69 GT500 -- Critique This Engine Bay

Wow, you must love punishment !



Original shocks were either blue or white on 1969s, bolts for hood hinges to the body and the front spring covers (on shock towers) were phosphate (dark gray), the master cylinder and lid were painted black originally. I think the air pump adjustment bolt is normally gold cad. I am not sure on the solenoid, but didn't all 69s use the round version ?

 

The koni Shocks were a Orange color. Check to see if you have Koni on it before changing the color to blue or white.
Randy
B)

 

Konis were never original on 69s. Feb car would have blue shocks. Shock tower braces/caps should be slop grey, in addition to MC cap, check valve should also be black. AC compressor bracket bolts should be phosphate, smog hose clamp direction

 

I didn't think he asked if the shocks were original or what it came with. I thought he asked what was wrong in the engine compartment. Anybody who wanted to race would of changed out the Ford shock with the Koni Shocks.
And the Koni shocks are a orange/red color. If he does have koni's I would not paint them white or blue.
Just my 2 cents worth.
They are many Shelby's with Koni Shocks in this ear.
Randy

 

If he is concerned about what is wrong with the engine compartment he is most likely looking for historically correct other wise nuts and bolt finishes would be meaningless. The Koni's are a no no on a car that is trying to be historically correct also headers,duel point etc. Bob

 

Only a very few very early 69 GT500 did NOT have the round heavy duty solenoid.This car is too late to have anything else but the round heavy duty solenoid. Also the cast iron Tecumseh A/C compressor was used instead of the aluminum york compressor. READ MY LIPS NO CAUTION FAN STICKER. Sorry I'm calmer now. The most common BB mistake caution fan sticker is a pet peeve of mine. Seriously though no caution fan sticker. Wrong Batt cables ,wrong hardware and finish on 3 nuts for shock bracket . Wrong finish on idler bracket-pulley is black but base is bare metal or zinc phosphate. The resolution is too low to see any more details. I would redye A/C lines. Looks like a good start. Bob

 

First want to commend you on the job so far and the williness to have us comment on your hard work.

Noticed (some are the same as others mentioned - choose to see what I saw before I read the other comments. Better practice that way)

1- Missing rubber dipped straps for the AC lines - would go with two

2- Common mistake - no sealer on EVERY opening passing through the firewall (throttle, wires, screws....) EXCEPT for the ground cable screw and the Shelby wireloom

3- Master cylinder cap, booster, spacer, check valve - painted seim-gloss black as a unit

4- Never seen the could pinch weld extension (were the wire loom is clip) painted black - always body color

5- Finish on wiper motor mount bolt.screw in cowl

6- No hoses connected to the PVS on thermostat housing ??

7- I would hunt down a better (must have bought one of those decal kits - where you get a bunch that you didn't or shouldn't use Air filter replacement decal that includes the part number of the replacement filter


8- AC idler pulley. Centers phosphate - pulley and mount was semi-gloss black -




Are your shock tower supports batch color or semi-gloss black?

What is the finish on the AC mounting bolts - look like zinc or something ? We found dark - phosphate or heat treated on our originals


That's what I noticed on first look. Was able to save the jpg and blow it up in a viewer

Good job - keep it up

 

Yes and there are also more Shelbys of the era with missing smog, headers, aftermarket carbs etc, etc, and I wouldn't consider them any more correct than Konis. I guess like Bob's pet peeve being Fan decals mine is Konis. I don't understand why people want to consider them as OK as a right or wrong part as far as original equipment.

 

I think you guys are missing my point. If he "has" koni's on his car don't paint them white or blue, they are a great shock and much better than the Ford shock. If he want's to be Concours correct then go buy the Ford shocks. If he not going to drive the car then I guess he better find some original polyglass tires, leaded gas, etc.
But these cars need to be driven so anything that can make them safer and dependable is Ok in my book. Better headlights, warning stickers, tires, shocks, etc.
Your all smarter then me on this, so I will bow out of the conversation and leave it the real experts. I have only owned 3 Shelby's, others here are much more knowledgable.

I think he has done a lot of work and a great job! Do the car to the way YOU like it and drive it and enjoy the experience.
Randy

 

Forgot one more item! Koni's were the Ford replacement part for all these cars from 65-70 S1MS. Shelby and Ford marketed and sold these shocks and some dealers installed Koni's before delivery. I would just say it is a tough decision to deduct Concours points for having Koni's
if they were a dealer installed item before delivery!

 

We are not commenting on the content of your point - not missing it. I along with others are trying to show you that you are missing the point of this thread although it looks like you are coming around. The thread is about originality and not if a incorrect koni shock is painted the correct shade of Koni orange. These threads /questions sometimes turn into discussions so please don't take this reply the wrong way, it is not meant to be hurtful but informative and in the end is just a opinion. The question was asked to critique a engine compartment . Since bolt finishes and incorrect shocks were some of the first things pointed out and the the writer that started the thread replied with praise and asked for more, it can be easily assumed that assemblyline correctness is the point he was after and not the merits of how good a Koni shock is . Your point is -be sure to paint the koni shocks orange . The point of the thread is that the Koni shocks are blatantly out of place in a setting surrounded by assemblyline parts and markings. In this setting it doesn't matter much if they are painted Koni orange or White. They are still incorrect for the purpose of the discussion even though Koni makes a good shock. Just my thoughts on the discussion. FYI you would not see ANY difference in the Koni shocks compared to the factory Autolite/Gabrial adjustable shocks set at any of the 3 settings in any but the most EXTREME spirited street driving situation or all out competition track driving. Lets face it that kind of driving is hardly the anticipated use for these cars or for that matter most cars. That being said you are hardly SAFER with Koni shocks when compared to the Shelby adjustable shocks. And while we are on that subject I was discussing rebuilding original Shelby shocks and friend Ed Meyer said to me "I have never seen any that were wore out" and I replied "come to think of it I haven't ether" .We were referring to the hydraulic aspect of the shock and not rusted or bent shafts and dry rotted rubber bushings . That covers a lot of Shelby shocks between the two of us. It also speaks volumes of the durability (DEPENDABLITY) of that type (Gabrial strider) shock. in fact that might be the reason it was discontinued-they never wore out so they couldn't sell more. The Koni shock in the case of the street car is more a perceived status symbol when compared to the factory adjustables rather then any real life benefit. Just my opinion. Sorry for the off thread comments but I thought they were appropriate considering the thoughts involved. Bob

 

You are misinformed on the shocks replacement status. The factory adjustable shocks were available for several years AFTER production ended. The replacement shock after the Autolite adjustables went obsolete wasn't the more expensive Koni it was a regular Mustang shock. The Konis remained in the system just like other over the counter performance parts like non stock cams ,duel point distributors etc. It just so happens that the S1MS Koni shocks that came on all 65 GT350 and a good amount of 66's from SA also fit 67-70 Mustangs and Shelby's too. The "dealer installed" status of Koni's is more a urban legend then a common place fact. It seems the "dealer installed" myth has been perpetuated by those trying hard to justify the use of the Koni shock so as to make their car viewed more as stock. The subject has been covered before on this forum as well as the SAAC forum covering the acceptence of a non stock part like Koni's being acceptable if installed by the dealer before the first customer took delivery when the car was brand new. The burden of proof for this however is on the person trying to substantiate the non stock condition and not the judging staff of the venue the car may be entered in. Usually reasonable acceptable proof would be in the form of paperwork from the dealer at the time of sale. I have actually seen a few acceptable Koni shock pre delivery dealer installation documentations but that has been just twice in all the years I have judged. I think you are beating a dead horse . This is not the first time this subject has been brought up here or other places. If someone wants to put Koni's or headers or whatever on their car then more power to them. Just don't be deluded into thinking that you can put a politicians spin on those parts to make them assemblyline correct for concours status. It is hard to have your cake and eat it too. So if you enter into a concours event where the point is to have the car as historically assemblyline correct as possible you better have the documentation evidence ready to back up your claim of a dealer installed non stock part or don't be upset at deductions . Some more thoughts for the discussion.Bob

 

While it has been pointed out much incorrect;It still looks nice,
DRIVE that mother!
My 69-2390 is being "fixed up" she was blasted taken to the uni-body but done to my liking;my street rod buddies say"anyone can restore one,it takes a real man to cut one up!"
(Putting nomex on)
Steele
I would like to add that a well restored car is something to be appreciated.

 

Okay I sticking to the 68s (I do better there). The bolts I mentioned should be brightly colored...so sorry.

 

I think the thing that stands out most for me is the condition of the snorkle, it could use some lovin'.

 

Oh your not that far off. ..... do these all the time (reviewing restorations) and there are always 12-25 quick things that can be fixed in a weekend.

As always, when any of us do these we miss many things - that is why it's always important to get a number of sets of eyes on the project to see each tree in the forest

Keep up the good work - no one said it was going to be fun - just rewarding

 

There was a lot involved, too: