Rear quarter reflecto question

[Russ]

Paul,
I have a question regarding the '67 rear quarter you mentioned. Everyone knows that the '67 quarter was entirely different than a '68 (with the cut-out scoops on a '67). So if the quarter is a '68 style, how could it have a 7/25/67 build date? Were they making '68 quarters before they were making '68 Mustangs? I guess my thought would be that the quarter was changed due to a mishap.

I agree that the later style reflector was cheaper, and that was the reason for the change in the rear quarter stamping. Just my thoughts,
Russ

 

[Talan423]

the stamping plant would have had to start stamping the 68's before the actual 68 job 1 date at the assembly plants. i'm not sure of the actual date, but july 25th 1967 would be pretty close. the job 1 dates now are usually around early august. somebody else might know the exact date of job 1 for 68. paul is right, your quarter panel may have been sitting in a rail car for quite a while somewhere between michigan and california.

tom

 

[PNewitt]

I don't have the exact dates for body stampings, but there is a transition period sometime from July to August. This is a bit of a mystery--that perhaps someone that has worked for Ford might answer. It would make sense to have body parts made ahead of time in late July for the assy. line. Everything for assembly is to be pre-made or ready to go within only a week before it is to go down the line.

By the way--back in 1987, when I photographed my special at the San Jose (Milpitas) Ford plant for the book, I stood on the very tracks that brought all the parts in for your GT/CS and HCS cars. "Western Pacific RR" was the carrier that brought in the cars from Union Pacific from Dearborn (and the fiberglas from A.O. Smith in Ionia, Michigan. Western Pacific also brought the HCS cars to Denver. I have a WP booklet with photos of the '67 HCS cars on car carriers.

Paul N.

 

[Russ]

This is a very interesting discussion. If Ford was sending '68 replacement stampings to San Jose with a 7-25 stamping date in 1967, the quarters would be the earlier style with the recessed side marker. Therfore, Casey's car would have one early side marker and one later side marker, but my impression is that this car's quarters have the later style side marker. The build date of Feb 21 also seems quite late to have any early rear quarters on the line. While Ford did some crazy things, I'm not convinced they would install different quarters on the same car. I believe quality control would catch this type of error, but who knows???? Just my thoughts,
Russ

 

[case12]

Russ, Paul - dont miss me up with Madisonsdaddy99. He has the GTCS with one new style reflector on one side, and one old style reflector on the other side.

I have the new style reflector on both sides (correct for my date coded car). Its just that my quarter stampings are 1 31, and 7 25.

The question that Paul may be answering is that some new style reflector quarters may have actually been made as early as 7 25. I suppose this could be the case???? -The factory flushes all the 67 inventory first, and then brings in the new inventory (already manufactured the prior year) in mid Feb??? I dont know if this jives with the other logic of the strike, etc as to why the quarter reflectors changed in mid Feb?
Casey

 

[Russ]

To me, the "critical" question is WHEN did Ford make the decision to produce the second, or later, style of rear quarter. From everything I have been able to determine, the Ford employee's strike was the basis for many, if not all, of the cost cutting measures that we can identify on our '68 Mustangs (removal of the windshield post pads, the knee pad, the front and rear bumperettes and, of course the change in the rear side reflector). Since the strike took place in the fall of 1967, it is hard for me to fathom that Ford would plan to make two different types of rear quarters as early as July '67. My take on Casey's car is that it has a quarter that has been replaced.

Also, from looking at my coupes, the "later" style rear quarters on my GT and lime GT/CS both have date stampings AFTER January 20, which makes the changeover date of Feburary 15 very realistic. My GT was built on Feb 20 and my lime GT/CS was built on March 6. These cars also don't have the windshield post pads, knee pads, but DO have the front and rear bumperettes.

It seems that following Feb 15, our '68 Mustangs really became '68 1/2 Mustangs, since there were so many changes made to the car. These types of issues really makes our cars interesting!!!!
Russ