Topic: Fastback fender badging question

[MustangAndFairlane1867]

My 1965 fastback (San Jose/February 16, 1965) is coming out of paint soon and I need to replace the Horse and 2+2 badging that was removed and lost from both front fenders in the distant past by a PO.  I would appreciate any suggestions about sourcing these items, including from vendors that might carry quality pieces that are considered concourse correct and are reproduced to a high standard.  As always, thanks in advance for any recommendations, advice, etc. Ron

[NEFaurora]

As far as Reproduction, The Scott Drake pieces are the best ones out there.

Other than that, You'll be hunting on Ebay and other websites for NOS pieces..

That's it in a nutshell.

)

Tony K.

[J_Speegle]

See what you can find as far as NOS - checking that they did not increase the size of the mounting post or move them. Also at least look at the possibility of originals that are still in good condition that just need a good polishing and a touch up

Have not compared the originals to reproduction and there often are differences. Once armed with all that make your best choice

[lancelot66]

Ron,
You'll get plenty of hits if you search eBay for "65 66 NOS Mustang Fender Emblems" but be careful on the horses...
Unless the PO of your car drilled an additional hole for the tail pin (filling the original) you're going to be needing horses with engineering numbers in the back starting with C4ZB and not C8ZB. There is a difference in that the earlier horse has a tail pin located in the middle of the tail (C4ZB) vs the base of the tail (C8ZB). I've seen plenty of cars over the years that simply snipped off the tail pin but it doesn't lay down against the fender as well when folks do that to get the later ones to fit.
Much better to have all 4 pins, using their original hole locations, IMHO....

[MustangAndFairlane1867]

Lance

Thank you a ton for that information re the engineering numbers.  I knew that there were apparently two different size horse emblems used during production, but I didn't have any insight into the difference.  To make certain I'm reading you correctly, my San Jose fastback car (2.16.1965) came off the line with the C4ZB horses, so that's what I should be looking for if I want to keep it concourse correct, right?  The PO welded the holes closed--as opposed to using a body filler--so either way I'll be looking at a fairly clean slate as I very slowly and carefully drill new holes to match the pins on the C4ZB horses.  Wish me luck!  Lol.  Thanks again for the heads up on this.  And if you have any suggestions before I start the drilling process (it will be a few weeks because the car is still in paint), please let me know. Thanks, Ron...

[lancelot66]

Never a problem Ron. Yes to your question though...to be concours correct they'll need to be the C4ZB ones. They're quite a bit more difficult to find, especially NOS. I have located a couple in the event you can't find any right away. Try JD Larson at: http://www.allclassicmustang.com/1966MustangParts.html

He has a couple listed that aren't too bad, price-wise. I've dealt with him several times in the past and I like him.

Also, if your fenders are being painted off the car, you should try and re-locate those original holes while they're off. You most likely already thought of this but it sure would be easier....!

[MustangAndFairlane1867]

Lance

Here's a picture of the welded-up holes.  It looks like they've been drilled out, but they haven't.  I've talked to a couple of experienced body guys who've been through this before, and they both said that a weld is considerably harder than the surrounding sheet metal, making it difficult to use a center punch and then drill through the hard welded material.  Both said their technique in the past has been to first drill a very small hole as close to one of the welded holes as possible, then slowly enlarge it to the proper diameter for the pin.  Next they insert the appropriate pin into the hole, line the emblem up correctly, and then use a fine point Sharpie pen to mark the correct location of the remaining pin holes.  They then slowly drill them to the proper diameter and mount the emblem.  They claim the slight re-location of the emblems is not discernable without the use of a tape measure, etc.  I'm not convinced that's the best way to go, but they have the experience and I don't.  I'm hoping to get other ideas before jumping into this murky water.  Thanks, Ron

[lancelot66]

Yeah, that's a valid point. It's basically like a plank of hard walnut with even harder knots to contend with. Sounds like they've done it before too. If it were me, knowing what a control freak I am sometimes, I'd have to take my emblems down to the paint shop, mark the locations myself and then watch THEM drill the holes...if they failed on the first hole to earn my trust, I'd ask them to let me do it!