Topic: 1967 Tilt-Away Column Ground Wire Question

[snikliw87]

Hello again,

In my Osborn Electrical manual, I see what appears to be a grounding strap from the tilt-away column to one of the screws on the plate holding the column to the firewall. There was a part number associated to the wire but I can't seem to find it again in the book. I searched the internet at the time and it didn't appear to be reproduced. Does anyone with a tilt away column have this ground wire and would be willing to share a picture of what it should look like? Is it similar to the engine block to firewall ground wire?

Thanks,
Jake

[J_Speegle]

What is the date on the page please?

In the mean time lets see if they really did use these and if so during what time period

[snikliw87]

I found the page once again of the Osborn manual - page 31, E7-8600-1, dated 9-26-66.

The part number is C7ZA-15A800-A, Wire Assembly, labeled as #6 in diagram.

Jake

Edit: I looked up the grounding strap part number for the block to firewall and it is a different part number (FDA-14303-A).

[jwc66k]

I found the page once again of the Osborn manual - page 31, E7-8600-1, dated 9-26-66.
The part number is C7ZA-15A800-A, Wire Assembly, labeled as #6 in diagram.

The base number, "15A800", has an indicator in the illustrated section of the 60-68 Ford Car Parts (aka MPC) that it "not serviced", so it will not appear in the text section.
Typically for service of "not serviced" items, that cable assembly will have to be fabricated for replacement by a dealer's service department.
For your situation, the cable assembly will have to come from a doner car, or it "may" be made up. The lugs at the ends look like ring lugs, and by looking at the attachment screws, the ID of the lug can be determined. An "educated guess" would be the wire to be black and 16awg. The length would be best determined with the column installed. If the wire was marked, who knows? From the above, you can play the "Ford Service Department" game and do it yourself. What ever you come up with, who can argue with you?
Do not enter the "Thoroughbred Class".
Jim

[67gta289]

I've salvaged quite a few of these and have always found the solenoid mounted to the dash, so this cable was not part of that design.  This includes September, November and December built cars.

With the solenoid mounted to the column, given the rag joint and rubber vibration pads, it makes perfect sense that a ground wire would be needed.

[J_Speegle]

I've salvaged quite a few of these and have always found the solenoid mounted to the dash, so this cable was not part of that design.  This includes September, November and December built cars.

With the solenoid mounted to the column, given the rag joint and rubber vibration pads, it makes perfect sense that a ground wire would be needed.

John have you ever seen a grounding wire and or a hole in the tube?  Guess this would be a good question over for the 67 Cougar guys since a much higher percentage of those cars got the tilt.

[67gta289]

Jeff, I have not seen one.  I?ll have to check my inventory to see if my memory is good.

[ruppstang]

I have had and worked on a number of cars with the tilt column option and have not seen the ground on any of them.

[snikliw87]

Thanks for the info all. If the assembly plants likely did not put it on I will leave mine as-is.

[J_Speegle]

Thanks for the info all. If the assembly plants likely did not put it on I will leave mine as-is.

Does your column on your Oct 66 built car have a hole in it close to where the drawing shows it?

Just collecting data points

[196667Bob]

Based on the date of the Electrical Assembly Drawing (which if you look at closely, shows the solenoid mounted on the steering column, but no vacuum motor) that you Posted (September of 1966 ? the second month of 1967 production), IMO, this may have been an original concept for the location of the Solenoid Valve (3DE536) but was never implemented. I say this for several reasons :

1)   As far as I can remember/ know, there have been no pictures Posted here of the Solenoid Valve installation being on the Steering Column. That is not to say that there weren?t any, so if anyone has this type of installation, please Post pictures of it.

2)   The 1967 Chassis Assembly has two pages that show the both the non-Tilt and Tilt Columns. The first (copy attached) is of such poor quality that one cannot make out the Solenoid Valve. The second page (copy attached) clearly shows the Solenoid attached to under the dash. Unfortunately, neither page is dated.

3)   TSB No. 919, Dated October 21, 1966 (copy attached), clearly shows the Solenoid bracket in position to be mounted under the dash, and also grounded to the dash (no wire).

4)   The Shop Manual (dated March 1967) and the Vacuum Manual (undated, but after October 1966) both show the Solenoid Valve and bracket in position to be mounted under the dash (copy of each attached).

5)   The Service Part Number shown in both the 1967 only, and the 1960-68 MPC?s  are both C7ZZ-3D536-A, which includes the mounting bracket. Obviously, the same bracket that would be used to mount the Solenoid to the Steering Column would not be the same as that used to mount it under the dash. While a change in brackets by itself may not warrant a change in suffix (-A to ?B), a change in bracket and its mounting location, might.


In summary, IMO, I believe that if/ until we have evidence to prove otherwise, we can say that the Solenoid Valve was mounted under the dash, to the right of the steering column, and without a separate ground wire.

Bob

[snikliw87]

Does your column on your Oct 66 built car have a hole in it close to where the drawing shows it?

Just collecting data points

Unfortunately I do not have the original column from my vehicle but a replacement tilt away from another Mustang. It does not have a hole for the solenoid and mine is also mounted on the dash.

Thank you for the research, Bob. Interesting some of the changes they made on the fly with these cars.

[67gtasanjose]

I've seen an early S-code 67 Cougar tilt column like the o.p.'s image from the Osborn manual. So, going by 67 Cougars only being built in Michigan, they were used in Dearborn...at least early-on.

[67gta289]

Thanks Richard. I pulled two from Dearborn Mustangs, one of which was a very early Sept 66 car.  Both solenoids on dash.

[196667Bob]

I've seen an early S-code 67 Cougar tilt column like the o.p.'s image from the Osborn manual. So, going by 67 Cougars only being built in Michigan, they were used in Dearborn...at least early-on.

Richard : Possibly it was just early Dearborn Cougars that had that ? Maybe Don of WCCC can address this ?

Bob