Posts in category Mustang Information

1965 1966 Mustang Shelby Interior Tidbits

Most 1965 and 1966 Mustang Shelbys came with the following interior:

* Black standard interior
* Pony interior woodgrain GT steering wheel
* Pony interior woodgrain door handles
* Dash mounted tachometer
* AM Radio; AM/FM Radio; or 8 Track

The Pony interior style woodgrain door handles were originally used in the 1964 Ford Thunderbird. These handles were incorporated into the Mustang assembly line in 1965 and used in the deluxe Pony interior option.

1965 Shelby Interior, 1966 Shelby Interior

Restomod: A hot growing trend

It’s getting increasingly hard to find original Mustang parts to restore a Mustang to Concours factory condition. Restomod (restored modified) Mustangs use new innovations to improve performance such as rack and pinion steering, disc brakes, 9″ rear ends, fuel injection systems and 5 speed manual transmissions to mention a few.

Perhaps the most popular vehicles being restored lately are 1965 and 1966 Mustang Fastbacks. Others include Mustang GT 350 SR’s and the 1967-1968 Fastback and Convertibles that are being restomoded as a GT 500 E or KR.

Concours Restoration, Restomod

Favorite Mustang Options?

If you had a favorite Mustang with any option at all, what would it include?

Here’s mine:

1965 GT Mustang Fastback 2+2

FAVORITE OPTIONS:

K-Code hipo 289 (this optional engine backed up by a close ratio top loader 4 speed transmission is a race-ready combination)
3.89-1 trac lock posi traction 3rd member rear end differential
Front disc brakes
Styled steel wheels
Heavy duty dual exhaust
Coil and leaf springs
Anti-sway bar
Fog lights
Red colored Pony interior
Exhaust trumpets exiting rear valance
AM/FM stereo fold down rear seat
Shelby stripes
“Raven Black” colored body

And, the list wouldn’t be complete without my 2nd favorite:

1967 GT Mustang Convertible Shelby Clone

FAVORITE OPTIONS:

K-Code hipo 289 (this optional engine, backed by a C-4 automatic transmission, makes for easy cruisin’
3.00.1 standard 8″ rear end
Front power disc brakes
Styled steel wheels
Fog light grille
GT pop open gas cap
Brushed aluminum deluxe interior with lower console
“Aculpulco Blue” colored exterior
Optional exterior decor group (tail light panel)

Feel free to share your favorite options. We always look forward to hearing from other Mustang enthusiasts!

1965 GT Fastback, 1965 Mustang Options, 1967 Mustang Shelby

Mustang Cheers!

Since this is our first post with our WordPress blog, allow us to introduce ourselves. FastbackStack, LLC specializes in 1964 1/2 – 1973 Classic Mustangs and parts. Our all-original parts are obsolete, hard-to-find and rare. We don’t sell reproduction parts…we only sell original parts that offer the right fit for your Mustang.

We are avid Mustang enthusiasts and collectors and have a Mustang collection totalling over 50 Mustangs and 100,000 Mustang parts. We enjoy meeting other Mustang enthusiasts and sharing Mustang and restoration information.

Our blog will focus on providing information that Mustang restorers and enthusiasts are looking for: restoration tips and tricks, decoding information, Mustang parts, interesting Mustang finds, crazy Mustang oddities and other useful information.

If you have any questions regarding restoration information and/or Mustang parts, feel free to contact us. Mustang Cheers to you!

FastbackStack, LLC

FastbackStack LLC Blog

To GT or Not to GT

How do you tell if a 1965 or 1966 Mustang was a true factory GT or just a Dealer installed imposter?

There were 2 types of Mustang GT’s: Factory GT and dealer installed GT equipment. What is the difference?

Factory Mustang GT’s

Factory Mustang GT’s were equipped with the following:

“A” or “K” code 289 4V premium fuel engine
Reinforced rear floor pan for the GT exhaust
Extra hanger bracket inside the rear frame rail for the GT exhaust
Factory fog lights
Rocker panel trim that was deleted (there weren’t any holes in the rocker panels for the trim)

Dealer GT’s

Dealers installed original GT equipment because it was readily available if a customer requested it. Dealer GT vehicles could have been equipped with the following:

May or may not have an “A” code engine
Could have any available transmission
Almost never had reinforced rear floor pans
Never had rear frame rail exhaust hanger brackets
May have factory fog lights, but chances are, the underdash wiring harness would not have been changed (it would have been modified instead).
In most cases, would have rocker panel trim. If it was removed, there would be evidence of filled trim holes.
Could have any interior that the customer requested.

How to tell a true Mustang GT from an imposter:

Pull up the lower cushion of the rear seat. All GT’s (Coupe, Convertible or Fastback) should have a reinforced rear floor pan. This was for the heavy duty GT exhaust hangers. The factory installed an extra sheet metal plate in the location of the rear seat belt mounting area to provide extra strength to hold the GT exhaust. Only factory GT’s have these. Dealer GT’s did not.
Feel inside the 3/4″ hole on the side of the rear frame rails, near the rear spring hanger for an extra bracket. Factory GT’s had these brackets for the GT exhaust. Dealer GT’s could not manually install these brackets.

General, How-to guide

1965 Mustang, 1966 Mustang

1965-1966 Mustang GT fog light switch: Measure & Drill

If you are installing a 1965 or 1966 Mustang GT reproduction fog light switch, you will need to know where to drill the hole in your dash. Ultimately, you will make two measurements and will drill the hole above the cross section of these two measurements.

Use these steps when measuring and drilling:

Using a pencil, draw a vertical line 1 1/8″ over from the door post (this will be at the lower, left hand corner of the dash).
Using a straight edge, hold the straight edge at the center of the hole in the door jam where the interior light button switch is located. Draw a horizontal line across the vertical line drawn, making a cross section.
Drill your hole 1/4″ above these two crossed lines.

These measurements were taken from a 1965 Mustang Fastback factory GT and will work for a Mustang Coupe, but a Mustang Convertible with a power top may differ slightly.

How-to guide, Interior

1965 Mustang, 1966 Mustang

1964 1/2 & 1965 Mustangs: What is the Difference?

The Classic Ford Mustang is an American beauty. When you see a vintage Mustang, you can’t help but admire its stunning characteristics of one of the greatest American cars ever built. The popularity of this classic automobile still holds true today. Many may wonder about the first produced Mustangs and exactly what the difference is between a 1964 1/2 Mustang and a 1965 Mustang.

There actually aren’t any Mustangs that are stamped “1964”. They all carry a “5” in the VIN number, designating a “1965”. Mustang Coupe and Convertible production began in April 1964. It is still unclear as to exactly when Fastback production started, but it appears to be sometime in the summer of 1964.

The first Coupes and Convertibles that were manufactured had the engine codes C, D, F, K or U. When the early D, F and U engines were being phased out, the Fastback production was just beginning.

As the first Fastbacks rolled down the assembly line, some may have been outfitted with the last remaining early engines available. Therefore, the first Fastbacks may have had engine codes D, F or U. As production continued and these early engines ran out, engines with codes A, C, K and T were used. The K code engine was available from 1964 up until 1967.

It can be difficult to prove a true 1964 1/2 Mustang, but any early Mustang with a D, F or U engine code is definitely a 1964 1/2 Mustang. Mustangs with engine codes A or T are considered 1965’s. Mustangs with the C or K code engine option could be either a 1964 1/2 or a 1965 Mustang. It is important to check the build date on the door tag. This date gives further information as to when the car was assembled.

There is also a “gray area” when explaining the differences between 1964 1/2 and 1965 Mustangs. The very earliest 1965’s could have some of the 1964 1/2 parts installed on them. These parts were put on 1965’s until the parts were phased out, similar to the engines being phased out. Some of the unique characteristics of the first parts include the following:

HEADLIGHT EXTENSIONS AND HOODS: The first manufactured headlight extensions had a beveled edge along the top. The front corners of the hood skin remained un-pinched around the hood frame. This un-pinched flange pointed straight down to fill a gap that was caused by the beveled headlight extension (1965 headlight extensions did not carry this beveled edge; therefore the hood skins were pinched).

RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT: The first manufactured core supports had three long vertical slots near the battery (1965 core supports had four elongated oval slots).

HORN STYLE AND MOUNTING LOCATION: The first manufactured Mustang horns were quite large and mounted down on the strut rod frame rails near the bottom inside corners of the radiator (1965 horns were considerably smaller and mounted on the core support near the top outside corners of the radiator).

FASTBACK REAR INTERIOR STEEL TRIM: The first manufactured Fastback rear trim wrapped around the interior’s fiberglass panels. This steel trim extended from under the rear window, around the fiberglass interior panels and stopped about 1 1/2 inches short of the door glass (1965 steel trim extended all the way to the door glass).

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTER HANDLE: The first manufactured AT shifter handles were quite small (1965 AT shifter handles are the same shape, but about 50% larger than the early ones).

PASSENGER SEAT: The first manufactured passenger seats were not adjustable to move forward or backward. There was not any sliding track mechanism on the mounting hardware (1965 passenger seats had full front to rear sliding adjustment).

SHORT CARPET: The first manufactured carpet did not climb up the rocker panel. It stopped at the rocker and had an embroidered edge. The rocker was then covered with vinyl to match the interior (1965 carpet climbed up the rocker panel and was covered by the door sill plate).

FLOOR PAN: The first manufactured floor pans had staggered seat belt mounting holes along the transmission tunnel for the front seats. The passenger seatbelt mounting hole was the furthest forward to accommodate the non-adjusting seat. These floor pans were not immediately phased out. I actually have mid-year 1965 Mustangs with staggered holes (Most mid-year and later 1965 floor pans had evenly spaced seat belt mounting holes).

SEAT RISERS: The first manufactured seat risers had a large oval cutout in the center. (1965 seat risers had a solid top).

These are some of the differences that we have found.

General, How-to guide

1964 1/2 Mustang, 1965 Mustang

1965-1973 Ford Mustang Headliner Installation

Installing a new headliner into your Mustang is probably your first step when restoring your vehicle. Use this “how-to” guide to help during this installation process. I have installed many headliners and used to install headliners using clamps until I came across a new trick of using cut up pieces of windlace instead of clamps. I’ve found that this way is much easier and tends to yield better results. Installing a headliner should not be intimidating. You can save a few hundred dollars by doing the installation yourself, while at the same time fostering the pride of completing this task all on your own.

Materials

Headliner
Sharp Scissors
Razor Blade or Sharp Knife
3M Spray Adhesive
32 Pieces of Cut Up OLD Windlace (cut into 2″ pieces)
New Windlace Strips

Definitions

Bow– the metal rods that hold the headliner against the roof of the car. Mustang Coupes generally have four bows, while Mustang Fastbacks generally have three bows.
Windlace – the long plastic trim cap that runs alongside the door glass seal on the body.
Moonskin – the texture of the headliner material.
Roof Rail – the part of the roof frame where the headliner bows insert into.

Installation steps:

For best results, remove the windshield, rear window and weather stripping channel in the door openings. It is VERY difficult to tuck and secure a headliner without removing the glass (besides, it will look horrible and have wrinkles if this is attempted).

Before starting, lay your new headliner flat to remove any folds or wrinkles. It may help to lay it in the sunshine to make it more pliable.
Completely remove the old headliner, while taking note of exactly where the headliner bows are placed (this information will help you when installing the new headliner). SPECIAL NOTE – it is important to know that each bow may vary a little in length and curve. It may help to number the bows as you remove them and assign a numerical number from front-to-rear, while laying the bows in the order that you will insert them again into your new headliner.
If the old insulation pad is still intact and in good condition, you may reuse it (depending upon your degree of restoration, you may choose to reuse the pad or purchase a new one). If the pad falls apart, find a new insulation pad and securely glue it in place by spraying both the pad and the roof with 3M Spray Adhesive.
While using your metal headliner bows that you have numbered from front-to-rear, begin with the forward-most bow piece and slide the metal headliner bows into the forward most sleeve of the new headliner. Repeat the same steps with the other numbered bows, continuing to work from front-to-rear.
After all bows have been inserted and CENTERED into the headliner sleeves, trim the excess sleeve material back, exposing about two inches of both ends of all the bows. When trimming, just trim the excess SLEEVE material…DO NOT TRIM THE MOONSKIN YET!

Next, begin to insert the headliner into the vehicle, starting with the rear bow. Insert the rear bow into the holes of the roof rail. Then insert the other bows into their corresponding holes of the roof rail. Your headliner will be “baggy” and hanging at this point. The bows are hanging downward.
Beginning with the front bow, rotate the bow so that it is snug against the ceiling of the vehicle. Repeat this step, working from front-to-rear, until all bows are snug against the ceiling of the vehicle and are no longer “baggy”. The bows are now upright and in the correct position.
Working with the rear bow, hook the center of the bow with the two springs that connect to the rear window opening (you probably noticed these two springs when you removed your old headliner). SPECIAL NOTE – If the two springs are in poor condition, find a suitable replacement (I have actually used spring steel wire and cut and bent it to fit as a replacement).
Now it is time to begin to stretch your headliner. This is where the old cut up pieces of windlace comes in handy! Starting in the center of the front windshield opening, pull the headliner material gently through the windshield opening, holding it on the roof, and secure it with a few pieces of windlace. This is done by pushing a piece of windlace (using the channeled groove) onto the sheet metal edge of the window opening. This will hold the headliner securely to the sheet metal. Repeat this step at the rear window opening, again using windlace to secure the headliner to the sheet metal. Best results are achieved when using approximately eight pieces of evenly spaced windlace at both the front and rear windshield areas.

Next, continue to stretch and secure your headliner to both door window openings. Again, use approximately eight windlace pieces per side. Thus, you have now used 32 pieces of windlace. SPECIAL NOTE – for a Mustang Coupe, the rear pillar has a metal tack strip that holds the headliner in place. You’ll achieve better results if you keep stretching and re-securing the rear pillar portion of the headliner. This needs to be done carefully, as the headliner may begin to tear. I have found it helpful to cut a piece of window screen, spray it with adhesive and stick it to the back of the headliner where the tack strip will puncture the window screen. This aids in preventing any serious rips in the headliner.
Do a visual check of your headliner to locate loose or wrinkled areas. If these areas are present, continue to work your way around the vehicle, removing windlace pieces and gently pulling the headliner and re-securing the windlace pieces. The headliner should be wrinkle-free, but not too tight.
The headliner is now ready for adhesive. Remove 3 or 4 pieces of windlace from one area (I usually begin with the windshield area opening). Spray adhesive on the headliner backing and on the metal window opening edge. DO NOT ATTACH THESE TOGETHER YET! Allow a few minutes for the adhesive to dry before re-securing the headliner to the metal window opening edge. This is the recommended method of the spray adhesive (see the adhesive can for further instructions). Once the adhesive is ready, re-secure the headliner to the metal window opening edge. Repeat this step until all edges are glued.
Now the headliner is ready to trim. DO NOT REMOVE THE WINDLACE PIECES YET. Using a sharp razor blade, carefully cut the excess headliner from the front and rear window openings. Leave about 3/4″ of headliner material so the rubber window seals will cover them when later installed (REMEMBER, DO NOT REMOVE THE CUT WINDLACE PIECES FROM THE FRONT AND REAR WINDOW OPENINGS UNTIL THE GLASS IS TO BE INSTALLED).
For the side window openings, have your brand new windlace strips ready. Remove one windlace piece at a time, while pressing your NEW windlace strip in place. Doing it this way will prevent any headliner movement. Do this to both window openings, installing both NEW strips of windlace.
Now the sides of the headliner are ready to be trimmed. Simply run a razor blade along the outside edge of the new windlace strip. Do not leave any extra headliner material hanging on the outside edge of the windlace strip (installing the weatherstrip channel will hide the outside edge of the windlace).
The headliner is almost complete. Now, you’ll need to finish the inside windshield pillars. Locate the screw hole for the trim piece that covers the seam and cut the headliner so that the trim piece will hide the edge of the headliner material. This may require some adhesive. Repeat this step with the rear window opening (that is, if are installing a Fastback Headliner). SPECIAL NOTE – For a Mustang Coupe (referring back to STEP #10), re-stretch the area if necessary. The rear pillar of a Coupe is the most challenging area to achieve wrinkle-free results.

Congratulations! Your headliner installation is complete.

We hope these steps have been helpful, especially using the tricks with the cut up pieces of windlace. If you are an experienced headliner installer, perhaps this guide offered you some new tricks to try during your next headliner installation.

How-to guide, Interior, Restoration Information

1964 1/2 Mustang, 1965 Mustang, 1966 Mustang, 1967 Mustang, 1968 Mustang, 1969 Mustang, 1970 Mustang, 1971 Mustang, 1972 Mustang, 1973 Mustang, Classic Mustang Restoration

1965-1970 Mustang V8 Conversion

Do you want more power from your Classic Mustang? Many are choosing to convert their 6 cylinder engine and suspension to a V-8 engine and suspension to enhance performance. But what kind of donor car will you need to find that will yield the best parts for your conversion? This guide will give some recommendations of what to look for in searching for your donor car.

1965-1966 V8 Conversion Ideal Donor Cars

1970-1977 Maverick or Mercury Bobcat with a V8 engine

1970 – 1977 Mavericks and Bobcats have an excellent front disc brake setup along with the V8 engine and transmission needed to perform the conversion. The rear end housing on these vehicles will fit right in a 1965 or 1966 Mustang. Donor cars with 6 cylinder engines still have the same suspension and rear end as a V8 car does. Ideally, however, you will want to find a donor car with a V8, since you will have the proper parts for both the V8 engine and the transmission.

Your 6 cylinder Mustang transmission cross-member is the same as a V8 cross-member, thus you will not need to replace it.

If you would like additional information on converting your 1965-1966 Mustang to power disc brakes, please see our 1965-1966 Mustang Power Disc Brake Conversion guide.

1967-1970 V8 Conversion Ideal Donor Cars

1975-1979 Ford Granada or Mercury Monarch with a V8 engine
1970-1977 Maverick or Mercury Bobcat with a V8 engine.

1975-1979 Granadas and Monarchs have an excellent front disc brake setup along with the V8 engine and transmission needed to perform the conversion. The rear end housing on these vehicles will fit right into a 1967, 1968, 1969 or 1970 Mustang.

1970-1977 Mavericks and Bobcats will also work, but the rear end housing is a little narrower than the 1975-1979 Granadas and Monarchs.

Donor cars with 6 cylinder engines still have the same suspension and rear end as a V8 car does. Ideally, however, you will want to find a donor car with a V8, since you will have the proper parts for both the V8 engine and the transmission.

Your 6 cylinder Mustang transmission cross-member is the same as a V8 cross-member, thus you will not need to replace it.

How to find Donor Cars

Search local newspaper car ads, internet websites, auction websites (eBay!) and automotive salvage yards or wrecking yards. I happen to find a lot of my donor cars by simply keeping my eyes open when driving around. I have found some donor cars in alleys, alongside garages and in back yards! Then, I simply ask the owner if he/she is willing to sell the car.

These donor cars are often inexpensive and a good value, given the fact that their parts can be used on your Classic Mustang V-8 conversion. Good luck hunting for your donor car!

How-to guide, Mechanical, Parts, Restoration Information

1965 Mustang, 1966 Mustang, 1967 Mustang, 1968 Mustang, 1969 Mustang, 1970 Mustang

1965-1966 Shelby Mustang 9 Inch Rear End Housing

1965 and 1966 Shelby Mustang style 9″ rear end housings are very difficult to locate, but not impossible to duplicate. With a little work, you will be able to duplicate this Shelby rear end housing, while saving a lot of money. This guide will provide the basic steps and necessary parts to be able to complete this process. In the end, you will be using a Ford Galaxie 9″ rear end housing center section and 1965 or 1966 Mustang 6 cylinder rear end housing axle tubes to duplicate a Shelby rear end.

Please note: Other Ford 9″ rear end housings may have the same styling as 1963 and 1965 Ford Galaxies. If so, you may want to try to use one of these if a Ford Galaxie is not available.

Parts Needed for a 1965 Shelby Mustang Style Rear End Housing

9″ rear end housing from a 1963 Ford Galaxie or any 9″ rear end housing that is flat on one side, rather than completely rounded with a small drain plug
6 cylinder rear end housing from a 1965 or 1966 Mustang

The shape of the center section on a 9″ rear end housing on a 1965 Shelby and “K” Code Mustang is flat on one side, rather than completely rounded. This is why you will need a 9″ rear end housing with this characteristic. The rear end housing on a 1965 Shelby used a smaller drain plug than the one found on a 1966 Mustang Shelby.

Parts Needed for a 1966 Shelby Mustang Style Rear End Housing

9″ Rear End Housing from a 1965 Ford Galaxie, or any 9″ rear end housing that is flat on one side, rather than completely rounded, with a large, flat, hexagon shaped drain plug
6 cylinder rear end housing from a 1965 or 1966 Mustang

The shape of the center section on a 9″ rear end housing on a 1966 Shelby and “K” Code Mustang is flat on one side, rather than completely rounded. This is why you will need a 9″ rear end housing with this characteristic. The rear end housing on a 1966 Shelby and “K” Code Mustang used a large, flat, hexagon shaped (6 sided) drain plug, approximately 1 1/2″ in diameter.

How to make a 1965 or 1966 Shelby Mustang 9 inch Rear End

Remove the axle tubes from the Ford Galaxie (donor car) rear end housing.
Cut the Galaxie axle tubes flush with the weld at the edge of the center section of the housing, being careful to not damage the weld of the remaining tube in the center section. There will still be about 2″ of tube remaining in the center section (the remaining tubes will be needed to guide and hold the 6 cylinder Mustang tubes in place, as discussed in Step 3). Label the center section “Driver” and “Passenger” (the “Driver” axle tube is shorter and the “Passenger” axle tube is longer).
Remove the axle tubes from the 1965 or 1966 Mustang 6 cylinder rear end housing.
Cut the Mustang axle tubes flush with the edges of the cast iron center section on the Mustang 6 cylinder rear end. Deburr the freshly cut edges (grind the edges smooth) on the axle tubes for ease of fitting.
Please note: when these tubes are reinstalled, they will need further trimming to achieve proper length and center section offset (this is explained in Step 4).
Insert the 6 cylinder Mustang axle tubes into the Galaxie center section.
Slide the 6 cylinder Mustang tubes into the remainder of the Galaxie tubes. Push the tubes inward until the proper rear end housing width is achieved. Remember to insert the tubes according to the “Driver” or “Passenger” label on the center section. Once the tubes are inserted to the proper overall width, use chalk to mark them at the center section weld. Once chalk marked, remove the tubes.
Trim the Mustang axle tubes to the appropriate length.
Measure the Galaxie center section from the location that the Galaxie axle tubes were cut to the inside end of the original Galaxie axle tube. This measurement should be about 2″. Using this measurement, add this amount to the chalk mark on the Mustang axle tube. Now, cut the tube even at this newly measured point. Repeat this process with the other axle tube.
Please note: the inside end of the Mustang axle tube should be even with the inside end of the remainder of the Galaxie axle tube.
Reassemble the rear end.
Using a flat level surface, set the Galaxie center section down and firmly brace it. Insert the Mustang axle tubes to the proper width, being certain that all of the components are braced so that they will not move. Ensure that the components are absolutely straight. Tack weld the Mustang axle tubes in place. Double check that all tubes are straight before further welding.
Weld the Mustang axle tubes to the Galaxie center housing.
If you are an experienced welder/fabricator and know that you can weld the tubes straight and securely, attempt to do so. Otherwise, it is highly recommended that you take the components to an experienced welder/fabricator to perform this task.

Mustang Shelby and “K” Code drivetrain components are one of the most difficult to find. Here is a way to duplicate your own drivetrain component.