SUMMARY OF REAR DECK ORNAMENTATION FINDINGS - PART I
I had hoped that I would have all of the information documented before Posting this, but, as you will see in reading it, there is one item still "up in the air". Hopefully, some of our readers will respond with documented picture information to "fill in the blanks".
Due to only being able to attach 10 pictures to a single Post, this will be presented in two Parts. The first will cover the Rear Panels themselves, and their Attaching Parts ; the second will cover the Paint. Be sure to read, and/ or copy, both Parts in order to get the "whole picture".
Before getting into details, a little nomenclature. This Option, only available in 1967, was noted in the Sales Brochures, Salesman's Price Book, and the Showroom Options book as "Rear Grill Ornamentation", "Grill, Lower Back Panel", and "Rear Grill", respectively. On this Forum, it has been generically called "Rear Deck Grill", "Rear Ribbed Panel", and "Ribbed Taillight Panel", among others. However, Ford's "official" name for this, as noted in the Parts books was "Panel Assembly, Lower Back Applique". The Service Part Numbers for these were C7ZZ-6340584-A (RH), and C7ZZ-6340585-A (LH) for Fastbacks, and C7ZZ-6540584-A (RH), and C7ZZ-6540585-A (LH) for Coupes and Convertibles.
REAR DECK GRILL PANELS
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The "Rear Grill" was only available as a Factory Option, not as an Accessory/ Dealer Option, In order to add this Option for $19.48, one first had to order the Exterior Decor Option (which included pop-open gas cap, wheel lip moldings, rear deck and quarter panel moldings and functional louvered hood with integral turn signals) for $38.86. In its "Standard" form, the rear grill would be painted the same color as the body of the car ; but, for an additional $12.95, the "Two-Tone Paint" Option could be added. The "Two-Tone Paint" Option was only offered in Dark Gray Metallic (see more details on paint later). Contrary to the belief of many, the "Two-Tone Paint" Option did not require the Rear Grill, but could be purchased on its own ; again, only in the Dark Gray Metallic color.
Interestingly, either Ford's initial idea was either to offer the Rear Grill on Fastbacks only, or it was just an out and out mistake, but the early 1967 Mustang Sales Brochure (dated 8/66) noted "...rear grill ornamentation (2+2), ..." ; yet the same brochure clearly has a picture of it on a Convertible. So, if it was, in fact, Ford's original idea for Fastback only, the idea was very short lived. Besides appearing on the Convertible in the early brochure, there was no "caveat" of (2+2) shown in either the Ford Facts Book (which usually was available at Model Introduction time), or in the Salesman's Price Book that I have dated 10/17/66. In addition, the Ford List Price Book dated November 1, 1966 shows the Rear Grills as Service Parts for both Fastbacks and Coupes/ Convertibles.
Like virtually all Factory Parts, Service Parts could be purchased from the Parts Counter ; as noted in the List Price Book noted above, $15.65 for RH, and $15.65 for LH for Fastbacks, and $14.75 for RH and $14.75 for LH for Coupes/ Convertibles. In each case, they are noted "Includes Attaching Parts". However, if one is thinking of adding this Option to a car that didn't have it originally, as these were Service Parts and not an Accessory or Accessory Kit, don't expect to find any Installation Instruction Sheets or Template. The only options here are either to "wing it" based on measurements of the stud locations on the panels themselves and the taillight openings, or find a friend who has this Option and ask them to measure the hole diameters and locations. This, however, may not be too easy since, according to Kevin Marti's book, "Mustang... by the Numbers (1967-1973)", only 4,180 (1026 Coupes, 2779 Fastbacks, 375 Convertibles) were built with this Factory Option. That is less than 1% of the total of 472,209 Mustangs produced for the 1967 Model Year.
Unfortunately, the Body Assembly Manual Drawing of the Rear Deck Grill (copy attached with major portions of non-applicable areas "X'd" out for clarity), does not give sizes of holes or locations. Interestingly though, is the "Note" that reads " See Drwg. (C7ZB-6540324) for Size and Locating Dimensions of Holes to Receive Studs of Panel Assy., Items 6 and 7." To date, this Drawing has yet to be found.
While on the topic of the Assembly Manual drawing, here is an interesting "tidbit" ; while it is generally agreed that Part Numbers shown in the Assembly Manuals are Engineering/ Factory Assembly Line Part Numbers, in the majority of cases these are also "Identification Numbers" that are cast, tagged, or stamped on the part ; however, this is not the case in regard to the Rear Deck Grills. For example, on the RH Rear Grill for Coupes and Convertibles, the Service Part Number is C7ZZ-6540584-A, the Engineering Number is C7ZB-6540584, and the casting number is C7ZB-65403A 76 - C RH". A similar scenario also appears on the Fastback Rear Grills ; C7ZZ-6340584-A, C7ZB-6340584, and C7ZB-63403A 76 C RH. Another interesting "tidbit" ; note that5 there is no "dash" (-) between the "76" and the "C" on the Fastback Rear Grill Castings like there is on the Coupe/ Convertible ones.
ATTACHING HARDWARE/ PARTS
According to the Assembly Manual, the following attaching parts are to be used with each Rear Grill half (applies to both Coupe/Convertible and Fastback grills) :
4 - C7OB-63424A50-A , Seal, Lower Back Panel Molding
4 - 376423-S100, Crown Nut (for studs cast into Rear Deck Grill)
6 - 377523-S100, Nut and Washer Assy (for studs around taillight openings)
6 - 381680-S36, Stud, Install to Dimension Shown
Looking at each, one at a time ;
The seals (8 total required) carried a Service Part Number of C7GY-63424A50-A. As shown in the Assembly Manual and in the picture of an installed one attached, these are a medium hard rubber, truncated trapezoidal solid (for you geometry nuts), with a hole in the middle for the stud cast into the Rear Grill Panels to pass through.
I have never run across any of these as Service Parts, nor have I found these being reproduced. Thus, 5 or 6 years ago, using an original seal, I purchased some similar square, rubber cord material and made an oak jig in order to make my own. I made several sets for myself and a friend, and have no more material remaining. As I do still have the jig, I suppose that, if warranted, I could make some more.
The 376423-S100, Crown Nuts (8 total required), carry a "standard" Hardware Part Number, however, they do not appear in my 1961, 1965, 1966, 1969, or 1975 Standard and Utility Parts Books. Luckily, AMK's "Guide to Ford Fasteners" book does list them as a stamped metal, acorn and flange type, #10, self-threading, nut (see attached illustration).
I have not come across a source for these either. AMK does list a "Taillight Panel Moldings Kit", but the contents' description notes "Stamped Acorn Nuts". These are not correct if they are, in fact, just "Stamped Acorn Nuts" and not "Stamped Acorn Flange Nuts". My "guess is that they are just "Stamped Acorn Nuts", as AMK does not list a separate "Stamped Acorn Flange Nut" in a #10, self-threading nut. AMK does show a self-threading "Stamped Flange Nut", but in only a 1/8" size. As the 1/8" size is considerably smaller than a #10, I, personally, would be hesitant to use it on a stud on an original panel, for fear of breaking the stud off of the panel.
The 377523-S100 Nut and Washer Assy (12 total required), also carries a "standard" Hardware Part Number, and does appear in the 1969 Ford S&UPC(picture attached). It is noted as an 8-32, Stamped Steel (PAL type) nut with an 11/32" hex, and a flange diameter of 15/32"(picture of actual fastener attached). However, it appears that there may be a controversy if these were, in fact used (see pictures attached previously Posted by 67gta289). Although, it is hard to say that there is a controversy based on just one picture of an original, known Factory Rear Grill Option's fasteners taken from inside the trunk. On this picture, the fasteners used on the 12 studs around the 6 taillight openings, appear to be solid, high profile (2 to 3 times the height of a standard 8-32 nut), flange nut. Yet, I can find no such fastener shown in 8-32 in any of my Ford Standard and Utility Parts Catalogs, nor in AMK's "Guide to Ford Fasteners". Possibly these were "Factory Only" and not available as Service Parts (or the ones shown in the one original picture are just incorrect, and they should be those noted in the Assembly Manual).
Therefore, if anyone has a 1967, of any model, with a known Factory Option Rear Grill, please furnish some pictures of its fasteners from inside the trunk of your car.
The 381680-S36 Studs (12 required), are listed as 8-32 Studs, 2-1/4" overall length. with 2-1/16" threaded, and with a zinc dichromate finish (illustration from Assembly Manual is attached - note that the fastener shown with the stud appears to be the "high profile" type noted above, even though the hardware Part Number notes otherwise ?).
The next question then arises ; "are the same as the studs on the "standard" chrome taillight bezels" ? Unfortunately, since the studs are included as an "assembly" on the standard chrome bezel, there is no separate Part Number given for "just the studs" on the standard bezels. However, taking a standard bezel, and removing its studs, reveals that the studs are identical, including the finish (picture attached of standard bezel with studs).