The date code on the short one is 0-8::. ( a full 1/4 inch shorter) which comes out to 1943, but the actual mold was made in 1938. Correct me if I am wrong. I am wrong a lot. The question I have is what happened in 38 for them to make the mold smaller and why is it that all I can find is a 1943 insulator. I haven't seen a short insulator with any other code. Of course, I haven't seen a lot. Thanks for any replies. ------------------------------------- Reply from Bob Machann: 1942 was the first new mold set with the shorter skirt. However, existing 0-8 molds were shortened as well. The #42 wasn't the only insulator changed this way. Hemingray also introduced a slimmer #12 about the same time. Later on, in 1956, Hemingray introduced a smaller #9 (CD 107). -------------------------------------- Reply from Leon Prestia, Jr.: My dates are 42,49, 57 See Leon's Pic: [id=116386915]