Topic: 66 GT Fog Light Switch Location - NJ Oct 65 projected build date?

[Turnall]

I thought that the fog light switch was mounted on the "face", if you will, of the dash on the '66 GT. I am currently taking out my wiring harness to clean it and underneath the dash and have noticed that a previous owner had mounted the switch there(?), it is not where it was originally(?). I think that the hole is not factory as the metal for the hole is actually still hanging on. Someone had mounted a kill toggle switch in the factory "D" shaped hole. I will show pictures of the factory hole underneath where it was mounted originally but would like some clarification if possible.  Or am I incorrect about this?

This GT does have the build sheet, buck tag, numbers on the door and the fenders (both sides) match and everything else a GT has. It's an early '66, October 65 build.

Or is this like the 2000 Presidential election in Florida and that's simply a hanging chad? (I pushed it back into the hole.)

Edit: October 65, Metuchen built Mustang, can provide more information if needed.

Allen

[J_Speegle]

I thought that the fog light switch was mounted on the "face", if you will, of the dash on the '66 GT. I am currently taking out my wiring harness to clean it and underneath the dash and have noticed that a previous owner had mounted the switch there(?), it is not where it was originally(?). I think that the hole is not factory as the metal for the hole is actually still hanging on. Someone had mounted a kill toggle switch in the factory "D" shaped hole. I will show pictures of the factory hole underneath where it was mounted originally but would like some clarification if possible.  Or am I incorrect about this?

So I guess (since you list the car having a buck tag) you have a NJ car. And just to be clear the buck tag and buildsheet both carry the coding for a factory GT?

Don't know that you can assume that the picture of the bottom of the dash shows where the switch was mounted "originally" unless you were the original owner and recall it being in the location. If so not sure why you would have bought a car with that ugly hole in the visible part of the dash

Well at least now with know the plant and the rest of the info we can start searching for clues and owners of similar cars can jump in

[Turnall]

Yes NJ (edited that into the original post).  Both do indeed carry the coding for a GT.

True, it was an assumption based originally (today) what I thought at first was a drilled hole in the dash (now not so sure).

Any knowledge, thoughts or comments will be welcomed...thanks Jeff.

Allen

[Turnall]

A bit better picture of the build sheet.

Allen

[J_Speegle]

Turnall looked at my pictures and like I said before not as many decent 66 NJ ones available.

Of the factory GT examples I have pictures all have the switch in the expected general lower dash face as the other plants.

Only one does not but the car was built far from yours, been played with and possibly rebuilt a few times as well as an export. Nothing to prove that it was a factory GT either so can't IMHO count that one.

Sure the early guys will be along soon (holiday weekend in the US) with their observations of 66 NJ GT's

[rocket289k]

Here's an example of a July 1965 Metuchen GT.

Ron

[Turnall]

Mine looks close to that actually, just the metal still there is throwing me off.

Allen

[J_Speegle]

Looking at the picture of your dash faced hole it appears a switch was mounted there at one time - notice the scar in the paint from about 9 oclock to 12 oclock

How closely does this match the outer edge of the fog light switches chrome bezel/ring?

[Turnall]

Looking at the picture of your dash faced hole it appears a switch was mounted there at one time - notice the scar in the paint from about 9 oclock to 12 oclock

How closely does this match the outer edge of the fog light switches chrome bezel/ring?

Jeff, the whole time I've owned the car (since January) the fog light switch has been mounted there and is (in my opinion) what scarred the paint in the places you ask about.  I was thrown off by the metal "chad" that was hidden behind the dash when I removed the switch.  I thought (and maybe wrongly) that someone had tried to make it "appear" the switch was there originally when in actuality it may have been there originally all along. I can't emphasize enough that really the only reason I'm even questioning the position of the switch is because of the chad!

Edit: rocket289's picture really helps in that the position looks the same as in my car.  I will try to take a picture that closely resembles the one he posted.

Hoping to get as many samples as possible to get a reasonable conclusion that it was indeed there originally. Not to "muddy the water", but weren't there some cases where the switch was mounted underneath the dash?

As always, thanks for the enlightenment, photos and comments,

Allen

[mjd 65]

I've heard of some early GTs with fog light switches mounted under the dash. I don't know of any Metuchen examples, but here's a shot of a May 65 San Jose K Code fastback with the switch mounted under the dash and no evidence of a hole on the face of the dash.



The car has obviously has had some wiring modifications, but all the factory GT features appear correct except for the unusual switch placement. On his webpage, the owner states:


"UPDATE: As I mentioned at the top of the page I've had literally dozens of folks write and send pictures of their cars with the fog lamp switch in the same location. (Several of these folks are highly regarded members of VMF and MCA!) As a result, I'm personally convinced of my car's "GT" authenticity. Hopefully, someone out there will benifit from my experience. I hope to update this site as I begin the restoration process!"

http://www.angelfire.com/film/fly4fude/actic.html

[sgl66]

Allen,

Your car was scheduled about a week after mine. The hanging chad hole is where my fog light switch is mounted. Yours is just another example of Quality being job 2,3 or 4 at Metuchen.

[J_Speegle]

................but here's a shot of a May 65 San Jose K Code fastback with the switch mounted under the dash and no evidence of a hole on the face of the dash.

The car has obviously has had some wiring modifications, but all the factory GT features appear correct except for the unusual switch placement. On his webpage, the owner states:
"UPDATE: As I mentioned at the top of the page I've had literally dozens of folks write and send pictures of their cars with the fog lamp switch in the same location. (Several of these folks are highly regarded members of VMF and MCA!) As a result, I'm personally convinced of my car's "GT" authenticity. Hopefully, someone out there will benefit from my experience. I hope to update this site as I begin the restoration process!"

Its been my experience that ALLOT of K codes have been changed into "GTs" after all these years and its difficult to find a 65 or 66 K code fastback that is not a GT today. Know of a number of guys (some well known today) that converted every K code they bought and "restored" in the 80-early 90's into GTs Must have been 30-40 examples at least.  Did it once myself back then but even though I told the buyer they (like usual) forgot to tell the next owner and I had to beat the news to them once they contacted me since the seller dropped my name

Would love to see the date codes from the fenders and the back side or each. Unfortunately no buildsheet or Ford data to prove it was or was not. And interesting that the steering box was assemble after the cars projected build date - not a killer for the deal but if you consider that it was assembled back east on that date then had to be shipped to the west coast  then put into inventory at the plant and then installed it stretches the real build date a fair amount when compared to other know date spreads. In any case doesn't matter in this discussion different car and different plant.   

[JKWilson]

Here's the location of mine Allen. Same scheduled production date as yours (K28) with a buck tag rotation number of D 344 and a VIN of 6T09A1421XX

[Turnall]

Here's the location of mine Allen. Same scheduled production date as yours (K28) with a buck tag rotation number of D 344 and a VIN of 6T09A1421XX

Thanks JKWilson.  For the record, I believe my scheduled date was K25 (according to the build sheet) and the actual was K28 (according to the buck tag).

Do you have a straight on picture of the hole?  Is it "D" shaped?

Allen

[66RavenGTCoupe]

Hey Turnall,
My car is only 4 or so weeks away from yours.
This is what I have in my really original Dec 7th, 65 built 66 GT. And yes, I also have the buck tag and build sheet to prove it is a true GT. See my signature for details.

A few questions for you though:

Where was your build sheet found? Taped to the wiring loom behind the gauge cluster?

Where did you get that replacement (New) Build Sheet?

Hope this helps