ConcoursMustang Forums

1st Generation 1964 1/2 - 1973 - Questions & general discussions that apply to a specific year => 1966 Mustang => Topic started by: kcode on November 10, 2020, 11:57:09 PM

Title: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: kcode on November 10, 2020, 11:57:09 PM
I have a 1966 Hipo fastback that the door tag has it as an automatic, but the door tag is a reproduction tag. I want to verify if it "IS" an original automatic, or if it was a manual when it left the factory.

Thanks for any insight.
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: jwc66k on November 11, 2020, 12:10:52 AM
An unusual first post. Welcome.
A manual transmission would have a hole in the firewall for the clutch rod to the left of the steering colum. Depending on when you car was built, there would be an additional spring from the top of the Z bar to a special bracket in a slot in the firewall.
Jim
OK, not so unusual. My 66 GT Fastback "K" car has a C4 too.
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: kcode on November 11, 2020, 12:28:58 AM
Lol sorry for my first post.

Any pictures of these holes? Thanks
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: ChrisV289 on November 11, 2020, 12:43:29 AM
If it was a 4 speed you should have hole 17 (not punched out in the pic) and hole 20 or 29 ( location varies). And a clip at hole 22
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: J_Speegle on November 11, 2020, 12:54:36 AM
Of course if the owner/shop did a good job of making the car a manual at some point in its life its going to be difficult to determine since all of the 4 speed and automatic clues will be there. Is this a complete assembled car or something else?  Hoping that they may have overlooked something or cut a corner leaving a clue.

Of course if this is a stripped car that was never converted then it makes the task much easier. A little more info on current condition and setup would be helpful :)

Welcome to the site. Hope you find the information and support helpful in your related restoration or maintenance and original needs as well as tasks 

And lastly I'm guessing its not a NJ built K code. Consider adding when and where your car was built - we're going to be asking for that ALLOT of you don't include it somewhere with questions
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: rockhouse66 on November 11, 2020, 08:32:57 AM
A genuine 4-speed car should have this hole in the tunnel for speedometer cable entry.  Ignore the other visible hole - it is for the A/C drain.

Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: sgl66 on November 11, 2020, 09:54:31 AM
Look for the #36 slot in the firewall picture under the master cylinder to determine if it was a 4 speed originally. Given it is a automatic now the 4 speed spring clip bracket if present that goes into that slot will tell the tale.
I believe this was a running change in 66 so depending on build date, it may not be there
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: Bob Gaines on November 11, 2020, 11:35:55 AM
I believe this was a running change in 66 so depending on build date, it may not be there
Good point.Thank you .
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: Bossbill on November 11, 2020, 12:13:35 PM
If it was a 4 speed you should have hole 17 (not punched out in the pic) and hole 20 or 29 ( location varies). And a clip at hole 22

That's a neat pic.
Is that from a thread with the answers?
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: jwc66k on November 11, 2020, 12:40:16 PM
I believe this was a running change in 66 so depending on build date, it may not be there
From "memory", the additional spring, bracket and slot for manual transmissions (4 speed, yes - 3 speed, I don't know) was added on 1 March 66.
Jim
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: jwc66k on November 11, 2020, 05:24:46 PM
- the additional spring, bracket and slot for manual transmissions was added on 1 March 66.
Correction. Per the 75 edition of Ford Car Parts (aka MPC), the addition was 2/14/66.
Jim
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: J_Speegle on November 11, 2020, 07:44:51 PM
From "memory", the additional spring, bracket and slot for manual transmissions (4 speed, yes - 3 speed, I don't know) was added on 1 March 66.

The slot was added to all firewalls once the change was incorporated. So 6 cylinders and V8s, automatics and manual transmission cars/bodies


I will add it to the running change list (not sure how it was overlooked since we've discussed the subject before) and post a focus running change thread. Always hard to apply dates to running changes since we don't know when each car was built or in what order the cars were built but we can at least establish a range and eliminate much of the production year from being in it
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: ChrisV289 on November 11, 2020, 08:07:12 PM
That's a neat pic.
Is that from a thread with the answers?

Got it off Facebook awhile ago
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: Bossbill on November 11, 2020, 09:23:51 PM
Might be a good addition to the library.
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: J_Speegle on November 11, 2020, 10:56:30 PM
Might be a good addition to the library.

Sure it might be helpful for all years and models. Would need to be  cleaned up and in a better format. But this one/year would be the easiest since the hard work was done and most of it would translate to 65

Wonder how many straight on firewall pictures I have
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: CharlesTurner on November 12, 2020, 12:16:19 AM
4sp car would also have a hole on the upper area of the passenger side (RH) toe board, used to secure the speedo cable clip.  Same style clip used under the car for the fuel/brake lines on the bottom of the driver side (LH) floor pan.
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: 67gtasanjose on November 12, 2020, 06:35:10 AM
Sure it might be helpful for all years and models. Would need to be  cleaned up and in a better format. But this one/year would be the easiest since the hard work was done and most of it would translate to 65

Wonder how many straight on firewall pictures I have
Maybe not the best place for sharing within this thread but I took a few shots of my 67 SJ I could sent to you, one pre-dismantled with no engine and one in red oxide. The shock towers conceal the lower corners in both images I have so safe to say the pictures are not as "clear and complete" as the one shared earlier in this thread (but is is a source of help for 67's if needed).
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: J_Speegle on November 12, 2020, 09:32:48 PM
Maybe not the best place for sharing within this thread but I took a few shots of my 67 SJ I could sent to you, one pre-dismantled with no engine and one in red oxide. The shock towers conceal the lower corners in both images I have so safe to say the pictures are not as "clear and complete" as the one shared earlier in this thread (but is is a source of help for 67's if needed).

If you care to you can send the picture over to me - I can use it once I start making the 67 base. Finding that no one picture covers everything so it will take a number (have a fair number in my files) to get things close as far as holes and their locations

Started converting the 66 version and making it wider to cover details not shown in reply #3 like the dimmer switch on the drivers side and the electrical loom clip in the upper right hand corner on the passenger side.
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: Brian Conway on November 12, 2020, 10:14:17 PM
 Well because the #36 slot is present the picture is of a 66 firewall  ?
Title: Re: How to tell if a car was an original automatic or manual?
Post by: J_Speegle on November 12, 2020, 10:42:16 PM
Well because the #36 slot is present the picture is of a 66 firewall  ?

It's likely a picture of a later 66 car

Started a running change thread for at least one plant currently to keep the focus on this one ..... well focused :)

http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=23645.0 (http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=23645.0)