Topic: 66 - Raised Triangles on Drivers Side Fender

[macdude67]

doing a search here i found a reference to "crash triangles" but that was it. I am referring to the raised triangles on the drivers fender of a 64.5 to 66 mustang. I wa told that the earlier of these cars did not have the raised triangles. my car is a june of 64 coupe. should i have these triangles on my fender?

[J_Speegle]

No your car should not have the reliefs. These were added later as a sort of "crumple zone"

[CharlesTurner]

If I remember right, we narrowed down the addition of the triangles to the Fall of '65 ('66 model year production).  The hood was changed about that time also.

[outlawincorporated]

Charles is correct about the time frame, was dicussed on other forums some time ago.

regards.

PHILL  BERESFORD.
MELBOURNE.
AUSTRALIA.

[bryancobb]

I am totally ignorant about this topic.  Are these triangles on the upper mounting flange of the fenders?  I'm sure my Mar 66 car has them.  Gotta look this afternoon after work.  You learn something every day.  What's different on the "newer" hoods?

[CharlesTurner]

Yes, the fenders have slightly raised triangular sections on the edge that runs the length of the engine bay, with bolts.

The hood under-structure is different, mainly at the front. 

[Twilight65]

Here's pictures of my original fenders, both pictures are from same section of fender (drivers side). First is July 1965 build, 2nd is May 1966 build. The 1966 has the triangle.

Dave

[bryancobb]

I have been E-JU-KATED!

[rodster]

+1   

[J_Speegle]

Guess I should update this (7 years later) since its still on our site. General facts are that the change over was due to some Federal Regulation changes and was suppose to go into affect Jan 1 1966 or about that time. Change over date at this point is somewhere in Jan 1966 for at least San Jose cars. Expect to do a full survey and get the date (if possible) a little tighter or at least present documentation and examples of the change over period.

[J_Speegle]

Guess I should update this (7 years later) since its still on our site. General facts are that the change over was due to some Federal Regulation changes and was suppose to go into affect Jan 1 1966 or about that time. Change over date at this point is somewhere in Jan 1966 for at least San Jose cars. Expect to do a full survey and get the date (if possible) a little tighter or at least present documentation and examples of the change over period.

As a follow up (very belated) and rather than start a whole new thread I'll up date this here

Been tracking this along with many other details and I think I've got enough data to share.  As mentioned earlier the change over was at the stamping plant so when the new and improved fenders reached the car assemble plants may have varied a little.

At this point I focused on stamping date to provide a positive point for comparison between driver's side fenders with the flat (65 style) fender lip and those with the reliefs or "raised triangles" along that edge. Since there appears that Dearborn (the stamping plant used to make the Mustang fenders) to have been stamping them in multiple presses the dates suggest that some new molds were put into service while they were still stamping the old version on other machines so that they could keep up with demand. At some point within the week all had been up dated with the new design.

Since we had a general idea of the change over date I focused on Dec 1965-Jan 1966. Results below.

Hope this helps others

[FXguy]

Stale topic, but thought I would share some new info. Have two cars with same planned build date.  The cars are less than 100 units apart in VIN.  One has the raised triangles with a date of 6 19 3 on the left fender, the other has a left fender with date 6 11 3C.   Fenders stamped in different locations based upon the "C".  Also, the one without the "C" has the bottom of the numbers away from the engine, while the one with the "C" has the bottom of the numbers away from the engine.

-Scott

[J_Speegle]

Stale topic, but thought I would share some new info. Have two cars with same planned build date.  The cars are less than 100 units apart in VIN.  One has the raised triangles with a date of 6 19 3 on the left fender, the other has a left fender with date 6 11 3C.   Fenders stamped in different locations based upon the "C".  Also, the one without the "C" has the bottom of the numbers away from the engine, while the one with the "C" has the bottom of the numbers away from the engine.

-Scott

Believe you will find that at least one of the two examples has a fender that was replaced and I'm pretty certain which one it is .

Notice the difference in the date pattern though not a prefect determiner since it appears it depends on the operator or machine.  One may be stamped June 65 and the other stamped in June 66. There will be a second stamping date, though not really important at this point) on the back surface of the headlight panel attached at the front of the fender. At the moment can't recall  ( could check my notes/pictures) if the rear support has one also but those with be similar to the main panel date. The fact that the no stamping plant code is the one with the raised triangle supports the study and information posted above. Also the date pattern (with and without the stamping plant code) changed during early 66 (transitioned between Aug and November fender production)  production then changed back during early 68 (model year) fender production.

As a side note where were these cars assembled. In my collecting of dates its unusual (though I have records of some) to find an assembly line fender stamped with a Cleveland stamping plant code on a fender. Something I believe was done for only a period of time to keep up with the initial demand of the cars in the first year.

[FXguy]

Actually, these two cars are Jun 9, 1964 planned build date cars.  I also have a third Jun 9 1964 planned build car that has a 6 19 3 date stamp on the left front fender, with the raised triangles.

Also have a July 14, 1964 planned build SJ car with a raised triangle left fender dated 6 17 3.

BTW, when I said "different location", I was referring to the geographic location of the stamping plant (Cleveland) on the no triangle "C" marked fender.

-Scott

[J_Speegle]

Actually, these two cars are Jun 9, 1964 planned build date cars.  I also have a third Jun 9 1964 planned build car that has a 6 19 3 date stamp on the left front fender, with the raised triangles.

Also have a July 14, 1964 planned build SJ car with a raised triangle left fender dated 6 17 3.

BTW, when I said "different location", I was referring to the geographic location of the stamping plant (Cleveland) on the no triangle "C" marked fender.

-Scott

Both of those drivers side fenders were likely replaced since the fenders with the raised safety triangles were not in production and not yet (for over a year and almost a half) required. For a while some owners/shops have been splicing in date codes on fenders and other body panels creating combinations that are odd and don't fit the normal pattern. They are also removing the triangles on 66 fenders during restorations   

Not suggesting that this is the reason for your findings just wanted to put it out to the members and lurkers as a explanation of some of what we finding more recently

Fenders are one of the most often pieces replaced body panels since they are an easy bolt on and hundreds of thousands produced


The date code pattern is still developing. Often not all letters and numbers are visible or recorded by reporting owners. The work continues

Thanks for explaining what you meant the "geographic location" though we don't know where the 66 fenders were stamped since they dropped that by then