Topic: Rear End Detailing

[68 S Code]

Took the rear end out 25 years ago and didn't do a great job looking for marks back then. Now I am reassembling the car and would like to detail it with the typical markings, such as paint daubs, numbers scribbles etc. Where is a good source of the info if it's too late to look at mine prior to restoration. Fairly new to this site so I don't know how to do a search. This has probably already been answered before so i don't want to make people repeat themselves. Found a 65 San Jose thread but figured it wouldn't apply to a 68 3.50:1. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

[T Lea]

Assuming its a 9" because of your user name? Start with the basics, sg black housing, oxide pumpkin w/ natural machined surfaces and we'll go from there.

[68 S Code]

T Lea thanks for responding. At this point the housing is a semi-black, pumpkin is a burnt orange and the machined surfaces on the underside of the third member are bare metal. The bolts holding the cover of the case are red anodized and the washers are gold. Yoke is cast iron and the housing on the top surrounding the yoke (with the rubber bumper) is phosphated.


Regarding marks the axle shafts will have white splotch as that's what they had. The oil fill plug will have yellow daub with a White daub opposite of it. I've read that typically there was a "22" in yellow on the underside of the housing (flat spot) at the third member, But what else? A picture would be great. Thanks

[T Lea]

Not sure about the 22, never seen it. Axle codes are sometimes written on bottom of housing but that seemed to be more 67. Most 68s have axle code (from build sheet) on forward side of drivers side tube

[68 S Code]

Out of curiosity do you have a build sheet for a Dearborn built 68 390 car. My car didn't
Have any build sheets and I'm looking for a similar
Car to mine. Mine was a build date of mid July and # number 218###.

[gtamustang]

I would refrain from applying any marks that were not originally found on your axle housing. The 22 was not used for all 68 housings. A few years ago, Jeff did a data gathering and a small publication on rear end markings. I do not remember if he came to any conclusions on the 2-3 digit marking on the bottom of the housing.

In the Thoroughbred and Concours class, we do not take off for the lack of factory line markings, but we most certainly do take off for incorrectly applied markings.

Regards,
Pete Morgan

[Oz390]

Pete,

If MCA knows what is wrong, it would stand to reason they would know what is right.  Why is this information not included in readily available MCA judging guides?

[T Lea]

Pete,

If MCA knows what is wrong, it would stand to reason they would know what is right.  Why is this information not included in readily available MCA judging guides?

Richard, way to many paint marks, stamps to even begin to publish. Then there's the issue with application.

[gtamustang]

+1 to Tim. Plus the MCA rules are not intended to be all inclusive, rather they are organized to highlight the key areas that the judges are to reference when judging.

To make the rules all inclusive would take 100s of pages of ducmentation and then we would have to further categorize by assembly plants.

Regards,
Pete Morgan

[Sunlitgold68]

The bottom of my 68 Metuchen differential had 3 digits although I could not make out what they were 100%. They resembled "B 1 7" and the paint color was yellow. I've heard that nobody knows what these #'s represent, speculation even includes codes for different working shifts.