1968 Normallly SD parts are underwhelming...

[dalorzo_f]

Tried out the "new and improved" '68 kick panels (black).

Have to say the overall fit was pretty good. Unfortunately the screw holes were off, about 1/4" high on the upper and the front lower was also out by 1/4" too far back. But not sure how dead-on accurate the factory locations were... drilling two holes was better than trimming, wrestling with a part that doesn't fit as some past repros I've used required...

Overall I'd give 'em an 8 out of 10...

 

[franklinair]

I have mixed emotions about SD. Some of their stuff is pretty good. I ordered an inside rear view mirror last month. Awful. It's going in the trash

Neil

 

[Ruppstang]

When ever I use a reproduction part I am amazed how much better a Ford part that was made with half the technology we have today is.

 

[dalorzo_f]

Yep, Ford was engineering parts then, pre "planned obsolescence" era. Not making lowest cost "replacements"...

 

[stangfan]

Tried out the "new and improved" '68 kick panels (black).

Have to say the overall fit was pretty good. Unfortunately the screw holes were off, about 1/4" high on the upper and the front lower was also out by 1/4" too far back. But not sure how dead-on accurate the factory locations were... drilling two holes was better than trimming, wrestling with a part that doesn't fit as some past repros I've used required...

Overall I'd give 'em an 8 out of 10...

I am assuming that you didn't need to dye them a different colour. In my case, I would need to spray them dark red. Given the need to change colour, do you think I would be better off just getting the Scott Drake kick panels in red and drilling the holes?

 

[dalorzo_f]

Neil,

The NPD '68-'69 repro is not too bad. Lever is the wrong color, a typical minor item on a repro one would think they could have gotten right with a tiny bit more effort... but... the overall look is close and they seem to work OK.

https://www.npdlink.com/store/products/mustang_mirror_inside_day_and_night-102798-313.html

What was the issue with the Drake, just "wrong" or..??? Know they sell a 68-69 that is totally wrong, black stem, attached to mirror not the original clamshell style, flip day/night switch is fore/aft and not side-to-side and its a hard plastic case that is a pretty lame part... C8AZ-17700-A , anyone here wanting correct should avoid that one...

 

[robert campbell]

My thoughts are that the holes for the kick panel vary a lot from car to car as they came off the assembly line. And then there are the different assembly plants.

I vote for no holes and let me template and drill them. Or you can just re-drill a new hole in the body to accommodate the kick panel hole.

Rob

 

[stangfan]

My thoughts are that the holes for the kick panel vary a lot from car to car as they came off the assembly line. And then there are the different assembly plants.

I vote for no holes and let me template and drill them. Or you can just re-drill a new hole in the body to accommodate the kick panel hole.

Rob

Thanks Rob.

 

[Ruppstang]

The big advantage in originals and the new Drake ones are there are reinforcements on the back that help stop the cracking from around the holes. It might work on the undrilled repops if a washer was epoxied to the back to stop the cracks.

 

[dalorzo_f]

No dye. I have a black interior. I am unsure of the difference between these and the pre-colored. They did fit to the door line/seam very well... an area I have struggled with on other repros a few years back...

 

[franklinair]

Richard;
I got the SD mirror (black, plastic, not the clamshell extension) that you mentioned. Ordered thru CJ Pony Parts. Total Trash. I re-ordered one from NPD. Its OK.

Neil

 

[dalorzo_f]

Yep Neil, that SD one is really a piece of junk.

WCCC offers new mirrors or even swaps for OEM, a bit more than the repros, but at least its correct... this may have been posted here before....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vyuSBPelq8

 

[CougarCJ]

I suspect that Neil purchased the aftermarket Scott Drake rear view mirror, which is pretty cheesy. The SD 'concours' mirror is the late 1968 and 1969 mirror. Most of the GT/CS production used the side to side lever, we do not know the changeover date on the mirrors for Milpitas/San Jose.

Here is picture example of the 1967-73 Ford Mustang (and others) inside rear view mirror evolution.