Strat body question

Hi all. I'm beginning to build my first partscaster. I'm not a guy who is real handy with tools or who has experience building stuff, but I figure that if I turn building into a hobby then I can justify having far more guitars than I need. I have a few questions about a body I recently bought on ebay. It was advertised as a 1996 Tex-Mex strat. Pics are here...

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q290/Sheepthrlz/IMG_0347.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q290/Sheepthrlz/IMG_0346.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q290/Sheepthrlz/IMG_0348.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q290/Sheepthrlz/IMG_0349.jpg


Question 1: Do genuine Fender bodies have serial numbers? I was expecting to find one in the neck joint of this body but there's none to be found.

Question 2: There is a circular rout beneath and between the neck and middle pickups (clearly pictured in 3rd image). This is the only strat body I've seen, in person, with the pickguard off, so maybe that's standard, but I've never noticed it in other pictures. Any thoughts on what this is?

Question 3: Is there much variability in terms of neck-body fit? That is, do all MIM necks fit all MIM bodies? Alternatively, are MIM and MIA necks interchangable?

Thanks for the wisdom.

Liam

Hi all. I'm beginning to build my first partscaster. I'm not a guy who is real handy with tools or who has experience building stuff, but I figure that if I turn building into a hobby then I can justify having far more guitars than I need.
And more tools! arr arr arr

Question 1: Do genuine Fender bodies have serial numbers? I was expecting to find one in the neck joint of this body but there's none to be found.

Question 2: There is a circular rout beneath and between the neck and middle pickups (clearly pictured in 3rd image). This is the only strat body I've seen, in person, with the pickguard off, so maybe that's standard, but I've never noticed it in other pictures. Any thoughts on what this is?

Question 3: Is there much variability in terms of neck-body fit? That is, do all MIM necks fit all MIM bodies? Alternatively, are MIM and MIA necks interchangable?

I don't know definate answers, but I don't think bodies have s/n but may have initials or dates.

The circles have been discussed before and I think it generally accepted that they are some kind of position mark for the CNC cutters.

I believe the neck pockets are reasonably consistant.

The body is the same as the Jimmie Vaughan Strat its all normal. Here is mine.

http://www.marcondo.com/marcondo/guitar/JV15.jpg

Ha Ha. I forgot to add it, but I was going suggest contacting Mark Davis for correct answers.

Thanks for the feedback y'all. I'm sure I'll be posting more and more questions as this project progresses.

liam