Topic: 65 Spring Seats

[Brian Conway]

I just replaced the spring seats on my 65 San Jose car.  These spring seats are original or after market ?  Just curious.  Thanks,  Brian

[jwc66k]

They look original. A Shelby owner told me that the Ford replacements had a round top on the spring stop metal tab and the originals were flat, as yours look. Aftermarket can be almost anything.
Jim

[Bob Gaines]

They look original. A Shelby owner told me that the Ford replacements had a round top on the spring stop metal tab and the originals were flat, as yours look. Aftermarket can be almost anything.
Jim

+1 . The stop tang is typically much taller on the later service replacements and repros . The is also a difference in the bend of the stop tang. There other nuance differences but the stop tang and how it is bent to the up direction position are some of the most obvious.   

[Brian Conway]

I would have thought the bolt head markings would be one of the more obvious tells ?  There do not seem to be any other markings.  No logo's or numbers.  Brian

[CharlesTurner]

I would have thought the bolt head markings would be one of the more obvious tells ?  There do not seem to be any other markings.  No logo's or numbers.  Brian

I agree, bolt markings are typically 'ROCKFORD' and fine thread for 65-66.

The shape of the perches appears original, but hard to tell from the pics.  A side shot showing the profile and also the type of bushing installed may give more clues.

[Bob Gaines]

I would have thought the bolt head markings would be one of the more obvious tells ?  There do not seem to be any other markings.  No logo's or numbers.  Brian

Not really. Not meant to be snarky but think about it ,when a spring perch is covered with dirt ,grease etc. what is more prominent the makers mark on the head of a bolt or the highly visible physical characteristic different length and shape of a stop tang?FYI I concur that the typical maker mark on the bolt head is Rockford. That shape and length of the stop tang is hard to cover up no matter how much grease and dirt is on it.  Of course you would have to know the difference between a assemblyline one to start with but once you have seen a few it is obvious. FYI the 65/66 assemblyline spring perchs are typically devoid of features like numbers and logos. Later 70's service replacements had FOMOCO in a oval logos  and the longer stop tang. I can assume the threads are fine in the picture example because they appear to have the assemblyline castle lock nuts too.

[Bob Gaines]

The head bolt markings on the example in the picture are ones more typical on later assemblyline spring perchs. 

[Anghelrestorations]

They look like original style perches from what I can see, and it appears the bushings are not crimped in place like the later styles.  Typically I never see any Ford markings on these early style spring perches.   

[Brian Conway]

Thanks for the interest and information.  A few more photo examples.  Brian

[jwc66k]

I agree, bolt markings are typically 'ROCKFORD' and fine thread for 65-66.

The shape of the perches appears original, but hard to tell from the pics.  A side shot showing the profile and also the type of bushing installed may give more clues.

Fine thread (3/8-24X7/8L and Rockford head marking, gr 8 ) for originals and coarse thread (3/8-16X1.0L generic grade 8 ) for service replacements for 65-66 per Ford.
Jim
Fixed the smiley face you get when you type 8 and a ) together .

[CharlesTurner]

Thanks for the interest and information.  A few more photo examples.  Brian

Look original to me. 

[ChrisV289]

Sorry to revive this topic but question on original spring seats vs repros, did the originals have rubber between them and the spring itself?  I see the repros have two pieces of rubber.

[Bob Gaines]

Sorry to revive this topic but question on original spring seats vs repros, did the originals have rubber between them and the spring itself?  I see the repros have two pieces of rubber.

No rubber on vintage 65-70 assemblyline versions . I think it was early to mid 70's when they were added.

[J_Speegle]

No rubber on vintage 65-70 assemblyline versions . I think it was early to mid 70's when they were added.

+1 though I think it was added later than those years - not that it makes any difference. Still not correct/original 

[Anghelrestorations]

Yep....its the D7 versions I see where they started adding the rubber pads on there.  So around 1977....