Frosty,
The V-series Model Number Date, as well as the Series Code Date Ranges are based on a number of sources including:
1) Sears/Craftsman catalog observations,
2) the purchase recollections of 100's of GJ, GG, and CC site members over the last 5 years,
3) my own collection and inventory records of Crafty tools,
4) the expert observations and opinions of several "tool authorities/collectors", and
5) selected government records including patent registrations, trade name registrations, FTC filings, and numerous court case filings.
Yes, there have been numerous people who felt the V-series model numbering started before 1975, but they were not able to provide credible evidence. For the record, WF-series tools had model numbers starting in the mid-1960's. And BF-series tools had model numbers starting in the late 1960s or early 1970's.
For what it's worth, your RHFT ratchet is, in my opinion, the best ratchet Sears/Craftsman ever sold, as well as one of the best kept secrets Sears ever had. The RHFT ratchets were available for 40 years, yet are relatively rare compared to the number of LLTD ratchets sold over a 28 year period.
