Topic: 69 Shelby Rearend Third Member

[J_Speegle]

A question came up on another site and I thought the information and pictures might serve members here also - especially since I've got the pictures available and all that

In 1969 and 70 there were three different styles of 9 inch third members used  and because of the different designs number of natural machined spots are different on the housing and on the pinion retainers. Below are the examples

First the style used on GT350's. Case has a single vertical rib and the pinion retainer has multiple raised small areas around the bolts that would have also had a freshly machined surface





This style was a nodular case with out the familiar large N that we will see below. This would have been used on the early (read 1968) built GT500's. Don't have a cut off point established yet




This is the more familiar style of N (high nodular) case used on most 1969 and 70 GT500's




Hope this helps others

[krelboyne]

Thanks for posting. I believe that this information would apply to all 1969 R and Q code Mustangs and Cougars, plus other models. My Jan 9, Dearborn, R code XR7 hardtop had the non-N, Nodular case third member.

[69GT350H]

Hopefully, this is close for a 69 GT350?

[Bob Gaines]

Hopefully, this is close for a 69 GT350?

Yes the center section looks excellent but it appears you left off the machining on the rear end housing . It is typically visible on the flat surface that the gasket doesn't cover. I only mention it because of the great effort on the center section that you would want to know.  The good news is that It is easier to fix it now then later .

[J_Speegle]

Hopefully, this is close for a 69 GT350?

Angle on the pictures doesn't allow a great view of the bottom but did you get the two sections on the main case that should be machined also?




What is others thought about the plug being in the case when it was painted? 

Thanks for posting. I believe that this information would apply to all 1969 R and Q code Mustangs and Cougars, plus other models. My Jan 9, Dearborn, R code XR7 hardtop had the non-N, Nodular case third member.

Yes will likely place a thread with a simple reroute in the 69-70 section or just my first post. Kerry has shared that he thinks that the last of the non-N nodular style were cast on Oct 21rd 1968 by what he's found. He's seen a N case cast Oct 24th