1968 Trunk Correctness

[1968Cally]

It is so cold in the garage.... But anyway, I am starting to go through my GTCS to see what is right and wrong and started with the trunk. Couple of questions
1) Trunk mat. The one I have is somewhat aged plaid. I guess it is the "Burtex" style as it has a softer, almost cloth texture with a felt like backing. I read in the recognition guide that most were plaid and my car was built 2/9/68.
Supplier catalogs only list plaid for '67 and spatter for '68. Am I right in getting the '67 plaid one as they are the same size and shape of the '68 mat?
2) I do not see any "trunk lid bumpers" in the trunk or any place that they would go. Were there none other than the "weather strip piece" on the inside edges of the spoiler?
3) I have a long spare tire hold down bolt for the Styled Steel Wheel and it is held down by the jack handle and wing nut. I think the hold down bolt should be shorter and the wheel should be held down by a wheel center plate with the jack handle stowed under the tire with the jack. Is this correct and if so, what length hold down bolt do I need?
4) Anything else I should be on the lookout for in the trunk area?

Thanks.

Dave

 

[68gulfstream]

I'm looking at some of the same questions. Here are some photos of Mike J's highly regarded concours GT/CS car trunk area that may help.

 

[1968Cally]

Thanks. I don't see any bumpers so I am thinking that the short weather strip inside of the spoiler edges are the "bumpers"

His mat looks to be the vinyl type.

 

[Ruppstang]

Your car most likely had a plaid mat. It need to be a burtex mat. The 67 will fit just fine.
There are no trunk lid bumpers on the lid or on the trunk edge like a Shelby. Ford was cheep and just used the tape at the quarter extensions to stop chipping. I can not tell you the length of the J bolt but the Jack and handle were under the spare. A cupped washer engages the top of the rim hole. It is for the styled steel wheels only. Look at you jacking instruction do the show a styled steel spare? It should if you are using a styled steel spare.
Do you have a rubber luggage protector on the LH wheel house? Do you have a anti rattle clip on the trunk torsion springs? Do you have a screw protector on the forward screw on the LH marker reflector? Are the wire clamps on the filler neck hose on the back side and heads to the LH side? Do you have the hardboard taillight panel covers? Is there a piece of 1/8 Masonite board on the gas tank under the jack location? Is the tail light harness held up to the LH quarter panel with a metal tab? Is the fuel tank sender wire taped to the RH wheel house with gaffers tape. The retainer the holds the trunk lock should be installed from the left and should have a hole in it. The hole was used for a hook to pull it out. Door lock retainers do not have the hole.
The trunk seal should have been glued on with yellow glue, and the seam should be near the center in the rear.
That should keep you busy for a while. Hope it helps.
Marty

 

[1968Cally]

Your car most likely had a plaid mat. It need to be a burtex mat. The 67 will fit just fine.
There are no trunk lid bumpers on the lid or on the trunk edge like a Shelby. Ford was cheep and just used the tape at the quarter extensions to stop chipping. I can not tell you the length of the J bolt but the Jack and handle were under the spare. A cupped washer engages the top of the rim hole. It is for the styled steel wheels only. Look at you jacking instruction do the show a styled steel spare? It should if you are using a styled steel spare.
Do you have a rubber luggage protector on the LH wheel house? Do you have a anti rattle clip on the trunk torsion springs? Do you have a screw protector on the forward screw on the LH marker reflector? Are the wire clamps on the filler neck hose on the back side and heads to the LH side? Do you have the hardboard taillight panel covers? Is there a piece of 1/8 Masonite board on the gas tank under the jack location? Is the tail light harness held up to the LH quarter panel with a metal tab? Is the fuel tank sender wire taped to the RH wheel house with gaffers tape. The retainer the holds the trunk lock should be installed from the left and should have a hole in it. The hole was used for a hook to pull it out. Door lock retainers do not have the hole.
The trunk seal should have been glued on with yellow glue, and the seam should be near the center in the rear.
That should keep you busy for a while. Hope it helps.
Marty

Wow. Neil said you were good and he was not kidding.
I will go ahead and order the Burtex plaid mat. I will order the correct decal for the SSW stowage as the one on there is for a regular wheel. I have the correct cupped washer but the PO had the jack handle holding the spare down. The washer was just laying in the center hole of the rim. My hold down will work as it has enough threads on it. Now I guess I won't have to find that 7/8 wide adhesive weatherstrip. Everything else is correct per your comments except that screw protector for the reflector. I can't find that part in catalogs. I tried finding something in the Ace Hardware nuts and bolts aisle today but no luck. Do you know where I could find one? I also have new tail light panel covers, RH Masonite filler board and LH filler board already in my "cart" as the current ones are a little beat up. I also ordered the little plastic sleeves for the metal harness tabs as those were missing

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond.

Dave

 

[Ruppstang]

Wow. Neil said you were good and he was not kidding.
I will go ahead and order the Burtex plaid mat. I will order the correct decal for the SSW stowage as the one on there is for a regular wheel. I have the correct cupped washer but the PO had the jack handle holding the spare down. The washer was just laying in the center hole of the rim. My hold down will work as it has enough threads on it. Now I guess I won't have to find that 7/8 wide adhesive weatherstrip. Everything else is correct per your comments except that screw protector for the reflector. I can't find that part in catalogs. I tried finding something in the Ace Hardware nuts and bolts aisle today but no luck. Do you know where I could find one? I also have new tail light panel covers, RH Masonite filler board and LH filler board already in my "cart" as the current ones are a little beat up. I also ordered the little plastic sleeves for the metal harness tabs as those were missing

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond.

Dave

No RH filler board, not needed because of the spare. NPD tail light housing screw protectors 13434-3K5 These are grey the one for the reflector on SJ cars is often black so you might dye one black. BTW the weather strip tape on my unrestored 68 HCS is black.
You are welcome!

 

[1968Cally]

No RH filler board, not needed because of the spare. NPD tail light housing screw protectors 13434-3K5 These are grey the one for the reflector on SJ cars is often black so you might dye one black. BTW the weather strip tape on my unrestored 68 HCS is black.
You are welcome!

Thanks for the lead on the screw protectors. I know that the RH filler board (65-66 turned upside down) is not correct but there was one there and I figure what the heck. It was not secured by screws so no harm done.

You had said that Ford did not put the weather strip on the inside spoiler edges for our cars - just Shelby's. But your un-restored HCS has it. Are you saying someone just added it along the way?

 

[somethingspecial]

I'm looking at some of the same questions. Here are some photos of Mike J's highly regarded concours GT/CS car trunk area that may help.

Nice car. Any idea who owns it now? 8R01S156529

 

[Ruppstang]

Thanks for the lead on the screw protectors. I know that the RH filler board (65-66 turned upside down) is not correct but there was one there and I figure what the heck. It was not secured by screws so no harm done.

You had said that Ford did not put the weather strip on the inside spoiler edges for our cars - just Shelby's. But your un-restored HCS has it. Are you saying someone just added it along the way?

Shelby's had a rubber top bumper like a hood bumper mounted on the trunk rear edge and had no weather strip on trunk lid end. The weather strip on our trunk lid on the unrestored HCS is black rather than grey seen on a lot of the GTCS and HCSs.

 

[Mosesatm]

I've seen two GT/CSs with trunk bumpers. The cars were probably restored by people who were familiar with Shelbys, but not California Specials.
This car was at a show in Houston.

 

[J_Speegle]

You don't want to copy the small inserts that the company that made the mat included to fill in the cut out they placed at the rear bumper support brackets at the rear trunk floor to taillight panel. IMHO Shown in the picture above


Think the original mats didn't continue under the spare tire on the passenger side trunk floor where the spare tire anchor bracket was located or to the rear of the car towards the taillight panel on a plaid mat 67 didn't. The other style mats that year for coupe and convertible don'e So hard to see in pictures when more cars have a spare installed