ShortScale.org

So, I bought this guitar new in December 1973.
Dates:

=1973-74

= week 37, 1973
Then this:

This puzzles me slightly.
GGJaguar's page says that decodes as:
09= Stratocaster
01= Rosewood fingerboard
39= Week 39
5= Year, 1975
3= Day, Wednesday

Now, I know from a small set of grooves made by the threaded end of the tremolo arm that this is the same neck that was on the guitar when it went in for fret levelling back in the 90s, and that's the only work that's been done on it. Why does my neck have the wrong date code on it?

NickS wrote: Why does my neck have the wrong date code on it?

His interpretation of the neck date codes is just a hypothesis.He says:

"the decoding hypothesis set forth here need to be tested further and any information that readers wish to submit will be greatly appreciated. The information needed is serial number, model, neck type, green or red stamped code, and any pot or pickup dates. The info can be sent to me c/o the 20th Century Guitar offices at 135 Oser Ave, Hauppauge, NY 11788."

20th Century Guitar has been closed down for at least 5 years.

Maybe the day of the week and the year got reversed. I wonder if some
guy came in each morning and loaded the rubber stamp. If they were reversed
accidently it would mean it was actually a friday. That kinda makes sense. Everybody
is half cocked on fridays.

Sounds like a good explanation to me

If the stamp got swapped, it would make it a 1973 guitar built on a friday.

On friday in a factory, don't expect anything to be right ahahah

Edit: Disregard, doesn't make sense after re-reading the OP