67 GT 500 jack and lug wrench

The jack is the standard Mustang jack, so the Magstar cars got an extra wrench. IIRC, the jack uses the standard Ford 13/16" wrench and Shelby tossed in a Corvette 3/4" lugwrench for the Magstar lugs. There may be some unique characteristics to the 60's vintage wrench (a hole here or there) but the same basic wrench was used from 1963-1982, and I think it is still available from GM. They're about $25 from most Corvette dealers.

 

I hate to disagree but the correct magstar jack had the same 3/4 drive as the handle for mag star equiped cars. Your correct about the GM version handle looking similiar but I believe the shape and thickness of the handle stem and were the hole is located on the handle is the difference. I have 2 3/4 drive Ford jacks with late 66 and mid 67 date codes in the trunks of 2 of the magstar equipped cars in my collection right now. It certainly makes more sense that Ford would use a jack that had the same drive as the handle if possible. The ten spoke and hubcap equipped cars came with the 13/16 drive jack and handle. I have noticed that not all Ford jacks have date codes however. I am not sure if it was vender related or not.

 

You are correct, Bob. As I mentioned in my post above, the Corvette lug wrench had several variations through the 60's. Since Shelby obviously wouldn’t have ordered a special wrench with a thicker handle with a slightly different shape, the Magstar wrench is undoubtedly the one available from the supplier at the time the cars were being produced. Off the top of my head, I don’t remember the details of the Corvette wrenches, but will check the one in my 67 435 horse coupe when we get back from Carlisle to update the thread.

I've seen cars with both 3/4" and 13/16" jacks and will let you know what is in #1547 when we get home. It is certainly possible that Shelby may have had the jack vendor make up a run with the Corvette 3/4" bolt (jacks are the same with different lift pads and appear to have been made by same supplier), but it would have been a heck of alot cheaper to toss in an extra wrench for the Magstars. Either way, a couple of licks on the flats of the bolt with a file or swap in the screw from an old Chevy jack, and you can use the 3/4" wrench for the lugs and the jack.

This might be another one to add to Roy's list.

 

Joe, Shelby did not have the Jack Vendor make up anything special and Ford did not have to use a GM style handle that they used in 1967. The Magstar handle is not from GM or made for GM it is a "Ford production" handle made for Ford. If #1547 still has the original jacking instructions which are not Shelby unique but are regular Mustang instructions you can see the bell shaped handle illustrated . The handle AND the Jack were used on other Ford production cars not just 67 Shelby's with Magstars. As far as cheaper to throw in a extra wrench -you are talking about a company (Ford) that will go to the trouble of changing to a less expensive plating finish on nuts and bolts to save a 1000th of a cent on a batch of a 1000. That kind of thriftyness does not lend itself in throwing anything in . In this case they didn't because they used something already in use in their product line. Anything is possible. There are no absolute answers but I have learned that there are general production build practices that were used during different points in time on specific production lines and I think that is what most people restoring their Shelby car are looking for (did i say that right Jeff ?). A more realistic reason for a extra handle to be thrown in (in this case) would be because the right one was lost at some point in the past and replaced with a different one. I am sure you can come up with other scenerio's but I believe they would be the exception rather then the rule. Roy's list is for production changes not what is unique on a 67 Shelby compared to other year Shelby's. Since this is the second time you have brought up unique Shelby parts for a list in this and another less recent post on another thread, maybe unique 67 Shelby items compared to other year Shelby's is a subject for a new list that you can start ? I would be glad to contribute. P.S. the best of luck at Carlisle i only wish i could have gone.Bob

 

All of this is rather interesting. I was the original owner of '67 GT350 #1111.
I discovered sometime after the Shelby was delivered to me; there was no
lug wrench in the trunk. I went back to the dealer ( Rich Ford, Albuquerque,
New Mexico ) and informed them of the missing piece.

This car was equiped with MagStars. The dealership told me to go to Sears and purchase what I needed to be able to change tires. So I bought a 1/2 "
breaker bar, short extension and socket. Rich Ford reimbursed me for the
purchase.

I've often wondered if other MagStar equiped Shelbys were delivered, missing their lug wrench

 

This is why this site is so great! I am finishing up my 67 and thought i had the wrong jack handle and threw it aside. The handle looks very similar to the pic. I will find it tommorrow and post a pic. To think i went to one of my parts cars blasted and painted a regular handle thinking i had the incorrect handle.

 

snake oil Brian, you say you have several jacks, would you consider selling a jack and handle? I need one with the regular Mustang wrench for a 68 500. Thanks.

 

OK, we’re back from Carlisle and I had a chance to do a little research on the Corvette jack handles that are so similar to the ones used in the Magstar cars. A handle with three holes, one on the top and one on each side (PN 3898172) was released for use in the Corvette on 5-17-66. A handle with a single hole on the top (PN 9858953), was released on 9-1-64. A handle with no hole was used prior to 9-1-64 (PN 3780737). IIRC, a raised letter (?A or F?) is cast in the socket bell of the 60’s vintage handles.

Bob, do the handles in your cars match any of these configurations? If not, how they are different? IIRC, the handle in #1547 pretty much looks like the handle in my 1967 435 horse Corvette. If nothing else, the handles are cheap, fit the Magstars ¾” lugs and are similar enough to the Shelby handle to make a nice repro. We really need to pin down the difference in these handles so people know what to look for. I hate to see guys paying upwards of $200 for supposed “Magstar handles” if all they are getting is a $20 Chevy handle…

you wrote:
Shelby did not have the Jack Vendor make up anything special and Ford did not have to use a GM style handle that they used in 1967. The Magstar handle is not from GM or made for GM it is a "Ford production" handle made for Ford…I have 2 3/4 drive Ford jacks with late 66 and mid 67 date codes in the trunks of 2 of the magstar equipped cars in my collection…The handle AND the Jack were used on other Ford production cars not just 67 Shelby's with Magstars.

That’s good info! I know most Fords use 13/16” lugs. What Ford products used ¾” lugs like the Magstar’s so we can keep our eyes open for jacks/handles?

you wrote:
If #1547 still has the original jacking instructions which are not Shelby unique but are regular Mustang instructions you can see the bell shaped handle illustrated .

You may have hit on something, Bob. The original paper jacking instruction sheet in #1547 (C7ZB-D) shows the standard Mustang 13/16” handle. The repro places advertise this as the decal for the 1967 Mustang after January 67. You can see it on my website, but I have attached pictures of the decal and the repro for reference (Note: Repro decals lack the dash between the basic part number and suffix). They also list a C7ZB-B decal used before January 67 which shows a Magstar-style handle. I assume it must have been a 13/16” socket to fit the standard Mustang lugs. Is this the decal you are talking about?

I know at least one of your cars is early production and #1547 was built in April. I’m wondering if the first Magstar cars came with a ¾” jack and a single handle and there was a running change to go to the standard Mustang 13/16” jack and handle with an extra ¾” handle (or maybe NO handle as Shlby66, original owner of #1111 mentioned above) as the decals suggest?

You wrote:
As far as cheaper to throw in a extra wrench -you are talking about a company (Ford) that will go to the trouble of changing to a less expensive plating finish on nuts and bolts to save a 1000th of a cent on a batch of a 1000. That kind of thriftyness does not lend itself in throwing anything in .

Ford and Shelby American had different approaches to minimizing the cost of production. For the small quantities that Carroll was dealing with, he just didn’t have the economy of scale of Ford Motor Company to grind things this fine. And Ford has made some pretty hard to understand financial decisions. Let’s forget the Pinto gas tank fiasco, but I can only imagine the inventory and warehousing expenses that resulted from using a lighter 4-lug suspension in the 6 cylinder cars compared to using 5-lug stuff on everything like all the other manufacturers did. I guess even the bean counters blow one every once in awhile

you wrote:A more realistic reason for a extra handle to be thrown in (in this case) would be because the right one was lost at some point in the past and replaced with a different one.

I don’t follow. If the Magstar cars used the same ¾” handle for the jack and the lugs, how would loosing the handle explain an extra wrench?

you wrote:
Anything is possible. There are no absolute answers but I have learned that there are general production build practices that were used during different points in time on specific production lines and I think that is what most people restoring their Shelby car are looking for…Since this is the second time you have brought up unique Shelby parts for a list in this and another less recent post on another thread, maybe unique 67 Shelby items compared to other year Shelby's is a subject for a new list that you can start ?

Unfortunately, that's taking the easy way out and I think is exactly what we need to avoid. The challenge for us in restoring these cars is to maintain the quirks of hand-built low production cars without sanitizing them into a bunch of cookie cutters. It takes a keen understanding of the variations and spirit of production rather than a list of general production build practices to preserve the way the cars were actually assembled, not the way we would have liked for them to be. I like your idea of a thread on production variations and started the new thread. Feel free to contribute!

 

Thanks fot the data point on your handle, snakeoilbrian. There's one on ebay right now that's supposed to be for a Magstar that doesn't appear to have any holes either:


I've seen dates on jacks but not on the handles. Please let us know if you find one.

 

Joe ,none of the Ford tear drop style handles I have seen match any of the GM handles you describe. I would never advocate using a GM part on a Shelby. I don't think it is logical or prudent to keep comparing a Shelby or Mustang part to a Corvette part even though they look close . Remember the old saying close is only good in horseshoes and hand grenades.ha ha. You sound very informed on Corvette issues . I am sure there is a more appropriate forum to quote GM part numbers but this Shelby forum is not it. As far as the way they differ. I have seen one style with a hole in the middle of the handle and a style with no hole in the handle . I have seen one that had no hole in the handle and no hubcap pry tab on the end. None of the styles that I have seen have any markings on the lug head or the handle end. As far as the Ford products that used that handle with the 3/4 lugnut when you familiarize your self with all of the Mustang variations one of which you mentioned you will have your answer. I think it is a more productive endeavor then filling your head with all that GM info. ha ha.
Joe, your speculation on how Shelby conducted day to day business is just that speculation but some readers might assume it was fact. The fact of the matter is Shelby did not put the handle or jack in the trunk Ford did. That is a matter of documentation in the form of the delete sheets and internal memos. The tire in the trunk , jack trunk mat ,etc. was in the car when it was delivered to Shelby . it is well within the realm of possibility that a occasional one was left out. A urban legend is that Shelby did all of the conversion of the car and by your statements you have bought into that myth. By 1967 a large majority of the work was done at Ford were it was more cost effective for Shelby. If you will examine and study the add and delete sheets you will see the extent of Fords conversion contribution and thus understand. Joe you mentioned you didn't understand my statement about a more realistic explanation. Your premise is that you assume that the 13/16 jack and handle were in the car to begin with and not changed out like so many things on these cars were in there 41 year life. I didn't say it couldn't happen I just said it was a more realistic explanation. It is not unreasonable to assume that possibly sometime in the past the jack assembly was removed mixed up lost or what ever and then replaced with a much more common 13/16 version which made it necessary to come up with a extra 3/4 handle to use on the lug nuts. And as far as "taking the easy way out" I find that statement more then a little offensive. I have been on the front line of controversy as far as these cars go for many years researching many cars throughout 67 Shelby production covering many variations. The easy way out would not to talk on the phone for hours trying to help enthusiasts answer questions about their cars. The easy way out would be not to rock the boat and let misinformed people perpetuate urban legends and bull on those enthusiast who are trying to put their car back to a close factory configuration. The easy way out would be to not stick my neck out posting info that has taken years to acquire and offering it up for free. Not very easy if you ask me . The easy way out IS when a owner says that's the way it is on his car so it must be right rather then accepting the possibility that in all the years of it's life maybe something has been changed that was forgotten by a previous owner etc. With such a " keen understanding of the variations and spirit of production" you keep missing the DIFFERENCE between production changes or variations which is already posted and my suggestion for a list of unique 67 Shelby items when compared to other years Shelby's. As for the jacking instructions I attached a original that came off of a car before restoration. I believe this one came off of the trunk floor. The two normal places are on the trunk floor and the backside of the trap door. It is the C7ZB -B instructions that show the tear drop shaped head. Remember there was a 3/4 version and a 13/16 version with the same head one for magstar and one for tenspoke or hubcap cars. If you remember earlier when I mentioned the tire and jack etc. were in the cars when delivered to Shelby- notice I didn't include the trunk lid. This fact is supported by any number of period photos of the Shelby LA lot in 67 with dozens of cars with out fiberglass hoods ,nose scoops and trunk lids . The jacking instructions sticker would have been installed at Ford also, and if a trunklid was deleted and never installed per the delete sheets a decal would have to be placed in another next best location. A judging comrade Kenny Beers that I respect has pounded this scenario into my head for years and it is logical. I wouldn't dismiss the occasional trunk lid installed jacking instructions sticker by a dealer but I have come to believe it would be the exception rather then the rule. Another observation is that in the case of the trunklid in your picture. Since the fiberglass Shelby parts were painted off of the car as per period photos of production methods spanning from 1965 to 1970 Shelby production ,the black overspray on the trunk hinges in the photo would indicate that sometime in it's life the underside of the trunklid had been touched up or repainted while installed on the car and whoever painted it didn't bother to mask off the hinges. A common easy way out. The fact that since the originality of the underside had been tampered with has to cast a doubt on the originality of the jacking instructions. It is hard to tell for sure with out closer examination. There have been other threads on this forum you can review on how these fiberglass pieces were painted but no credible evidence has ever been found to suggest that any parts were painted on the car.

 

Hi to all on this simple subject.We must be real car nuts when we can spend hours over details like this.I have known Bob since 1993 and as with most of us in the hobbie see him as a very devoted and knowledgeable Ford owner.Also as a judge who must make decisions-comments by Joe are from an owners standpoint,and if he wants to wear a bowtie,and think with that mentality, then he is free to do so..this is a Shelby enthusiast site and I agree with Bob 100% lets keep it that way. Now for my input...according to the 1997 Shelby registry page 797 shows that there is a jack handle with the number S7MS-17032-A and a 3/4" lug wrench S7MS-17032-B. Please also refer to page 795 service bulletin 67-8 dated April 3 1967 It mentions that there were reports from dealers and customers indicating a number of vehicles in the field which do not have the correct lug wrench for the optional Mag Star wheels.The correct lug wrench to be used with Mag Star wheels carries the following part number:S7MS-10732-B.This is a Shelby part number and must therefore be ordered from Shelby American.It goes on to say Customers who do not have the correct lug wrench in their cars may have them replaced under warranty.All this for a few points on a judging sheet?I hope this is viewed as a help to better this hobby and not a gripe,and let us go to the facts and evidence we have to prove our points.
P.D.

 

All points well taken. I'm a firm believer in "keeping an open mind, you just don't know what may drop in"! NOTHING in this hobby is "absolute", yes regualtions and procedures were put into place, but not always followed. This is the main reason dealerships had to do P.D.I.'s. We all would like to think that Ford and S.A. were "well oiled machines" back then, but from my experience with these cars, I'd be hard pressed to believe that. Any one in the hobby for as long as I've been[1973], knows the name Joe Sikora. I feel he's paid his dues. I certainly wouldn't pin a "GM" lable on him because he was making comparisons, thats just isn't right. and just like Bob, both these guys are very passionate about finding the answers. We don't have to agree[and at times I don't],but do respect ones views right or wrong. Lets save the "puffy chests" for the roosters.

 

Here is pic of jack handle i thought was incorrect for my 67 500 i just finished.To think i threw this thing aside thinking it was wrong. Maybe not.

 

That looks like it. 3/4 for magstar and 13/16 for tenspoke and hubcaps.