Topic: 67 to 73 Assembly line Shock color

[9F94M567042]

Hey Folks,
Does anyone know for sure what color the front and rear shock absorbers were for 67 to 73 Mustangs & Cougars?
Were they Black, Blue or
Did it depend on the type of shock? Standard vs AutoFlex vs Autoflex HD?
Assembly plant difference?
Any proof one way or the other that exist out there?
Thanks,

[RoyceP]

I've owned dozens of 1967 - 1968 NOS Cougar and Mustang shocks over the years. Assembly line shocks were always black with an identifying daub of paint in various colors depending on application. The daubs look like they were done with a rag dipped in a can of paint - very crude.

[Coralsnake]

I think that question is more complicated than it appears. It depends on how a specific car was built and with what options.

Auto flex was Fords service part line.

You will need to be more specific on the year, assembly plant and options to get an accurate answer

[carlite65]

'autoflex" ?? never heard of that. maybe mean autolite...

[Coralsnake]

FoMoCo, Autolite and Motorcraft were all used during that time frame

Autoflex shocks were marketed through Ford as service parts,  and are not assembly line correct to the best of my knowledge.

The original question is very broad. It literally covers over 3.5 million cars!

[carlite65]

still never heard of that brand....maybe i learn something today?

[Coralsnake]

Autoflex was a line of shocks marketed under the specific brand name. It is not a brand in itself. 

[Bob Gaines]

I think that question is more complicated than it appears. It depends on how a specific car was built and with what options.

Auto flex was Fords service part line.

You will need to be more specific on the year, assembly plant and options to get an accurate answer

+1 . The only shocks that were blue that I am aware of would be the later production 66 GT350 and 68 -early production 69 Shelby.

[RoyceP]

Shelby shocks would not have been used on the assembly line. Nor would Auto Flex.

+1 . The only shocks that were blue that I am aware of would be the later production 66 GT350 and 68 -early production 69 Shelby.

[Bob Gaines]

Shelby shocks would not have been used on the assembly line. Nor would Auto Flex.

Royce, you are misinformed Shelby shocks (not Koni) were installed on the Ford assemblyline .

[RoyceP]

I did not know that! Thanks Bob.

[Bob Gaines]

I did not know that! Thanks Bob.

Not a problem . It will most likely be you informing me next time.

[RoyceP]

So I have a shock color question, but I don't think they were assembly line shocks. Every year at All Ford Columbus one of my first stops was a vendor who always bought loads of NOS parts that were returned to depot by Ford dealers. He generally had 100 - 200 shocks in their original boxes. Some were assembly line, many were service replacement. One year he had a pair of front shocks that were white and had Shelby stickers on them. I looked at them very closely and engraved in each shock was "Gabriel Strider". They were typical looking 1965 - 70 style front shocks that had been sitting in some dealer's parts bin for decades.

What was I looking at? He was asking $200 for the pair, this was in the 1990's and I was more interested in the C7WY and C8WY shocks that were selling for $15 - $25 each.

[Bob Gaines]

So I have a shock color question, but I don't think they were assembly line shocks. Every year at All Ford Columbus one of my first stops was a vendor who always bought loads of NOS parts that were returned to depot by Ford dealers. He generally had 100 - 200 shocks in their original boxes. Some were assembly line, many were service replacement. One year he had a pair of front shocks that were white and had Shelby stickers on them. I looked at them very closely and engraved in each shock was "Gabriel Strider". They were typical looking 1965 - 70 style front shocks that had been sitting in some dealer's parts bin for decades.

What was I looking at? He was asking $200 for the pair, this was in the 1990's and I was more interested in the C7WY and C8WY shocks that were selling for $15 - $25 each.

Gabriel was the OEM MFG of the adjustable shocks used on Mustangs and most notably Shelby's. The genuine white Shelby shocks with Shelby stickers on them were used starting in late March of 1969 until the end of 69 production (70 Shelbys were rebadged 69's). All of the adjustable front shocks used on 66-70 Shelby's had a distinct looking disc ring under the shock head used for indication of the adjustment of firmness .  They would have a C9ZX engineering number prefix if genuine white ones . Unlike the other year so called Shelby adjustable shocks which because of options they could find their way on to regular Mustangs besides Shelby's. The C9ZX marked shocks were Shelby unique. Gabrial adjustable Strider shocks were the OEM after market equivalent to the ones used on Shelby's. For about 30 years after Ford obsoleted the Ford /Gabriel adjustable shocks the Striders were a very close alternative that many people used on their Shelby's. Branda sold them for decades.  The aftermarket Striders came painted white and it wasn't uncommon to find a set of the aftermarket shocks with Shelby stickers on them so other details had to be used to determine if genuine made for Ford Shelby shocks or not.   Over the years the Striders changed in shape too so those things have to be taken into account.The aftermarket adjustable Striders have been obsolete for about 15-20 years now. The C9ZX white shocks with Shelby stickers were some of the rarest shocks Ford produced For Mustang/Shelby by numbers only being used on 69 Shelby's for a approximate 3-4 months. With all of that said it is hard to say for certain if you were looking at genuine or aftermarket Shocks without more details.

[RoyceP]

These were like his other shocks, NOS but shelf worn from rough handling. They has sort of an odd steel circle with holes in it at the top of the shaft, I did not know what the purpose of the circle was.

I suspect some Shelby guy was the buyer eventually. Always puzzled me because I had bought some Striders new from an auto part store in the mid - 1970's and these were quite different.

Gabriel was the OEM MFG of the adjustable shocks used on Mustangs and most notably Shelby's. The genuine white Shelby shocks with Shelby stickers on them were used starting in late March of 1969 until the end of 69 production (70 Shelbys were rebadged 69's). All of the adjustable front shocks used on 66-70 Shelby's had a distinct looking disc ring under the shock head used for indication of the adjustment of firmness .  They would have a C9ZX engineering number prefix if genuine white ones . Unlike the other year so called Shelby adjustable shocks which because of options they could find their way on to regular Mustangs besides Shelby's. The C9ZX marked shocks were Shelby unique. Gabrial adjustable Strider shocks were the OEM after market equivalent to the ones used on Shelby's. For about 30 years after Ford obsoleted the Ford /Gabriel adjustable shocks the Striders were a very close alternative that many people used on their Shelby's. Branda sold them for decades.  The aftermarket Striders came painted white and it wasn't uncommon to find a set of the aftermarket shocks with Shelby stickers on them so other details had to be used to determine if genuine made for Ford Shelby shocks or not.   Over the years the Striders changed in shape too so those things have to be taken into account.The aftermarket adjustable Striders have been obsolete for about 15-20 years now. The C9ZX white shocks with Shelby stickers were some of the rarest shocks Ford produced For Mustang/Shelby by numbers only being used on 69 Shelby's for a approximate 3-4 months. With all of that said it is hard to say for certain if you were looking at genuine or aftermarket Shocks without more details.