Most of the 219/220 hammerless utility models were not serial numbered. Remember, serial numbers weren't required by law until 1968. Also, Savage didn't start using a date stamp until 1949, so being a Utica gun that rules that out.

No clue what the 979 would be, though since it was reblued that could be the original 219 stamping and it's just really faded and hard to read or whomever reblued it re-stamped it incorrectly thinking that's what the original roll stamp read. You did say it was found rusty in a garage, so I'm sure the gunsmith had to do a lot of polishing to clean it up for the reblue which would have removed the factory roll marks if there was deep pitting in those areas.