Who came up with the NGK part number system?

It would be nice but it will never happen. The worst way to pick a plug is by cross reference. There is so much leeway that the cross reference is at best a guess. The best way is to use the catalog of the plug manufacturer you want to use.

I've been tuning since 1973. I was making money by the 8th grade tuning dirt bikes. I only used Champion and still only use them. They are easier to read. And the nomenclature is much more simple. The higher the number the hotter the plug. NGK is backwards.

That's what I mean. Cross reference's for spark plugs are a nightmare. Good luck ever really figuring out which plug corresponds to which. I've run champion and autolite in my 340. Never noticed a difference between the two. Which reminds me. Gotta get new plugs for the new distributor!