Topic: Did early 69 Mach 1 R code cars come with WAR case center section

[jtboss302]

I have seen a couple of Mach 1's built in December 69 that had the 9 inch WAR case instead of the N case that I assumed would be there.  The WAR case has the extra rib just like the N case, it just doesn't have the N in it.  Are the WAR cases also correct or does it have to have the N case?

[Bob Gaines]

I have seen a couple of Mach 1's built in December 69 that had the 9 inch WAR case instead of the N case that I assumed would be there.  The WAR case has the extra rib just like the N case, it just doesn't have the N in it.  Are the WAR cases also correct or does it have to have the N case?

N case is typical.

[J_Speegle]

Just for our information when was the car completed at Ford?

Guess the easiest thing to do in your specific situation is to look at the casting date on the third member and compare that to your cars real build date

If you don't understand the dating check out the article on date coding in the Library

[jtboss302]

I'd have to check the Marti report for the exact date and I cant do it right now as Im at work, but they are late Nov 68 and late Dec 68, both have the WAR case with late 68 date codes, so they appear to be date correct but they dont have N cast into the case.   The are both San Jose cars also.

[Brian Conway]

I have a July 68 N case on my Mach 1.  No external N.  All identifying info is on the inside.  Should also have a C5AW-4668-C pinion support.  Brian

[RoyceP]

WAR cases are typical for 1958 - 62 full size Fords and Mercurys. Were not in use by the time Mustangs were being built. Check the casting number and the date code. The WAR cases resemble the nodular cases but they are not high strength nodular iron. They are just plain grey iron.

I have seen a couple of Mach 1's built in December 69 that had the 9 inch WAR case instead of the N case that I assumed would be there.  The WAR case has the extra rib just like the N case, it just doesn't have the N in it.  Are the WAR cases also correct or does it have to have the N case?

[jtboss302]

These both have 68 date codes and the casting numbers are C4 so that means these did not come out of 58 to 62 full size fords  Also see pic above showing another C4 casting #  Also these cases have the tits cast into the caps which I was told by the rebuilder that was high strength.  He said they are nodular but just don't have an N on the case? 

[krelboyne]

Does the third member have a fill plug? As far as I know, WAR cases did not.

[RoyceP]

Exactly right. The WAR case didn't need a fill plug because prior to 1968 model year every Ford 9" axle housing had a fill plug.

For reference here's what a '68 - '69 C4AW nodular case (no N) looks like:

Does the third member have a fill plug? As far as I know, WAR cases did not.

[Bob Gaines]

Exactly right. The WAR case didn't need a fill plug because prior to 1968 model year every Ford 9" axle housing had a fill plug.

For reference here's what a '68 - '69 C4AW nodular case (no N) looks like:

Just some small clarification to the excellent information that it was sometime in approximate late May of the 1967 model year (according to MPC) that the 9' axle housing ceased to have a fill plug.I have seen some June built 67 SJ cars that had plugs in housing  and also some June built 67 cars that did not. Must have been the change over time at least at the SJ plant.

[jtboss302]

This 69 Mach 1 double R code has a case just like the one RoyceP posted.  I'm having a tough time seeing the date on it, but it appears to be 8Kxx    So the date matches the car build date, but I thought the CJ and SCJ cars came with N case center sections so that's why I asked what you guys had seen.   

[RoyceP]

The N on the front of the case started just after your car was built. Sounds like you have a correct C4AW case - not a WAR case.

This 69 Mach 1 double R code has a case just like the one RoyceP posted.  I'm having a tough time seeing the date on it, but it appears to be 8Kxx    So the date matches the car build date, but I thought the CJ and SCJ cars came with N case center sections so that's why I asked what you guys had seen.

[krelboyne]

The non-N nodular case in my former SCJ Cougar XR7, as I recall was dated in October 1968, Dearborn car built Jan 9, 1969.

[jtboss302]

LOL, now this is getting pretty confusing as I have another mach one with an N case that has an 8K23 date on it,   So apparently Ford was making N case rear ends in the fall of 68 that actually had the N cast into it and also they had the C4 cases as well, but there was nothing set in stone as to whether or not a particular car got the N case or a case without the N   Likely a supply thing where they used what was available where there rear end were being assembled as an outside supplier made the rear ends    I attached a pic of the N case with 8K23 date but not sure its visible

[RoyceP]

There are at the very least overlapping date codes for both types of case. Since we will never be able to see every one of them we don't know how long the overlap period might be but it was at least during the 8K period. They are both the same part number, someone apparently decided a big N on the outside was a good thing in the fall of 1968.

LOL, now this is getting pretty confusing as I have another mach one with an N case that has an 8K23 date on it,   So apparently Ford was making N case rear ends in the fall of 68 that actually had the N cast into it and also they had the C4 cases as well, but there was nothing set in stone as to whether or not a particular car got the N case or a case without the N   Likely a supply thing where they used what was available where there rear end were being assembled as an outside supplier made the rear ends    I attached a pic of the N case with 8K23 date but not sure its visible