lows being somewhat protected from contact wear. This image shows the lap joint in the cover on the outer diameter of a belt.
 

[Bob Gaines]

Thanks Dan. I think it is a do able task.

[Dwathencars]

Just to reinforce what Dan said, here's a (blurry) photo of my original belt showing the faded G 64 date that didn't show in my first post.  again, as Dan said, it's a wrapped belt with no other markings, mine is 48.5 inches outside dimension, and the texture has some visible weave.  G 64 is a little late for CSX2367 so may have been a replacement.   Dave

[Bob Gaines]

Dave,thanks for the picture and starting this discussion. Bob