Topic: 65 FB Fold down section

[ChrisV289]

So I am changing the carpet out and something I noticed taking the fold down section out that I am curious if it was a production change.  The last section of the fold down where the support section is, I have the early ones that are like triangles.  Anyway the thing i noticed is the passenger side on the fold down metal where the screws are have built in locking nuts.  The driver side are just drilled out.  Did Ford intend to only have one support and add the other later on?  Car as a schedule build date of 10/29/64 in SJ.  See pics below:

[PraireBronze]

As I recall, mine is like that too.  Oct 64 San Jose.

[DKutz]

Mine is an oct 64 SJ as well.  Truly I don't recall.  I have some pic's and I still have to mess with the latch so I will look..

[ChrisV289]

It would be interesting to see if the later cars are like that or if they corrected the issue.  Must be an early production thing....

[SamG]

I've got a few fold down assemblies in the shop...I'll try to look tomorrow.     I've got dates on a couple of them. 

[PraireBronze]

A thought that crossed my mind was that this was a TSB fix, but I have nothing to back that up.

[jwc66k]

You got my attention, so I looked at my 65 Fastback (May, San Jose) but from the trunk (another Fastback is parked along side). Could not see enough from the trunk so that will have to wait.
But I have a theory. All 65 Fastbacks had a bumper as part of the latch assembly on the RH side. In 66, the bumper was eliminated on early Fastbacks but returned around Feb 1, 66. The bumpers on the front edge of the folding section were changed from a 1/4 inch thick, 1 inch dia, screwed in to the frame near the end style to a 5/16-18 screw threaded bumper a bit closer in sometime in the late 65 model year. The mounts in the fixed section were changed from the multi-angle bracket design to a oval shaped disc with a "cup". The fixed section had a "dish" in the sheet metal to accommodated this "cup". The used the existing long retaining screw and added a shorter screw to mount the "cup". This is an indication that Ford was concerned about noise from the rear fold down seat. The Shelby Forum has a few post on this subject.   
What if the 65 Fastback engineering design concept was that the latch mounted bumper and a single folding section bumper and multi-angle bracket would be sufficient? When the first production models were made it was determined that the single bumper/bracket was insufficient and a second bracket/bumper was needed. The simple fix was to use the same multi-angle bracket on the other side with a pair of heavy duty 1/4 dia sheet metal screws and add a second bumper to the folding section front edge. That would explain the two different mounting styles, nutserts on one side, punched holes on the other.
Comments?
Jim

[Brian Conway]

If I am on the same page...  Sounds good to me the only question might be how to locate the stop correctly for install over the carpet ?  Brian

[jwc66k]

If I am on the same page...  Sounds good to me the only question might be how to locate the stop correctly for install over the carpet ?  Brian

Try this. I made the sketch for another Mustang owner trying to locate the brackets. "Flip" measurements for the other side. Poke around thru the carpet with a pick to locate existing holes. The sketch was made to locate new holes on a 66 panel for use in a 65. Measurements came from a May 65 San Jose car.
Jim

[wunderwerks]

ChrisV289--Your fold down section is identical to the two early 65 sections that I have.  I just finished carpeting this same back section and noticed this difference.  The screws that hold down the angled brace are machine screws for the welded in nuts and sheet metal screws for the other side with the punched holes.  There is a slight difference in the finish and shape of the heads of the screws.  When I first noticed the difference, I compared it to another fold down section and it was also identical to what you have.