Topic: What’s behind the rear valance? 69 Dearborn

[carm]

So what can we expect to see when one removes the valance on a never restored mustang?

What would be different after the mustang is converted into a Shelby. Other than, you will often find that only two screws holding it place will have body colour paint, similar to what happens on the trunk lid bolts.

Is any paint applied to any bare metal found?
Is sounddeadner applied to the back again?
Would appreciate it if somebody could explain the process.
Thanks, Carm.

[J_Speegle]

Rear valance panel was primered before it was attached to the unibody with a red oxide based primer sealer that it was shipped in from the stamping plant to the car assembly plant.  It was attached to the uni-body after the light gray primer surfacer coat.

Since your building a 69 Dearborn car it would have been attached to the car before body color all of the upper attaching screws would have been installed and painted along with the valance. It would have been left hanging from these screws and not pulled into the body at the bottom until after the paint had been applied. Body color and overspray would have gotten on some areas through the ends, the back up light holes and some fine mist from those and the trunk paint application. The two screw attachment is a San Jose assembly plant detail

Since your building a Shelby its my understanding that the rear valance was removed during the conversion so the painted screws would have been removed at that point. 

[carm]

That is pretty much what we found.

Thank you for help, Jeff. It is always much appreciated.

[carm]

Hi Jeff, could you please tell me more about why the San Jose plant had this two screws detail.

Obviously you have observed that unrestored San Jose Mustangs commonly have only two screws painted and the Mustangs from the other plants had all the screws painted.
 So then the Shelbys would would have all the screws unpainted and often rusting.

 When AO changed the Shelby trunk lids they often left two originally painted Mustang bolts and added two more unpainted bolts. Could this not also be case with the valance screws? (my very humble opinion, I'm listening.)

[jwc66k]

- could you please tell me more about why the San Jose plant had this two screws detail.

After the body was welded together and prior to painting (the trunk lid and doors were bolted in), the rear valence was hung by two screws, either the second or third in from each end, to allow the valence to hang close to vertical for painting. The painter did the trunk interior first, the moved to the trunk lid next, then the valence before moving on to the rest of the car. This was to minimize paint mistakes on wet paint. The two screws were painted. The remaining screw were attached late and not painted.
Jim

[carm]

So we should commonly find San Jose Mustangs with only two screws painted and Dearborn Mustang wilth all the screws painted. However, my concern is about when these Mustangs arrived at AO Smith to become Shelbys. All the screws (painted and non painted) were removed to change to the Shelby valances.
I was under the impression that because of this valance change, some painted screws may of been reused as is the case with the Shelby trunk lids. (And mostly because I thought that was such a cool detail)   But since the head judge says it was no so, I will be installing my valance with bare phosphate screws.

Thanks again. Carm

[Bob Gaines]

So we should commonly find San Jose Mustangs with only two screws painted and Dearborn Mustang will all the screws painted. However, my concern is about when these Mustangs arrived at AO Smith to become Shelbys. All the screws (painted and non painted) were removed to change to the Shelby valances.
I was under the impression that because of this valance change, some painted screws may of been reused as is the case with the Shelby trunk lids. (And mostly because I thought that was such a cool detail)   But since the head judge says it was no so, I will be installing my valance with bare phosphate screws.

Thanks again. Carm

Painted screws on 69/70 Shelby was not typical. Other years yes 69/70 Shelby no. Evidence is inconclusive whether the 69/70 Shelby were shipped to AO Smith with the valance given the major surgery that had to be performed on them. Typically the tie down instruction sticker was installed on the rear valance but 69/70 Shelby had the sticker installed on the rear chrome bumper . That may indicate a valance was not present . If the valance was not present during body painting may be the reason no screws would be present to be painted. Like I said inconclusive. I have seen Zinc dichromate plated screws typically.

[carm]

Thanks Bob. Zinc dichromate, makes good sense, they would be less likely to rust. Funny thing, I saw another Shelby just last night and noticed the valance screws were shiny. I thought to myself that this guy got it wrong, but I stand corrected. Zinc Dichromate it is then.


However, I agree with Jeff when he says that Mustang valance was in place (at least for my car) when they applied the body color. We found body color over spray at both far ends applied on the light grey primer. We also noticed two round spots of yellow paint. What is that? we thought. Yes! That's the body color that came through the backup light hole on the valence. The yellow circles can be seen at lower right of the picture, I included. I will also include the other side. The passenger  side looks more as if it was masked, I dont know. But the backup light hole overspray is also seen. All this detail and the back end of the valance had been covered in sounddeadner or undercoating. Quite messy but it kept the back end pristine.

[Bob Gaines]

Thanks Bob. Zinc dichromate, makes good sense, they would be less likely to rust. Funny thing, I saw another Shelby just last night and noticed the valance screws were shiny. I thought to myself that this guy got it wrong, but I stand corrected. Zinc Dichromate it is then.


However, I agree with Jeff when he says that Mustang valance was in place (at least for my car) when they applied the body color. We found body color over spray at both far ends applied on the light grey primer. We also noticed two round spots of yellow paint. What is that? we thought. Yes! That's the body color that came through the backup light hole on the valence. The yellow circles can be seen at lower right of the picture, I included. I will also include the other side. The passenger  side looks more as if it was masked, I dont know. But the backup light hole overspray is also seen. All this detail and the back end of the valance had been covered in sounddeadner or undercoating. Quite messy but it kept the back end pristine.

I have seen cars like yours and have also seen others without that paint overspray that is why I said inconclusive.   Another detail is if Ford did the modification of the rear valance or AO Smith . It has always been assumed Smith did the modification but what with the transport sticker being placed on the bumper instead of the valance like it is typically engineered to on regular Mustangs raises the possibility that Ford may have done that cut out before placing the transport sticker on the bumper. Handling of the modified rear valence is a delicate procedure because of no stability in the center with the cut out which in my mind supports AO Smith doing the mod because of less handling. The rear valance had to be removed to replace the leaf springs at AO Smith and I can envision keeping track of screws that matched the body color would be a annoyance. That may be a reason for all new screws instead of worrying about keeping track.  Of course Ford could have anticipated the rear valance work done at AO Smith and revised the location for the tie down sticker to compensate. Just some possibility's to keep in mind since we don't know for sure. We have been surprised many times before on long standing beliefs about assemblyline procedures.     

[carm]

What have you found as for the sounddeadner that should be applied to the valances? I recently saw a youtube of Bob Perkins' 70 Boss 9 and I noticed that the back of the valance had sounddeadner applied textbook style and completely covered in body color. Seems logical that Ford would applied the deadner at same time as the rest of the car since the valance was hanging there. Have you found anything differed on Shelby valances?

I was inattentive about the sounddeadner detail at the time that I cleaned up my valance. I didn't really know what to look for. I seem to recall that it wasn't hard to remove and that it was applied practically over all the valance.  Not anything like it is illustrated in assembly manuals or like on Bobs' B9. It was full of road dirt and covered the complete valance. It partially covered the back up lights too. Could of been dealer installed then. 

(My car has unfortunately been on hold for the last four years, life shit happens)
I took pictures but can't seem to find then now, sorry.
When cleaning up the back end of the valance on my car we found a large Ford part number painted in white on red primer on right hand side of valance. I had put this info up on the SAAC forum about four years ago and received a response stating that this was a ford replacement part. Although there was no sign of any metal repair on this car, there is clear evidence of repair on the aluminium exhaust collecter where the collecter turns to connect with steal exhaust pipe. This may be the reason for the replacement valance. The exhaust opening on the valance does not look like it was cut manually.

By the way, does anybody see a rear valance in those pictures where the A O Smith worker are putting together the front clips for the Shelbys??

[PerkinsRestoration]

The sound deadner I believe was applied to the rear valance  prior to installation similar to the rear quarters sound deadner. The deadner on rear valance on the Boss is Dearborn original as is most of the paint.

[Bob Gaines]

What have you found as for the sounddeadner that should be applied to the valances? I recently saw a youtube of Bob Perkins' 70 Boss 9 and I noticed that the back of the valance had sounddeadner applied textbook style and completely covered in body color. Seems logical that Ford would applied the deadner at same time as the rest of the car since the valance was hanging there. Have you found anything differed on Shelby valances?

I was inattentive about the sounddeadner detail at the time that I cleaned up my valance. I didn't really know what to look for. I seem to recall that it wasn't hard to remove and that it was applied practically over all the valance.  Not anything like it is illustrated in assembly manuals or like on Bobs' B9. It was full of road dirt and partially covered the complete valance. It partially covered the back up lights too. Could of been dealer installed then. 

(My car has unfortunately been on hold for the last four years, life shit happens)
I took pictures but can't seem to find then now, sorry.
When cleaning up the back end of the valance on my car we found a large Ford part number painted in white on red primer on right hand side of valance. I had put this info up on the SAAC forum about four years ago and received a response stating that this was a ford replacement part. Although there was no sign of any metal repair on this car, there is clear evidence of repair on the aluminium exhaust collecter where the collecter turns to connect with steal exhaust pipe. This may be the reason for the replacement valance. The exhaust opening on the valance does not look like it was cut manually.

By the way, does anybody see a rear valance in those pictures where the A O Smith worker are putting together the front clips for the Shelbys??

Yes the stencil part number on the valance sounds like a service part. I typically found little to no sound deadener on the Shelby rear valance. I have always thought it had something to do with the fact that the rear valance was going to be modified and so Ford didn't want the deadener in the way. Much the same way as the front aprons didn't get sound deadener applied apparently because of the Shelby unique fenders that were to be added at AO Smith.

[carm]

Ok, Thank you everyone for your help. Much appreciated as always.