[Lynn]

I don't think there is much sold over the counter without date codes, especially if it could be defective.

They needed to be able to verify when it was made in case of a warranty claim.

I have little experience with NOS gas tanks. Can't tell you what the A stands for.

I do know that the tank that was in my car when I did the resto was an over the counter tank. I always suspected there was some serious rear end carnage when the car was still under warranty. There was a small chunk missing from the snubber, and the entire rear axle assy was an over the counter unit. Although the axle casting date was a week or two before the build date on my car, there was no axle code stamped on the housing. So, I suspected it was a warranty replacement.

When I checked the tank for a date code, it was dated Jan. 70, after they quit production on the 69's, so I know it is (was) an over the counter tank. I now have a Spectre tank on my car. My old one was dented, and I couldn't see trying to restore it seeing it wasn't original to the car and I had no warranty paperwork to prove the story.

I will look on my Spectre tank when I get a chance, and see if there is anything stamped there.

Sorry for the long answer, but that is why I believe over the counter units received date codes. At least they did in 1970.

Funny story on another note. When I was wrenching at the Buick dealership in the 70's, one of the guys was busted for replacing a front compressor seal under warranty, when he really hadn't. How did the zone rep know? When doing warranty work, we always had to save the old parts and turn them in to the GM zone rep.

The seal had a date code on it, 8 dots meant a seal made for a 78 model. He turned in a seal from a non warranty compressor job and it was way too early for the car in question.