Topic: Shipping Tie Down Brackets

[bryancobb]

This is not my car, but it has the same type shipping tie-downs as mine.

Is the one in the picture installed facing the correct way, and are the bolts facing
the correct way?

I realize dealers were suppose to remove them but mine were not.

Thanks in advance.

[C5ZZKGT]

They say that transport drivers were to remove the plates and return them to the factory for re-use.
Some also say that the DEALERS were to remove the plates and send them back to the factory periodicly with the transport drivers, I have to wonder at what point these brackets were really installed onto the cars myself.
That said I have no answer as to which way the bolts should face, I installed mine with the bolt heads on the outside like some pictures of other cars that were posted somewhere before....

[Pete Bush]

Here's a picture of the original decal that was installed in the license plate area.

The second picture is a photo of the tie-downs on my Sprint. Both show the bolt heads facing in.

[bryancobb]

Duh!!!  I didn't even THINK about looking at the decal.  Thanks.

[ajd350]

Just to clear up the bracket situation, I asked a few people who were there. I  work at a Ford dealer that has been owned by the same family since 1930. I've been there since 1976 and the guy who was in charge of shipping in the early Mustang era said he NEVER shipped any brackets back and was not aware of any return policy. If Ford wanted them back they would have given some incentive to do so. The owners would definitely have availed themselves of that. Transport drivers were independent contractors and would not have been handling returns. Our GM, who was a line tech at the time said some guys removed them, some not. We did the same in the 90s with Tauruses. Mostly I think Ford didn't want them to be visible to customers or people asking "What are those things hanging under my car?"

[ChrisV289]

Are the pictures posted by Pete loading up for anyone?

[carlite65]

all i have is a red X.

[Andrew@MagMustangs]

As far as the Portland, OR area goes, one of the Dealer Preppers for this area in the 60's lives right next to our shop, his name is Jim. They prepped all New Fords coming in for All the Dealers in this area by Train. The Tie-Down Brackets were supposed to be removed by his service company before the Dealer ever even saw the car, it was part of 'Dealer Prep' . The Ford Incentive was $1 for every pair, so they never removed them, except for the occasional 'go-getter' however they were under a time limit for each car and it was just not deemed necessary. This is his straight answer, which at least covers Fords delivered in this area in the late 60's into the early 70's.

One thing he did get !@#$ for was if he did not undercoat. Every single new Ford was supposed to be undercoated, at least this area.

I've heard all kinds of stories, like a deceased rail hopper in a brand new Lincoln, this car was removed from the train by crane and promptly crushed.

How about a 70 Galaxie with Fuel Injection, and the whole company was constantly crowding around this car checking out the 'Funny' Intake System. a Ford Exec showed up within the week wondering how it made it all the way out here, and he took it back. Some of you might realize what was supposed to happen with that car.

They also kept hiding a 428SCJ-4 Speed Torino around the back of the lot for about a week burning those Original Polyglas off the back, until the dealer himself showed up mad as everything wondering where that 'Special Order Torino' was.

Andrew

[Pete Bush]

Chris,

I'm not sure what happened to the pictures. They were there until the move. Perhaps some sort of bug occurred during the transfer process?

Anyway, I posted them again, below...

Pete