Topic: 67 SJ Running Change? Survey - Additional Battery Hold-down Bracket

[J_Speegle]

Working down the list of running changes that took place during 1967 production at San Jose as the title states this thread we're looking at the extra/needed additional battery upper anchor/support that connected the outer battery hold down bolt to the inner fender panel on the passenger side.

This detail may (likely) not be a running change but instead connected instead to a specific option or a combination of both so lets see what the evidence suggests to us.

The focus -

On most cars the battery his held down using a top clamp and two "J"/hook shaped (at the bottom) bolts on either side of the battery as shown below in an original picture from the time period.






Non-San Jose original example but shows the typical bracketing.






On a far number of cars we have found evidence of an additional hole in the inner fender panel and through or not through fender for a bracket that provided additional stabilization and that connected the outer battery hold down bolt to the car. Example of the screw hole and bracket below.

Bracket painted semi-gloss black. 


67 GT500 from around March example




Close up of head markings of the screw from one example. Apparently PO removed the bracket but reinserted the screw back in the original hole for some reason.




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Anyone having some solid examples with VIN and real build date (even projected) is invited to submit those details to the process

Will post my findings and we'll see what we can make of them. This one might be a tough one given the possibilities.

Will look at the results comparing all cars and also separate out the Shelby's just in case how they were ordered or designed makes a difference.

[Bob Gaines]

I don't believe the extra battery hold down support is a running change given it is seen through out production with more aprons that do NOT have the extra hole for the bracket then do. One thing that the pictures that Jeff first posted show is the Zinc silver early battery hold down J hooks seen in vintage photos vs. the Phosphate and oil ones that are more typical on later versions though 1969. That is a running change.

[Bossbill]

The Shelby has the hole. It has the heavy duty battery. Wonder if that is the reason.
7R01C189340 parts cars est date 06C does not.

[67gta289]

My signature car does not have the bracket, nor the related hole.  Standard battery.

[67gtasanjose]

What is the EARLIEST KNOWN assembly date of the use of this bracket?
I wonder if perhaps a Service Bulletin has anything to do with the random findings is why I ask.
A late-dated service bulletin may explain it if Ford reinforced the underside of the apron, the bracket may have been omitted in production.
I am only spitballing an idea, I have no horse in this race. I do have a "repaired" original Novemer '66 apron that was either cracked or corroded by acid that did not have any bracket. It DID have a group 22F tray [all parts original with confirmed date codes matching build date]. The battery tray has only minor corrosion and the "braised" repair looks more consistent with a crack than it does to corrosion,  thus perhaps adding a small amount of credence to this theory.

I should take a new look at this repair. I will not "remove" the repair, it seems to be successful in repairing the problem so my plan was to leave it alone but perhaps I can see if it was or was not corrosion as the reason for the repairs.

[J_Speegle]

What is the EARLIEST KNOWN assembly date of the use of this bracket?

Have ALLOT fewer samples from the 66 period when compared to after December just because of the influence of the large volume of Shelbys that help out in the later half and may be different (with or without) than the typical Mustang.

With that said - right now I have the period suggesting mid December to mid Jan as the beginning and for Shelby's the practice changing again in the later part of their production back to no brackets used.

[Paperback Writer]

My car (Sept 22, 1966 SJ build date) did not have this bracket/fender apron hole either.
Standard battery too...

[Bob Gaines]

This is a post from another thread but information is aplicable here

Bob I believe you are correct concerning big blocks, but in the other engines a 22F was the standard and the 24F was the heavy duty. I am not sure what color of caps heavy duty may have had.
A few years ago I restored a late 67 200 I6 that had a 22F and the Z bracket. It is unclear to me what triggered it's use.

A 22 F battery and the additional hold down bracket would not seem consistent with a Heavy duty battery triggering the use of the bracket theory. Any additional information on that car Marty? Maybe just a anomaly and maybe not.

[J_Speegle]

Marty if you see this . How "late" of a car was it?  If you have any records from the car.

[ruppstang]

I did not get a Marti report for this car because it was a flip project. I will see if I can find the door tag information.
Here is a picture if you look closely you can see the bracket hole in the apron.

[ruppstang]

Marty if you see this . How "late" of a car was it?  If you have any records from the car.

This is a post from another thread but information is aplicable here A 22 F battery and the additional hold down bracket would not seem consistent with a Heavy duty battery triggering the use of the bracket theory. Any additional information on that car Marty? Maybe just a anomaly and maybe not.

I got the new owner to take some pictures for me.

[Bob Gaines]

Thank you for the update and info. Also great to see that the car has been restored(?) or cleaned up.

[J_Speegle]

Thanks Marti will add to the spread sheet

Fits right in with the washer bottle and service decal surveys also that are currently going on

[Fastback2013]

My signature car don't have the extra hole in the inner fender panel.
When purchased the car it hadn't the original battery and the Marti report doesn't mention anything concerning the battery, so I assume it was the standard one.
Kind regards,
Jeroen

[Bossbill]

7R03A206***, a very original car,  with 08E plate date.