Yes and I absolutely agree with you that usually and 99.99% of the time the FMVSS compliance decal was put on at the end of the assembly line BUT from my experience dealing with the DOT, NHTSA, EPA, CPSC, and just about every federal regulatory agency here and in Canada there is a chance of that not being the case. As I explained about the vehicle leaving the factory with a date of manufacture compliance label current at that time and a certain component delayed (item on the vehicle was not in compliance with new regulations) this meant that the compliance label did not match the actual date of final manufacture. When the correct complying component was installed that was the new date of FINAL manufacture. Take the Daytona and Superbird for example they rolled off of the end of the Chrysler assembly line on at best on or near the fender tag Scheduled Production Date (SPD) but that was not the point of final manufacture.

Another example would be my '69 GTX with a SPD of C16/Dec 16, 1968. Let's say I ordered it and didn't want the head restraints or spend the money for them. Now there's a delay in manufacturing and it does reach the end of the assembly line and gets pushed to a holding area (done many times, even with the A12 cars) awaiting the final pieces, parts and doesn't get finished until the first week of January 1969. Guess what I get free head restraints that are mandatory as of January 01, 1969. Yes I'm being anal and splitting hairs but by Federal law that FMVSS Date of Manufacture compliance label can't be installed until FINAL manufacturing is completely completed. The Monroney Label (window sticker) also has to be changed and updated to reflect the standard head restraints. Just saying this because of the legal battle a while back on "The Last XXXX Manufactured" noting both the VIN and the date of manufacture on the FMVSS compliance label. Date of Manufacture trumps VIN sequence if done to the letter of the regulation or FEDERAL LAW.

I was not going to have new DoM FMVSS labels made or change this label on several hundred vehicles with our situation until I was ordered to by our legal department and informed about the consequences in fines and jail time for non-compliance with a FEDERAL SAFETY regulation. The FMVSS compliance label by law is to be installed on the day of FINAL manufacture usually at the end of the assembly line which is not always the case where and when that is. I'm out of breath,

Mike