Topic: Identifying 1965-1966 Underside Hood Support Dimples

[GlennG]

How can I distinguish a '65 from a '66 hood? I had a discussion with a fellow restorer the other day regarding this issue. Honestly, I didn't even realize that there were any differences until it was pointed out to me. I am hoping someone can help me sort out the differences.   I have enclosed some photos, including a fit check (on another car) I was doing with my Shelby hood.  So it follows....is my Shelby hood a '65 or a '66? FYI -  measurements on the Shelby hood underside are approximate.

[J_Speegle]

How can I distinguish a '65 from a '66 hood? I had a discussion with a fellow restorer the other day regarding this issue. Honestly, I didn't even realize that there were any differences until it was pointed out to me. I am hoping someone can help me sort out the differences.   I have enclosed some photos, including a fit check (on another car) I was doing with my Shelby hood.  So it follows....is my Shelby hood a '65 or a '66? FYI -  measurements on the Shelby hood underside are approximate.

Started looking into this a while back for the running changes threads. If I recall it was not a 65/66 change over detail. Of course allot of cars have had the hoods swapped also making the surveys trick but not impossible

As far as how this translates to 66 hoods (Reworded- 65 had limited use of steel lined  but no original all steel hoods) its somewhat not directly related since those would have been done in batches by the sub contractor. Guess the bottom two pictures are what your referencing to for that part of the post

[GlennG]

Jeff, great to hear back so soon on this issue.  So from what you are saying, the dimpled hood vs. non-dimpled hood cannot be pinned down to a specific manufacture date period. 

Regarding the '66 Shelby all steel hood, I understood that this was not available on the '65 cars.  And I have heard many a discussion on how many all steel hoods were created in '66, and at this point, all that I can gather is that there were fewer numbers of the all steel hoods as compared to steel lined for 1966 Shelbys.

[J_Speegle]

Jeff, great to hear back so soon on this issue.  So from what you are saying, the dimpled hood vs. non-dimpled hood cannot be pinned down to a specific manufacture date period. 

No I think we may be able to (as we have for other details) get an idea or something more persise as far as what cars at what plant/time received them but it would take a focused effort that has somewhat been started and "on the lists" Don't know anyone else that has done or started such research. Answers often come from someone asking and the same person or someone else doing the research

Regarding the '66 Shelby all steel hood, I understood that this was not available on the '65 cars.  And I have heard many a discussion on how many all steel hoods were created in '66, and at this point, all that I can gather is that there were fewer numbers of the all steel hoods as compared to steel lined for 1966 Shelbys.

Need to clarify that some 65's had steel lined but sure if we look at those the reliefs you mention will be different that the later bottom structures

Yes I think its commonly believed that many more steel framed hoods were made and used in 66. Also a fair amount of all steel hoods were produced but not installed on production cars (sold instead as repair parts to local SoCal body shops and anyone that would buy them) once Shelby had difficultly with painting them. Not away that any record was kept of what cars originally received the all steel hoods.

[CharlesTurner]

The change from the small dimple 65 style to the larger style happened during '66 production, around the same time the raised 'crash' triangles appeared on the LH fenders.

Thought we had discussed this before.

FYI... there are 3 variants of the 65 style from the beginning of production in March '64 through to the change to the larger 'slot-style' dimples.

[GlennG]

Charles,  to tie the large dimple/‘crash’ triangles all together, do you know what part of the 1966 year these  changes occurred?

[CharlesTurner]

Previous discussion:

http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=1399.msg119005#msg119005

[jwc66k]

Where is the date code supposed to be, Oct 65 San Jose? V6 of the date code .pdf file does not specify. That hood does not have the large dimples, same with my May 11 San Jose car.
Jim