Posts by CharlesTurner

  • Intake Manifold

    Not sure I follow that. D code 64.5 production was probably around 30% of the total Mustangs built from March to August '64.


    The D code is not much of an engine with dish pistons and low compression ratio. Factory rated at 210hp while the A code 225hp, when it was first introduced, had the same compression ratio as a K code at 10.5:1. It was later downgraded slightly, due to the addition of valve reliefs in the pistons to around 10.1:1 ratio, which required premium fuel like the K engine. A 2V C code was only 10hp less than a D code.

  • 65 Glove Box Insert

    No surprises, Ford service parts are notorious for fit and finish issues. The NOS glove box insert I have has the wrong size screw nuts, meaning you can't use factory style screws to attach it! I'll eventually rob the speed nut fasteners off a repro one day...

  • dealer hipo conversion

    It certainly would be a nice car to drive and have fun with, but a car built like that (I'm avoiding the word restoration here) really shouldn't be judged as a "correct" car at national shows. The reality of the matter is that the car is actually modified and should be represented as such.

  • dealer hipo conversion

    If it's the car I suspect it is, the owner has shown it at many MCA events. For a while, he was adamant that the car was correct and the dealer accessories were realistic. The unfortunate truth is that for someone to have installed all those K components on a C code car would have ended up costing something like 3 times what it would have cost to simply order a K code. It was way too far fetched, and I think that the owner, after a while, realized the same. I judged it a couple times at MCA shows in concours, don't remember the results, but I did take off for excessive dealer-installed options. It's a very nice car, but too far fetched to represent something that a dealer would have delivered to the original owner (which is how MCA concours cars are judged).

  • Early Versus Late Shifter

    Quote from 65gt

    Would the early short bend shifter always come with the bolted-to-the-floor shift boot retainer, rather than the chrome floating plate?


    Don't know for sure, but I don't ever recall seeing a shifter bezel plate with the curved arm... only with the straight.

  • Date Code Parts

    Rear valence: Top middle, reverse stamped so you can't see it very well from the front


    Front valence: Top, over to the driver side on one of the tabs


    Rock panel: On top, usually driver side, reverse stamped


    Grille support: Bottom


    Hood: Driver side back by the hood hinge, reverse stamped


    Trunk lid: Usually stamped in 2 places, bottom edge underneath and along one of the ribs, bottom edge is top stamped, rib is reverse stamped


    Doors: Stamped inside behind the door panel for the inner piece and the outer skin is stamped close to where the vent window attaches, where you can't see once it goes in.


    Pot metal parts: sometimes are hard to tell, may have a circle with numbers and a pointer to the date code


    All other welded sheet metal that makes up the unibody will have a date stamp on it somewhere. This includes inner fenders, quarter panels, cowl panels, etc...

  • Date Code Parts

    Quote from 350gt66

    My 66 fastback has all original sheet metal and paint as I can figure. The front lower pan as well as the rear lower pan have dents. Are these parts date coded? I think I should fix them and save as much original paint as I can. I would like opinions on this. Thanks in advance. Les


    Yes, all sheet metal parts are dated, as well as bumpers and almost everything else on the car!


    The tricky thing is knowing the difference between original Ford sheet metal date stamps and some of the later Ford service replacement part date stamps. The original sheet metal should be stamped like "5 14 D2", whereas you may find a Ford NOS part with "A 65". For most owners and cars, this is not a big deal, but if you want a real numbers matching car, then you'll want to pay attention to these kinds of details.