1968 Hood Lights

[franklinair]

Has anyone seen or have the small clips that retain the Turn Signal light sockets in the hood turn signal lights?
I need a couple for my C/S.

Neil

 

[JGFRANCK]

Hood light clips

Hey Neil,
I found the exact clip at the local hardware store. You may want to give them a try. Hope this helps. Joel

 

[Ruppstang]

Neil if you do not find one locally let me know I think I can dig up some for you. Do you have the plastic clip where the harness comes out of the hood structure? Marty

 

[franklinair]

No, I don't have any of the small pieces like these, to make the underhood correct. The light assemblies are good, the harness is new. That's about it.
I've heard & known about these small pieces but don't have firsthand knowledge.

Neil

 

[robert campbell]

Neil,
I have everthing on my hood not on the car. The clips, the screws, the plastic clip, and new wirning.

Should I put them in the box with the jack?

Rob

 

[franklinair]

Bless your bones! I can put them to good use. One of these days I'll have mine as nice as somethingspecial! (Well I can dream, can't I?)

Neil

 

[Russ]

Has anyone seen or have the small clips that retain the Turn Signal light sockets in the hood turn signal lights?
I need a couple for my C/S.

Neil

Neil, Here are the Ford drawings for the items used to secure the lights and wiring harness to the hood. I'm not sure what "small clips" you refer to, but there has been some discussion among MCA judges about a clip and screw that keeps the lamp assembly from falling out of the lamp housing. In all of my research, I have been unable to prove that Ford used retaining clips in 1968 (see the Ford drawing for reference). Another interesting thing I've come across is the discussion of a "plastic bushing" in the two round holes where the turn signal wires go through the hood. Again, looking at the drawings, no bushing exists. Maybe the Ford drawings are incorrect but they are dated 1-22-68, so they should be in line with our GT/CS cars. Also, hold onto the plastic clips that hold the wiring in place because AMK Products does not reproduce these clips! Hope this helps, Russ

 

[robert campbell]

There is a small metal clip attached by a small crew that holds the light socket into the housing. I cannot tell for sure, but these drawings do not seem to show them.

Rob

 

[Russ]

Rob, That's the clip I'm referring to...it is NOT on the drawings, and I've never found any evidence that these clips were installed by Ford. So, do we go by the drawings?? Russ

 

[hcsstang]

I don't know if I'm right or not but I was told by a MCA judge that the
GTCS"s and HCS 's didn't have then on. So I tooh mine off.

 

[somethingspecial]

Neil, I had this discussion with Marty and Russ at the Park City, Utah MCA Grand Nat. Show. Marty and Russ were two of the judges who judged my car. During the Show and Shine on Sunday, we engaged in a discussion of concours fine points. From this conversation, it was stated the clips that were used to hold the light sockets in the housings were used on the 67' model and not used on the 68' model. It was also stated if the holes in the light housing are threaded and no clip is used, this is incorrect and is to be concluded the clip is missing and points deducted. We surveyed several 67 and 68 cars in the show and did not find a single 68 with the clips. I have not seen any hold down clips used on GT/CS or HCS cars. Mike

ps. I would expect your car to be better than mine!!!

 

[robert campbell]

Mike,
So the fun is "early" cars in 1968. My car is very early. But not a GT/CS car to some. I wonder how early cars, clips on these lights, and recessed reflectors may join togethe?. Someone said they had the date on recessed relectors changing over. All the cars on the debut stage had recessed reflectors. Wonder if they had clips?

My car also had a bolt on rear view mirror. Not a glue on one. Anyone have that?

Again, not to offend anyone lurking, my car is not a GT/CS!

Rob

 

[Ruppstang]

This is what I know Ford did use the socket retaining clips in both in 67 and 68. But from what I have seen the San Jose plant did not. Many of the San Jose turn housings did not even have a hole for the screw. Like my 67 GTA. Mike is correct I do not deduct for no clip if there is no hole or if there is no evedince of threads in the hole. We all know these parts are removed and sold all over the country. Most 68s did not have the grommet in the round holes, Early 67s had them because Ford found that they had a problem with over heating the turn harness so they cut holes in the hood structure and routed the wires in side. Cutting the holes left the metal sharp thus the need for the grommets. The latter hoods holes were made with rolled metal on the edges of the holes and had no need for a grommmet. The correct plastic wire retainers are hard to find, I do have a source for them if you need one PM me. Marty MCA 38812

 

[J_Speegle]

............... Maybe the Ford drawings are incorrect but they are dated 1-22-68, so they should be in line with our GT/CS cars....

The engineering drawings IMHO have been a blessing and a pain. Since the pages are a collection of individual pages from various different manuals through out the production years we can never be sure how long each was in use nor how correct what they show is when compared to what the workers did. All we know is that each page replaced another that had some information on it (well at least the vast majority of them) that was incorrect or was being changed and we don't know if the next day they produced another to replace the one we have a copy of


Looking through the pictures I have and from the ones with good pictures of related details to the discussion I would offer

- Almost every picture had a small hole for the retainers in the turn indicator bezel/body. The only one that I could see clearly that didn't was a car that had been repainted - so suspect IMHO

- None had the retainer brackets on the car.

- One had evidence that a screw was in one of the holes (shadow on the metal around the hole) Car was in the 161xxx's

- None of them had the plastic liner/protectors around the large wiring holes (where the wire was routed through


Hope this helps the discussion

 

[franklinair]

I agree with the lack of continuity in automotive (specifically Ford in this case) drawings. In aircraft manufacturers' drawings, they specify effectivity by model, serial number, and date. The Ford drawings that I've seen don't do this. The engineering departments are supposed to be the only authorized division to make changes, and the quality control department verifies compliance in the production line. Apparently Ford was not aware of this philosophy or practice (that aircraft manufacturers have followed since the days of Charles Lindberg).
As a result of the lax procedures of auto manufacturers, we are left with making choices & decisions based on assumptions of correctness rather than documented facts.

Neil

 

[Russ]

My one obervation regarding the factory drawings is that I could not have completed the restorations my Mustangs without them. They provide information showing me how Ford intended the car to be assembled, and since I was not working on the Ford assembly line in 1968, they give me specific details that I could not find anywhere else. Since my lime gold GT/CS was incomplete, I needed guidance in its restoration, and the drawings helped.

My second observation is that original, unmolested cars must be used to verify what the drawing explains. Jeff, Marty and Mike have all looked at cars that verify the 1-22-68 drawing which shows there were no clips installed. I will continue to use the drawings as a guide, and will also use them as "back up" documentation when showing my cars. Just my thoughts, Russ

 

[robert campbell]

WOW, All,
What is on my car should not be part of this "discovery". It was an early car for 1968 and not a GT/CS produced on the line and Marti verified. It has the clips that may be a hold over from 1967. I love this stuff and the people who have weighed in on this subject have been "smart" and speak to the best of their knowledge.

This is how true lovers of the car discuss this stuff and not one of you has Lorded over the rest of us! No one disses the other! How refreshing!! This is why I love the people on this site.

All I have ever asked! Balanced and sincere discussion about stuff that happened over a quarter of a century ago.

Rob

 

[Mosesatm]

Will someone please post a photo?

Thanks

 

[CougarCJ]

I went and dug out my hood light housings. My car is 05B or Feb 5, and it has holes, but no clips.

 

[robert campbell]

The clip from the cloner mobile.... Early car and of course, not a "production" GT/CS....

You made me cut a hole in my box I am storing my "cloner" hood in. Anything to keep the lurkers happy!! A GNS hood!! Oh well, I said Neil could have the clips if he wanted them....

The lurkers thought I was full of S__T.......

Rob