Topic: 67-68 Interior mirror changes

[GT500KR]

The 67 has a scheduled build date of 11V, August 11th.
Marti report confirms the roof console and the actual build date of August 17. 7F02S232917
Coupla pieces of trivia I have found, Dearborn production ended last, and the last car in each plant was an S code.
Its a shame that the engine bay has been changed over its lifetime, I'm sure a lot of details have been lost. The rest of the car is fairly untouched, except for paint and exhaust.

   It would be interesting to see the Marti report for your car. Perhaps the late build, after 68 production had begun, would be due to the lack of some unusual options/parts needed to complete. Being built along side 68 units would explain the mirror, and possibly other 68 parts or procedures.

   Maybe others can chime in on what other differences you might look for.

   I'm guessing your Marti indicates that this car was a "Retail" order.

[bazza]

Hmmm, I should probably be researching 68 procedures as well as 67, I'm sure there are some differences, just don't know what.
Its probably the worst type of car to try to show, with judges frowning at the differences. But heyy, it will be unique.   
 

[J_Speegle]

Hmmm, I should probably be researching 68 procedures as well as 67, I'm sure there are some differences, just don't know what.
Its probably the worst type of car to try to show, with judges frowning at the differences. But heyy, it will be unique.   

Do you have a shot of the Marti report showing the real build date as you listed in a prior post?

Judges don't frown on differences - changes up things and makes them interesting. Its often the owners that don't like it when their asked for some documentation or proof.

Other than "that's the way it was when I bought it"

.............. Perhaps the late build, after 68 production had begun,...........

?

Building 67's after regular 68 production had started - don't think so.

For this particular item you might want to start documenting very late Dearborn 67's to see if they released the new mirror before production ended at that plant

[bazza]

?

Building 67's after regular 68 production had started - don't think so.

For this particular item you might want to start documenting very late Dearborn 67's to see if they released the new mirror before production ended at that plant

I'm not sure that the first 68 scheduled for 14 August was actually built then. Maybe they cleared the 67 orders first.
I'm also not sure how to go about documenting the mirror change. Any suggestions???

[67gtasanjose]

Wow, radio delete on a coupe with decor interior and AC!

Strange one indeed! I think somebody is selling the delete panel now here if you need one, I doubt that car still is equipped without a radio after all of these years!
 
The "missing 3rd mirror hole" is evidence the car came without a ceiling-mounted mirror. The place the hole would be is in the center on the ceiling console bracket as already shown in one of the OP's last pictures. The black bracket for the console has a larger hole in it to clear the 3rd hole typically seen on a 67. I haven't looked at too many 68's up front by the visor center mount, but that image the OP showed definately has the spot-welded bracket for that 3rd screw welded to the windshield reinforcement and clearly has no hole in it. Instead, there is an irregular hole that seems to be hitting the console bracket, as if the spread between the holes on the 68 style visor bracket was closer than the forward holes of the 67 mirror base.

I am with Marty on this one. Better to document your findings if you wish to show this on the concours show field with a windshield mounted mirror. Either that or convert it to the 67 style to fit the "accepted mold" and chalk it up as a transitional anomoly. I seriously doubt you will find other examples like this, even though I would not be surprised that they DO exist! .

[bazza]

   Even stranger ... still doesn't have a radio. Tho i don't think its a factory delete plate ....... ?
I can imagine a guy walked into his dealer and said "I want the best car you've got, but I don't want one of those noisy wireless thingies, with loud pop music or flashy stuff on the outside"
I believe the mileage to be accurate, car just wasn't taken care of.

[J_Speegle]

I'm not sure that the first 68 scheduled for 14 August was actually built then. Maybe they cleared the 67 orders first.
I'm also not sure how to go about documenting the mirror change. Any suggestions???

Take pictures of the mirror and the mounting area then search and find other cars built around the same time and plant. The idea is if they did it originally on your car it would not have been the only one (mirror base) delivered to the line (at least 200-500 units I would guess) so there would be others.  Alone by its self its difficult to accept that it was factory especially considering the other changes pass owners have made to the car

If you can get three or more independent confirmations of the same thing you will have a much stronger case for giving the car and finding the "benefit of the doubt "

  Even stranger ... still doesn't have a radio. Tho i don't think its a factory delete plate ....... ?.......................

Yes some home made thing installed. Apparently there was a radio in the car at some point (got an antenna hole?)

It was not out of ordinary for some dealers to order cars without radios in the hope that when the cars arrived the salesmen could up sale the excited new owner an even more expensive radio and pocket the higher installation and markups

[bazza]

Take pictures of the mirror and the mounting area then search and find other cars built around the same time and plant. The idea is if they did it originally on your car it would not have been the only one (mirror base) delivered to the line (at least 200-500 units I would guess) so there would be others.  Alone by its self its difficult to accept that it was factory especially considering the other changes pass owners have made to the car

If you can get three or more independent confirmations of the same thing you will have a much stronger case for giving the car and finding the "benefit of the doubt "

The mirror itself is long gone, which is why I started to work this out.
Because of the late build date, and soon to be started 68, I'm sure they had 10s of thousands of the bases.
Now I know that they didn't necessarily come down the line in sequence, but given the verified date, there are maybe a hundred odd more cars to go, and some of them could have been Cougars.
 I think I could look for the rest of my life, (from Australia), to not find 1 more example, let alone enough for a pattern.
To prove something that is, (to me), obviously true.
I'm rethinking my idea that it will be easier to go stock versus modified,(I thought I would have a finish point).   
Guess if it was easy, it wouldn't be fun.
Thanks for everyones input, it is appreciated.

[67gta289]

Nice car.  I also noticed that it has the trip odometer, and I don't see the tachometer option on the Marti report.  Strange for an automatic transmission optioned car.

[WT8095]

Take pictures of the mirror and the mounting area then search and find other cars built around the same time and plant.

Pay attention to, and photograph the headliner and the front and rear window gaskets. If you can prove the headliner is original, it adds support for the way you found the car. The lack of a third screw hole, and no apparent outline on the headliner from having a larger 67-style mirror mount are strong (but not 100% conclusive) evidence that it did not have a 67-style mount.

Was the clock part of the interior decor group for '67? It's not listed on the Marti report.

[ruppstang]

We are not here to condemn but to help, you must understand we see so many cars that have been changed by previous owners over the years and we must be skeptical. 
More pictures of all parts of the car may help us help you find the truth about your car. Some time changes that were done 40 years ago can look very original.
I look forward to helping you solve this question and build a car the you will be very proud of. No it is not easy! But it is very worth it at the end.
Good luck
Marty

[ruppstang]

Pay attention to, and photograph the headliner and the front and rear window gaskets. If you can prove the headliner is original, it adds support for the way you found the car. The lack of a third screw hole, and no apparent outline on the headliner from having a larger 67-style mirror mount are strong (but not 100% conclusive) evidence that it did not have a 67-style mount.

Was the clock part of the interior decor group for '67? It's not listed on the Marti report.

Yes the clock was part of the interior décor group.

[bazza]

For those of you wondering why I tore up an original headliner.   
This is how I got the car.
I really think it is all original.

[krelboyne]

Interesting, Dearborn VIN 232917, Marti's book indicates that the hightest Dearborn VIN number was 233100 (likely rounded up, since all numbers end in 00). Making this car 'sequentially', 183 or less units from the end of 1967 production.
Scheduled build date 11V (August 11, 1967), Marti Report says actually built on August 17, 1967.

One of the last ones to leave the building for sure.

[ruppstang]

For those of you wondering why I tore up an original headliner.   
This is how I got the car.
I really think it is all original.

It appears to have the rounded 68 style glove box latch button.
Marty