I wonder why one of the "restoration" wheel companies or parts suppiers hasn't re-pop'd them. They might be expensive but they make steel wheels all the time for hot rods and other cars - I don't see why they wouldn't do this one too.
Seems like there is enough demand from Shelby and K owners to justify a small run - especially at the prices the Shelby guys pay for parts.
I would love to see this on my car - date is correct - but the price is crazy IMHO.
I'll stick with putting the Arvinode on my car and be happy to put about $8000 in my pocket instead of someone elses!
Wrong - all K codes and factory A code GT cars had the same floor snubber plate.
Do some searching on the archives and you will see a lot of data and photos documenting this.
This is one of the great things the HiPo site allows - lots of data exchange clears up common misconceptions.
Fred - thanks that helps - I hadn't thought about the balancer moving out but it will - this just shows how one small change has a ripple effect.
Fred - you are correct - I should clarify a little.
If you use the current dual roller 289 kit - add the hatchet and a spacer to the cam gear every thing moves out together - the trouble would be clearance to the front cover at the cam and crank plus the fuel pump arm.
Thinking about this some more it won't work - I don't think there is enough room on the crank end to use the hatchet and the regular 289 gear.
I used a Mustangs Plus 3/4" bar on the back of my '68 Cougar.
Definitely firmed up the back but as Caspian65 points out - the back end was easier to hang out and could potentially get away from you once the bar was installed.
You may want to look around at several designs to make sure they won't require your exhaust to be modified.
Installation was easy, but required drilling holes in the frame rails for the upper mounts. The mounting part quality was a little below my expecations and one side actually broke after a few weeks - metal bracket cracked. The manufacturer replaced the part under warranty very quickly and with no questions. I had no other trouble with it.
I did other suspension mods at the same time - heavier springs - big front sway bar - etc - so the 3/4" bar "fit" with the other parts I installed. If you car is otherwise stock I'd look at a 1/2" bar verses a 3/4".
Zed,
It may be possible to machine down the sprocket BUT only if there is sufficient clearance between the hatchet and the chain once it is done.
If the chain is too thick it will contact the hatchet surface once it is machined - remember that the chain passes once for every 2 turns of the crank - so any contact would be fatal to the chain, hatchet, and ultimately the engine - metal wear and shavings in the oil.
I may look at doing this when my motor goes back together - but only with extreme caution. I have the stock Cloyes timing parts already.
You will also have to add the hole in the sprocket for the roll pin to hold the hatchet in place - if you don't do this only the key slot holds it in place and eventually the slot may widen or the key fail.
The other possibility is to add a spacer to the CAM sprocket the same size as the hatchet - provided there is sufficient clearance to the front engine cover and the fuel pump arm - I'm not sure there is. I don't know of anyone who has tested this or is offering a spacer.
You should price shop a little.
2 grand a piece is WAY too high for the housing alone - IMHO.
If they are complete rear ends with axles, brakes, and the correct axle bracket/bumper $2000 is OK but a little on the high end of the price range.
Others here may be looking for the other housing - but in the economy today money may be tight.
WOW --- Fred I missed that one.
Looks like this car has been open to the elements for a LONG time.
A lot to fix for the price IMHO.
My mid-April '65 Dearborn car is level 7 and still has the aluminum pump.
No evidence of it, but I've seen a couple of late May or June '65 Dearborn cars with Level 8 cast iron set ups.
Not sure for San Jose cars or how long it took for the blocks to transit out west.
What is your engine build date? Look on the front boss on the block - drivers side - that will give you a better idea of when the engine was assembled and that will likely put you closer to what Rev Level you need than anything. If your engine is April or May assembly I would say you probably need Level 7 - late May or June probably Level 8.
Bob Mannel may be able to help too. He has forgotten more about small block 289s than most of us know.
Charles is CORRECT - it has been posted and shown here several times.
Please do some searching in the archives before posting that long time members here are wrong - SORRY hipo.
We all share a lot of information and do our best to get the facts right.
In this case - we have proven several times that A code FACTORY GT cars share the same K code axle plate - AND this makes sense if you really think about it:
1 - Before the GT only the K code had dual exhaust
2 - The K code had a special frame "metal" set up for Dual Exhaust and 9" rear end - unique pieces were used not shared with the regular Mustangs.
3 - Why would Ford add yet another chassis for dual exhaust and 8" rear axle when all they had to do was use the exisiting K code build to suppliment the GT requirements - doesn't make sense and would not have been cost effective for Ford at a time when they were building these cars as fast as possible and the bean counters were milking every penny out of the process.
OK I'll get off my soap box now.
AWESOME - I sent you an email.
No my car is a 4 speed.
I don't think Autos were built until '66.
I'll check out Tony's book again - I have the 3rd and 4th editions at home - but I think you are incorrect about this.
I have a late '65 K code and an early '66 A code - and you definitely you have the single exhaust set up - rounded "FROWN" axle plate like the '66 A code - not the K code flat "SMILE" plate. Look at the plate in your photo and you will see what I mean - your plate is rounded and turns down like a frown it also has that BIG cut out in the middle - the K code plate is mostly flat and turns upward at the ends like a smile and has only 3 holes in it - no big cut out.
There are a bunch of posts in the archive on this - many with pictures.
Sorry if I'm bearing bad news - but I would look your car over carefully for major repair work, front clip replacement, or floor replacement.
My K was also raced and had very severe floor cracks in this area. The floor above the plate on my car has been replaced - BUT I made sure the resto shop used my original plate and lower floor section - even a Mustang Restoration guy with 20-25 years experience didn't know about the plate differences until I told him. He said he never looked close enough becasue he had only worked on 2-3 K codes in 20 years - and only one - MINE - that needed work in that area.
By the way - where in Georgia are you located? I'm outside Atlanta.
I'll try to email you some photos of the K code plate from my car and you'll see the difference.
Does anyone make the manual over ride kit today?
Mu5tanggt - if you ever have your carb off I'd like to get details of the conversion parts. We might be able to re-produce these if people are interested.
FYI - some of what "hipo" put in his post may be inaccurate - sorry hipo.
Not all K codes had a rubber bumber on the rear housing axle plate - at least not mine!
My April '65 K code had the normal rubber bumper mounted to the axle plate on the floor - I will try to post a picture of this. The holes in the plate allow this and it fits.
I know it was there from the factory because I removed it for the restoration and there was virgin primer underneath it.
I think we have discussed this "plate" at length and the concensus is that ALL K codes got this plate because of the dual exhaust. Until the GT package was released only the K code could have factory dual exhaust - so there was a special body metal build for this. When Ford released the GT they didn't create anything new in the sheet metal builds - they just took the K code metal "chassis" build because this was already set up for dual exhaust and the axle plate doesn't make much difference if an 8" rear end was put in. This may also explain why my car has the normal rubber bumper on the floor instead of the early bumper on the axle - my car is not a GT but was built at a time when Ford was making a lot of them - so this would be a normal production change to improve efficiency - or it could have just been a line mistake.
It is basically concrete that this plate is required to be an original K code or "FACTORY A CODE GT". If the other plate is there your car is not "as it left the factory", has had major sheetmetal replaced, or if we ever find one - a rare factory mistake - still looking for proof of this last one - haven't seen one yet.
My 2 cents!
That is not an original housing.
Is your car a K code?
If it is you need to check out your sheet metal beacuse you may have a sectioned or re-body car. Your Axle Bumper plate is the wrong type for an original K code car. You have the rounded corner type used on single exhaust cars.
Not sure of the exact details, but they were part of a rare competition package option - similar to some '65 Shelby's delivered with the 15" steel wheels.
I know there is a picture of a red car in Tony's book with the larger wheels i think. I have personally seen a '65 GT350 at the mid-America Shelby Meet that still had the 15" steel wheels. Never seen a Hipo with them in person, but they are out there.
I have no details on the exact Comp Package other than it had the larger wheels and disc front brakes.
Maybe someone else can provide more details.
Oh you must do a search on ARVINODE in the archive.
You'll be surprised what you find!
You will find all kinds of great info on the unique chamberd exhaust used on some HiPo's in '65.
There are several good threads on this subject AND due to the efforts of some great guys on this site you can now buy a REPOP of the system.
Try getting a couple extra plug sockets - loose up the manifold bolts and put a socket on each plug - one at each end works or use three (one in the middle) - then snug up the manifold before removing the sockets.
Been using this trick for years on my cars whenever I have the manifolds or headers loose. Does the trick.
