Topic: Knee pad / lower dash pad. Part of group?

[mungus]

Just wondering. Is the knee pad or lower dash pad part of an option group (like the decor option), or just a separate option that would be listed on the sales sheet?

Thanks

[67gta289]

Standard on 67.  For 68 I think it was deleted at some point as part of the cost cutting efforts that may have resulted in part from the financial impact of the strike.   Hopefully someone can chime in on date ranges which might be different depending on assembly plant.  Once it was deleted it might have been part of the interior decor option, but someone more familiar with those nuances should be able to get past my speculation

[ruppstang]

67gta289 is correct it went away with pillar pad and recessed reflectors post strike. I do not know if there are any exact dates but IMHO they disappeared between January 1-15th. The date may have had a lot to do with when the supply ran out.
The dash knee pad was not part of any other option or use again in the 68 model year. 

[mungus]

Thanks Ruppstang. That explains why my March 68 car doesn't have one!

[stangerdude]

The current 68 I am working on (Feb. 20th) does not have either. My 68 coupe which I sold a while back (do not remember build date) had the pillar pads but no knee pad. My current 68 GT fastback has both knee pad and pillar pads but the knee pad is the regular low profile 67 type and not the fat style I have seen on a few 68's.   Paul

[OldMustangGuy]

My 68 GT350 with a Jan 22 build date does not have the knee pad but does have pillar pads and recessed reflectors.

[ruppstang]

My 68 GT350 with a Jan 22 build date does not have the knee pad but does have pillar pads and recessed reflectors.

Cars like this with part of the early equipment substantiates that Ford like any for profit business would use the old inventory till it ran out.

[WT8095]

My Feb. 7 (actual build date) fastback has pillar pads, no knee pad, recessed reflectors, and round base antenna.

[dave6768]

My 68 is July Metuchen.  Does not have pillar pads or knee pad and has the external reflectors.

I was at a show yesterday and saw a 68 with pillar pads, but no knee pad.  (I don't know the plant or date)

[Coralsnake]

The knee pad, pillar pads and reflectors all have different phase out dates. As stated above, none was a part of any group or option.

[bhoulis]

Or until the dash panels with holes in them ran out......perhaps. Just a thought. Brian

[427Fastback]

My 68 is a SJ mid dec 67 built car.It has the pillar mouldings and the knee pad on the dash.I have owned the car since 1977.

[Coralsnake]

Knee pads seem to end around the end of Dec 67...pillar pads tge last week in February 68...just an estimate

Reflectors vary by bodystyle and plant but Feb 15-21 1968 is a good estimate for the changeover

[Flade]

My San Jose car (May 28 build date) has the Pillar Pads, no knee pads, and the late style (Cougar) quarter Reflectors.

[J_Speegle]

My San Jose car (May 28 build date) has the Pillar Pads, no knee pads, and the late style (Cougar) quarter Reflectors.

That's odd. How unrestored is your car?  Looking at a handful of 68 SJ cars built within a few days (unrestored before and after) they don't have the pillar pads.

One of those is my Calif Special finished May 15th

Guess this might be an interesting subject for a survey to see when each plant changed