Topic: Hood Letter alignment

[ruppstang]

Marty, not to get off topic too much, but was that your Moss Green GTA convertible as Savannah?  It was parked inside in a corner.  It had deluxe Saddle interior.

No we flew down but that car is very much like ours.
Marty

[drummingrocks]

No we flew down but that car is very much like ours.
Marty

Gotcha, thanks!  Hope to get to see yours some day.  I know the one in Savannah was stunning.  It was the first time I'd ever seen a Saddle interior paired with Dark Moss Green.

[Deuce]

Ruppstang,

Thanks for the under hood photo; looks like a very clean installation.  With the extra wire(s), I'm guessing there's hood turn signal indicators too. 

The light & bracket is different from my '67, I've attached a photo.  Aside from the wiring fortified with a little black electrical tape, it's all original as far as I know, including the rusty bracket!

[Deuce]

btw,

Here are a couple of earlier posts from this forum that I mentioned, which address the same challenges on letters alignment:

 - Mustang Letters and "pins" http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=483.msg27873#msg27873

 - GT M-U-S-T-A-N-G lettering http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=4437.msg24644#msg24644


Q: How does official judging address reproduction stick-on letters (that might look as good or even better than drilled & pinned letters)?

[priceless]

In my Judging capacity in the Concours classes, DD and OD, I would not count off for stick-on letters. As long as they have the factory look, fit and finish.

NOW, as we all know, unrestored or thoroughbred is a totally different issue here.

Hope this helps.

[ruppstang]

Ruppstang,

Thanks for the under hood photo; looks like a very clean installation.  With the extra wire(s), I'm guessing there's hood turn signal indicators too. 

The light & bracket is different from my '67, I've attached a photo.  Aside from the wiring fortified with a little black electrical tape, it's all original as far as I know, including the rusty bracket!

I have not ever seen one like yours, it looks to me like your original went bad and was replaced as  evidenced by the electrical tape.
As far as the letters I would deduct for them if I could tell there was a difference. The meaning of Concours  to me is as it was delivered, not what is better or easier.

[Deuce]

yes, I considered that too.  Somewhere along the line, the original hood light might have been replaced with a (liquid mercury activated?) replacement bulb holder and switch.  The light in my 67's trunk has a very similar design to your under hood light.

Thank you for the clarification on judging and I am appreciating the difference between driven, unrestored and concours. 

[priceless]

As far as the letters I would deduct for them if I could tell there was a difference.......

Exactly, and I agree with you, if you can tell a difference,,,,, But like I said, If the fit, finish, factory look and appearance is identical to original, regardless if it's reproduction, I WILL NOT count off points and Judges should NOT count off points in Concours or Driven. 

Seems this is an ongoing issue here. Reproduction parts ARE allowed in Concours and Driven.

[priceless]

The meaning of Concours  to me is as it was delivered, not what is better or easier.....

Yes, and everyone has their opinion. Why would it matter if it's better or easier as long as it retains the factory original look, fit and finish? Reproduction parts ARE allowed in Concours and Driven classes.

What's this forum called?? Concours Mustang Forum??

Merry Christmas
 

[BKnapp]

Resurrecting an old thread. I have read every post and don't believe the original question was actually answered. My hood must be repop as it has no holes and PO did not put on the F-O-R-D lettering. I initially plan on trying the press on with  3M adhesive. Would it be possible for someone to get the measurements for the spacing of the letters....from front edge of hood and from crown or sides? This is for a 67 Coupe as noted in my sig.

Thanks,

Bill

[J_Speegle]

Resurrecting an old thread. I have read every post and don't believe the original question was actually answered. My hood must be repop as it has no holes and PO did not put on the F-O-R-D lettering...................

Might be a replacement/68 hood. Just a possibility

Sorry don't have a 67 hood to help you out with that detail. Glad to hear your going with the post style. Original and no points lost

[BKnapp]

Ok....I do believe this has some of the information those may be seeking. Unfortunately, I can't find away to imbed the pictures/info into this thread directly and can only provide a link. Please feel free to correct. The one bit of information I did not see is the distance up from the front edge of the hood.

http://www.mustangandfords.com/how-to/paint-body/28798/photo-10.html

Hope this is correct and helps!

Bill

[67gtasanjose]

...using the old panel to make a template from...

I have been working with two different 67 hoods lately, my original date stamped October-'66 hood and a date stamped April-'67 hood, both with the original pin letters.

Curiosity led me to try to make a couple of templates, if for no other reason, to have on hand if ever a need should arise. I cut two strips of sheet metal 12 inches by 2-1/2 inches, one for each side of the hood. The April dated hood was beat up a bit so I used it as a "donor" to build the template from. I first cut out the back side hood reinforcement metal, clamped to the top of the hood, one of these strips... centered over the pin letter holes & aligned with the leading edge of the hood. Drilling from the underside of the hood through the template sheet metal. This gave me an accurate template to do a few test "drillings" on some scrap sheet metal. I have now tested the template and it worked perfectly, even allowing for the barrel nuts. 

Another situation peaked my curiosity. I wondered how well these two different hoods matched up to each other in the letter spacing.

First, I measured each hole spacing from the center of the hood and the leading edge of the hood....Basically, they were identical. Then I placed the template over my October dated hood and the pin letters actually inserted THROUGH the template, right into the hood! 100% identical spacing within a .001"! Amazing! Now, the leading edge was ever so slightly off but less than 1/8" BUT the donor hood had been repaired on the leading edge so this would have changed it slightly. 

100% sure now these were definitely all punched out using the same machine from the factory, there in no other possible way these holes could be THAT close to identical some 6 months apart on the production line.

The BEST way I believe a restorer could be to "as close to original" would be to section out the old panel with holes and simply use the original panel as your template. Obviously, once that original panel is gone, probably what I did above is your next best way (copy from another example). ONLY metal templates will help to keep your drill bit from walking around so other ideas might get your spacing correct but I doubt you can stay on track and have them look as consistantly good as the factory did.