Posts by Pete Bush_old

Doug,

How do you go about matching the original color of a standard wheel?

Welcome, Bill!

Mark described you as a “Mustang Team Worker”, but didn’t go into much detail beyond that. What function(s) did you perform?

It would be helpful to the rest of the Mustang community to have you share your first-hand knowledge. This particular thread deals with build sheets (Mark’s in this case). Perhaps you can elaborate some on how they were generated and used – perhaps some of the meanings of the codes if you remember.

Mark mentioned a static line sheet that followed the car on the Body and Paint line. Metuchen used a metal buck tag plate. Would this have served the same purpose?

He also mentioned crayon markings on the radiator support and other parts of the body. You might explain this process and the meanings of some of those markings.

In other words, anything you wished to elaborate on would be appreciated and would be helpful in moving the knowledge base of the hobby forward.

Pete

William (Bill?),

Would the assembly line have made these modifications, or were they performed after the car left the plant? If the line performed them, how were they instructed to do so? The build sheets don't appear to contain any codes that would direct such customization.

Pete

Mark,

Thanks for the measurements! We need to verify your rear gears before I can accept the driveshaft length as common to all K-code with C-4 combinations. Your build sheet codes for your rear gears are different than any other I have on file, and the length of the driveshaft would have been a function of the transmission and rear axle combination. Most times the rear end ratio doesn't play a role in determining the length. I would expect no difference in a driveshaft for 3:50 gears as compared to 3:89. But your codes are so unusual, it wouldn't hurt to confirm the rear gears.

Mark,

You’re dad is a great resource! Please do ask him to participate.

Sounds like the static line punchcards were an early version of the metal buck tags. It would be interesting to see a sample.

Does your dad remember the meanings of some of the radiator support codes?

sixfiveGT,

Back-up lights were changed to standard equipment for 66. The 1965 build sheets had an option code of 2 for back-up lights in the 8th box from the right on the second line:CLOCK - LITE GP - B/U LITE - SAFE CONV

The Remarks box usually indicates the typewritten notes at the bottom of the build sheet - if there was something special about the car. A couple of my export car build sheets, with comments at the bottom, use a 2 in the remarks box; I believe to indicate the number of comments.

Early dealer order forms for the 1966 model year, with a print date of June 1965, still had the option boxes for the back-up lights and rocker panel mldg., but these boxes were deleted from the October 1965 printing of this same form (Form FD 1841-M).

I too, have been curious about the rotation number. The one thing I would have expected to change on this car (with so many changes) was the rotation number. Especially after having been delayed for three weeks. The idea that it would be re-inserted into the line-up with the same rotation number seems highly improbable, but both build sheets have a ROT of 106. Curious....

Mark,

The pink build sheet suggests a two-tone paint job - black on the bottom and white on the top. I'd be interested in hearing if you find any evidence of this. Sounds as though the hood was white.

Also, there should be a tag on one of the bolts that attaches the rear gear set to the center carrier. The tag will have some info regarding the gear set; ratio, build date, etc. Maybe there's something there that further explains what an H code rear end is? Typical Mustang rears used number codes for standard gears and letter codes for limited slips.

Just think how lucky you are Mark. You get to build your car one of two different ways, and you'll be factory correct either way!

Talk about an extreme makeover!

The 65B code would identify a pony interior coupe, but there’s no 5 in the interior décor box on the original this was fixed on the pink copy as there is a 5 there.

I.B. Paint code 1 is interior paint white

Original was solid Wimbledon White exterior but was changed to a black bottom with a white top (police car colors?).

Trim 62 is blue & white.

Type order 5 is fleet and this was changed to a retail sale code 1.

District region is Phoenix .

Car originally had standard brakes and was upgraded to code 3 front disc.

Alternator was the 42 AMP code 8.

Springs have some new/strange codes in them.

Shocks code F are standard special handling issue, that were upgraded to code K (not sure if this designates Koni, it’s another new code for me).

A code 9 radiator is typically used for air conditioning cars. This was changed to a non-air conditioning code K (another new code).

A 4 1 axle is typically seen on A-codes and identifies the 3:00 gears. 4 H is another new code.

The GT group is identified by a code 6.

K engine, and code 6 is C-4.

Tires type 1 are the baseline issue and code 5 is the redlines.

An 8 console is the short air-conditioning console. Code 7 is the long console.

Code 7 identifies the wood steering wheel.

Code 5 = air conditioning which was deleted from the pink build sheet.

The AM radio code 2 was upgraded to an AM/8-track code B.

Deluxe seat belts front & rear is code 1.

The tinted glass all around code D was changed to a tinted windshield only code M.

The visibility group option is code 6.

Optional battery 24F is code 1.

Wheel covers with KO hubs is code 5. Steel style wheels is code 3.

Rally pac is code 7.

I believe gas is the amount installed.

Speed-O-Gear code F is another new code. A 3:00 rear with C-4 should have been a code K.

Paint stripe code 4 is another new code – I’m thinking a rally stripe of a particular as yet unidentified color.

Speedo calibration code 2 is typically found on export cars. The same with code 5 undercoat., and code 5 T-up paint.

I believe that the BL in the remarks box mean the bottom line remarks of Export Suspension – Special Handling Pkg.

Pete

Edited by - Pete Bush on 02/07/2011 20:35:57

Jeff,

I guess it would depend on what one's definition of "production" was. If you define it as the physical building of the car (assembly of parts and pieces), I agree, the assembly line wouldn't have likely started and stopped and then started again almost a month later on a car moving down the assembly line.

However, the build sheet can also be viewed as a production release order by the main office - which assigned the serial number VIN and scheduled the build date. The fact that there was a first build sheet generated would seem to indicate to me that this Kar was released for production on 07K. It's likely, given the explanation thus far, that this production order was modified shortly after its release.

The timing of this change is difficult to reason out. If it came before "any" work was started on the vehicle, it would simply have been easier and less confusing to line workers for San Jose to destroy the original build sheet before it went down to the production floor. The fact that the two co-exist kinda alludes to a situation where some of the parts and pieces were being gathered in anticipation of their use on the line. I'm sure the parts as a whole all had different lead times, yet they had to be sitting there in sequence when the line workers needed them. IMHO, It almost sounds to me like some of the parts with the longest lead times were being produced when the change order came down. the parts were then put aside (not the whole car) until the new schedule date arrived.

What is this smaller piece of paper you allude to?

Edited by - Pete Bush on 02/07/2011 06:09:16

Mark,

Yes, I would certainly appreciate a copy of the build sheets once you get them scanned!

The parchment-colored forms are identified as:

MAT CONT

JUL 65 AAD 8502-P

So it looks as though they differ by the last letter P & S. And there's no indication of it being a carbon copy.

Thanks, Mark!

This adds another piece to my build sheet code puzzle. If you believe you have the original driveshaft in the Kar, would it be possible to get some dimensions off it? Diameter and length.

Pete

Congratulations Mark! San Jose build sheets are extremely rare. I have done, and continue to do build sheet research. You can find my efforts on my blog http://mustangcodex.blogspot.com

Check the archives and it’ll tell you what many of the codes are.

An Order Type 5 is a Fleet order, and a 1 is a Retail sale. The car was evidently cancelled by its original Fleet customer. Perhaps they didn’t want to wait until the HiPo engines were available again.

A 6 code under Trans/IGN Exhaust/GT GROUP/REFLECTOR stands for the GT Equipment Group. I would assume from this that the car was upgraded to a GT.

The axle code is one of the most difficult codes for me to break. I’m still trying to figure out why it’s a two-digit code. The second digit appears to identify the rear gear set. This means that the 1 in the 4 1 stands for 3:00 gears which is something I see a lot on A-code cars. Very unusual to see this in a K-code. The other K-codes I have utilize codes 5 and E (the 3:50 gears in the standard and limited slip respectively). The 4 H is even more unusual! I have no record of an H code being used for a 66 Mustang axle. I would have to expand my database to see if this axle might have come from another Ford vehicle.

I would sure appreciate pictures of your build sheets to add to my database! You can email them to petebush@comcast.net

I have never seen a build sheet reassignment like the two you describe.

I have a picture of my build sheet on my website. I laminated it to preserve it. You may be able to do the same to yours. I would never let mine out of my possession. If you are thinking about having a repro made, I would send pictures or photocopies to the vendor.

Most build sheets are the parchment color, and I’m sure some of the color is a result of age. The pinkish gray one, to my knowledge, is not reproduced. Even the parchment color repro is a little different than my original.

In the bottom left-hand corner there should be a form number and printing date. I’d be interested to see what it says on your pink copy. Is there something on the form itself that identifies its use other than the color?

Thanks!

Pete

Edited by - Pete Bush on 02/05/2011 12:37:10

I guess I didn't have the Real Player software installed. But I got it now. Thanks!

Glad to help, Fred. You guys are a great resource!

There's so much I've learned, and continue to learn, from the video. I wish there were some way to save it to my PC.

Pete

Took some searching but I found another link to the video here:

Motor drop is around 1:12 minutes.

Of the 16 1966 and 7 1965 build sheets in my collection so far, only one is a Dearborn. All the rest are Metuchen. Maybe New Jersey was just more diligent about stashing these in the car.

SixT5HiPo,

I'd be interested in seeing your build sheet, too. Having an original car and factory invoice can be helpful in the decoding process, but for my efforts so far I haven't had the luxury of them. I've had to rely on sites like this one, parts catalogs, assembly manuals, books and any other location where I could find a scrap of info.

Here's a picture of my Sprint build sheet http://mustangcodex.blogspot.com/2010/09/my-bro…uild-sheet.html You can click on it to enlarge so you can read some of the headings easier.

The Springs, Shocks, and Axle codes are proving to be some of the most difficult to decode. As I acquire more build sheets, I begin to see what alpha/numerical codes were used for a particular item; say Springs. I then attempt to research how many springs were offered, and under what circumstances, i.e. convertible, special handling package, etc. I then try to use the context of the rest of the build sheet's info to see if I can place the right spring (and code) with the right car. As I collect additional build sheet samples, and verify their code info, I begin to see if I was right or wrong in my code selection, and modify things accordingly.

Yes, there's a wealth of information to be had from the build sheet. I've made good progress on deciphering the codes, but I still have a good bit to go. Every build sheet I acquire helps to solve a little bit more of the puzzle.

Charles is correct about the wiring harness location for build sheets, but it's not the only location. I also have build sheets on file that were found under carpet, seats - and one that was glued to the backside of a door panel.

I've been blogging my build sheet decoding efforts here: http://mustangcodex.blogspot.com/ If you find yours, and you don't mind sharing it, I'd like to add it to my collection. Maybe it can extend my research, and help me to decode some of the more difficult ones.

Pete