1968 Repaint question... opinions....

[dalorzo_f]

Doing a "nice, but not over the top" paint job on the 68 C code as its not worth a bare metal restoration.

Nothing on the underside or inside other than jambs and scotch brite and respray the interior with charcoal grey metallic to clean up some scuffs and wear.

Respray the inside of the trunk after removing some black sealer/deadener a PO put there...

Paint the engine and engine bay.

New headliner and front/rear glass seals and vinyl top. Upholstery and dash parts are fine. Maybe a new carpet.

So, the question.

The dicky tacked-on looking side scoop screws. Always bothered me as they just look so "after thought". As long as I am painting thinking about getting rid of them somehow. Anyone either :

a) used body filler over them, then paint in place. Seal the gaps at the edges against the body too?
b) removed the screws, filled the holes and put two studs on the backside to attach similar to the middle? Paint separately and bolt on after.

 

[Ruppstang]

The scoops were to be clear silicone sealed like the Shelby's.

 

[dalorzo_f]

Never seen any reference to clear silicone sealant... where is this documented?

None of my libraries Shelby (the '68 Shelby unique parts book does not even have a pic of the side scoop installation) or GT/CS refs mention it... they make note of sealer on the back of the main nut, but nothing else I can find for '68's....?

 

[dalorzo_f]

So .... no one has ever wanted to cover up the screws?

And any confirmation on the silicone? As in looking into it I can find no mention of this detail anywhere...

 

[Ruppstang]

The MCA 67-68 Shelby Judge sheet says that the early 67 used the grey strip calk and the latter used clear silicone on the headlight buckets, end caps and side scoops. All 68's used the clear silicone. The grey strip calk was used on both years tail light panels. I do not have a lot of Shelby assembly information. When I assembled our HCS we did it at RA motorsports in Kansas city Mo. They have been restoring Shelby's for 35 years and the clear seal was their recommendation.
Marty

 

[franklinair]

I'd like to see photos of this type installation. Very interesting point.

Neil

 

[Ruppstang]

Here you go Neil you have to look close to see it.
Marty

 

[franklinair]

That's the best indentation on the leading edge of the scoop I've ever seen.
Can't figure out the perspective I'm looking at in the 2nd photo.:undecided

Neil

 

[di81977]

Can't figure out the perspective I'm looking at in the 2nd photo.:undecided

Neil

Rear quarter end cap.

 

[dalorzo_f]

Anyone got an original with the silicone? I can show lots of pictures of newly restored cars and say things are "correct", that aren't...

Saying MCA is gospel is fine, but I'd like to see something more as MCA does not clearly document much and leaves it to judges discretion and many of them even debate "correct" among themsleves... pretty sad after 40-ish years they can't get better at writing things down... checked my older MCA docs, and no mention of this detail.

May post on SAAC and see what they say. The GT/CS book and multiple references I have make no mention of silicone on the scoops, or tail, there is one refrnce to a sealant on the headlight bucket to fender, looking into the spec to see what it was.

 

[franklinair]

I'm planning on repainting my Aqua CS, so I'm really intrigued by this info. Am I correct in assuming that the side scoops were installed just using the stud thru the 1/4 panel, and then clear silicone around the edges, eliminating the two smaller screws on the front edge of the scoops? If this is correct, I'm SURE it would be questioned and I'd like to have documentation for 'correctness'.

Neil

 

[Ruppstang]

I can not say that the silicone is correct on GT-CS but I can tell you that my friend at RA motorsports that has done Shelby restorations in excess of 2 million dollars know his stuff on Shelby's.
In 68 since Ford was building the Shelby's and GT-CS car I would not be surprised if many of the same practices were used.
Neil you would still need to use the screws to be correct even if the silicone is used.

Dalorzo_f I really do not understand your questioning the silicone when you want to fill the holes in your car.

 

[franklinair]

I can believe Shelby's had the silicone installed, as they approached being custom builds by Shelby. But GT/CS models were built on an assembly line, so I can't see Ford expending the extra time & materials on a production model to add the silicone sealant. I think I'll forego the silicone when I paint mine.

Neil

 

[dalorzo_f]

The screws and silicone are two separate issues.

Screws as I hate the way they look, and the silicone as I am always curious about how these cars were originally built. And I have done a bit of Shelby research for my EXP500 and have never before seen mention of this sealant in about 5-6 years of planning the build. The GT/CS book makes no mention of it for that marque.

On the line GT/CS vs Shelby's as "hand made", that's kinda what I was thinking... Mine sure looks undisturbed and shows no evidence of silicone at either area. But ya never know, unless you are the original owner.

I did get "confirmation" from a Shelby guru (68's) that he thought they used silicone on the tail and scoops, but was not sure about the headlight buckets... apparently just another of the details lost in the mists of time...

 

[x-codegtcs]

My J-code that I am currently restoring never had the scoops or LH end cap removed as far as I can tell and there was no silicon present - on the car or scoops or end cap - when I removed them prior to having it sandblasted and rear qtrs replaced. I guess the LH end cap could have been removed, when the RH was repaired from a rearend collision, but I doubt it. The difficulty to remove the side scoops would have prevented the cheap 80's paint jobs it got (one dark blue and one black). But who knows....