Topic: 68 Air Cleaner Service Decals

[ruppstang]

Were there two different air cleaner service decals used in 68?
Here are pictures of two unrestored 68s that have different decals.

[RoyceP]

I think either of those might be original and correct depending on the assembly plant and date of build. Ford had a generic air cleaner decal with the Autolite and spark trademark, there were also air cleaner decals that were specific to each air cleaner part number and replacement filter part number which would vary by engine size. I suspect the generic ones were early in the 1968 model year.

[J_Speegle]

Yes Marty there were two versions used at all three plants during 68 production. Agree with Royce that the exact change over date is likely a soft one and slightly different depending on plant and even engine option. But in general I think we can narrow down the change to a fairly short window. Best we can do without being there and without having all the real build dates of cars we use as examples

Though most unrestored cars only have the adhesive remnants of the paper based sticker we have a few that are still legible that I was able to find. Invite others with original examples to add to the discussion or at least data points

Let me offer the following after looking through what I have available

Looking at just small blocks I found the latest vehicle I have pictures of with the early version of the sticker was 8T03J1186xx (approx mid Nov 67 build date)


 

The earliest example with the later version of the sticker (element part number listed) as 8R01C1426xx (approx mid Feb 68 build date)





Now if we step back and look at other engines we have original pictures from 68 with one of the famous 135 cars (68 Dearborn built 428 CJ cars used in the initial drag program) with the early version of the sticker. So this would give that car an approx end of Dec 67/first of Jan 68 build date.





So it appears that a general range could be suggested that the change over was in Jan-Feb 68


Hope this helps

[J_Speegle]

Guess we should ask Marty where the two cars he posted fit in to my time line of my earlier post (VINs and projected build dates)

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Royce might be able to associate a possible build date or VIN for this car with the early version

[RoyceP]

That particular car was painted red later when Dyno raced it, or I should say attempted to race it at the Indy Nats in '68. He was disqualified over a disagreement about the weight of the car due to erroneous information from Mercury sent to NHRA.

I seem to recall the car was a May or June '68 build, so well after the change of stickers. It has not surfaced to date so far as we know.

Guess we should ask Marty where the two cars he posted fit in to my time line of my earlier post (VINs and projected build dates)

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Royce might be able to associate a possible build date or VIN for this car with the early version

[J_Speegle]

Thanks Royce.  Seems odd that they would have given the car to them to use so late in the production year.  Oh who know why at this point.


Don't want to get off topic so won't mention a few other things we could discuss in that picture 

[ruppstang]

Thanks for the help.
 Sadly when I took those pictures I did not get the door tag information. There was nothing left on my cars but the glue.
Marty

[krelboyne]

Will drop this picture here too.
NOS air cleaner base, box dated 7/26/69.
C8OZ-9600-B - Should be 1968 S code GT, with round air valve on the side.
Decal C8OF-9600-C - specifies filter FA-41.

[Anghelrestorations]

Adding this here from the unrestored June 68 San Jose built Mustang I have here
289-2V with a C4 automatic.

2023-09-21_13-01-52 by Marcus Anghel, on Flickr

[J_Speegle]

Can I suggest that posts include, where possible, the application for the air cleaner be included in the post. Might come in handy at some point for someones research. Hard to have too much details as we've found but a pain if we don't ahve enough to the point of where some has to be ignored somewhat without enough information about the finding and documentation.

[RoyceP]

The black 1968 XR-7 428CJ 8F93R589867 (scheduled build date 26U, actual unknown) automatic raced by Don Nicholson has been found since the original post was made. It turns out the red 1968 Cougar 428CJ (VIN not revealed) raced by Don is a different car. That car has also been identified and is known to exist also. The red car is a standard Cougar with 4 speed, a very rare combination.

[Anghelrestorations]

Ok...good idea Jeff.  I updated my original post with that information. 

[lightwtjet]

Jeff- The grainy picture you posted of a 135 air cleaner- was it from the March Hot Rod Mag? You can see the left 1/3 of the decal- I have looked everywhere for it to no avail. The base of the air cleaner for those 50  135 cars was actually from a 1967 Thunderbird. There were a number of variations in the air cleaner from the 68 1/2 cobra jets.

[TLea]

The earlier style decal with the Autolite star have seen on Krs at least into June   That would seem to line up with Royce?s red cougar. Common denominator is 428 cj. Interesting enough is there is a build sheet change in early May from a -A to a -C. It seems both have star decal. Although the info indicates entire air cleaner assembly the only noticeable difference is the filter FA 50 to FA 41

[RoyceP]

The problem I think is that the stickers were placed on the filter housing. Then at some point the filter housings were installed at the vehicle assembly plant. No one likely cared whether a filter housing was the first one in or last one out.