Topic: 66 shelby leaf springs

[s2ms]

Dave,
You have real eagle eyes as Roland's car indeed has 5 leaf springs. Probably added by Claude Dubois in
Belgium who most likely got them from Maier Racing and added the bottom leaf with the date codes etc.
This explains the special clamps as well. Also I was wrong about the dates, one is 345 E5 and the other
353 E5.
/Texas Swede

Bo,

Thanks for the info, glad to know my eyes weren't playing their usual tricks...

Those are interesting springs, they have the reverse stamped impressions that hold the Ford OE style anti-squeek pads. The Maier Racing springs I'm running (purchased 1991) do not have those impressions and use different style anti-squeek pads.

Also interesting that both Roland's springs have very late 65 date codes and stripes while one of my originals with a 16 6E date has daubs. I guess someone didn't get the memo...

Dave   

[J_Speegle]

Both of my springs are dated 137E5 on my 65.
Dave

Dave can you provide a VIN or approx build date and plant so that your picture can be more useful

Thanks

[Texas Swede]

The Ford Serial number on 6S923 indicates a January 12, 1966 build date at San Jose.
The original engine has a Jan 6, 1966 assembly date and the T10 M1 has
an assembly date of Dec. 4, 1965.
Texas Swede

[cobraboy]

Thanks - is that 65th (March 6th) or 85th (April 26th - don't think 65 was a leap year) day of the year (sorry hard for me to make it out?  And this is from your car with a projected April build date?

Just confirming

Jeff
From my car.
It is the 85th day, which works well for the April 13th scheduled build date.
Mark
PS I make the 85th day, March 26th 1965

[J_Speegle]

Jeff
From my car.
It is the 85th day, which works well for the April 13th scheduled build date.
Mark
PS I make the 85th day, March 26th 1965

Thanks

and thanks - read the table incorrectly

[YELLOWBOSS2]

Dave can you provide a VIN or approx build date and plant so that your picture can be more useful

Thanks

Jeff,

My car was built in San Jose either very late May or very early June.
It arrived at Shelby American June 4, 1965
137 = May 17, 1965

[J_Speegle]

Jeff,

My car was built in San Jose either very late May or very early June.
It arrived at Shelby American June 4. 
137 = May 17, 1965

Thanks - pictures without enough reference points are as helpful

Shelby VIN around 2150-2200?

Happy Thanksgiving all!!

[jk66gt350]

This thread got me curious so I decided to check the dates on 6S1575 - estimated production in mid March '66.  One spring is dated 350 5E and the other is 16 6E. 

[YELLOWBOSS2]

Thanks - pictures without enough reference points are as helpful

Shelby VIN around 2150-2200?

Happy Thanksgiving all!!

Jeff,

Serial number 5S396

Dave

[J_Speegle]

Jeff,

Serial number 5S396

Dave

Thanks - didn't read your earlier close enough

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours

[dan green]

I just got to cleaning the springs in my original question up and found these paint markings.  The green and yellow. 
If these were from a Falcon like someone mentioned earlier, were they Mustang GT special handling type but for the Falcon?
If so maybe they were substituted on #455 at the time of build?  Possible shortage at the time?

[Bob Gaines]

I just got to cleaning the springs in my original question up and found these paint markings.  The green and yellow. 
If these were from a Falcon like someone mentioned earlier, were they Mustang GT special handling type but for the Falcon?
If so maybe they were substituted on #455 at the time of build?  Possible shortage at the time?

Green and yellow paint markings are what  typically seen on 65 and 66 GT350 rear leaf. typically round dots on 65  and stripes on 66. Jeff may have a close determination on when the transition changed from dots to stripe marking style. There are a number of historical photos to document that combination.Bob

[dan green]

Bob,
Refer to my first post that started this thread.  I am trying to determine what these crazy springs are that I pulled off of #455.  They don't look like ford springs at all except the bottom leaf with the ford numbers.  I just found the paint marks today as I blasted over them in the blast cabinet.
I don't understand why if the springs were changed with something aftermarket they have the ford bottom leaf.  And the bottom leaf has the correct paint marks But the engineering numbers do not match what should be on a shelby or competition handling spring??

[Bob Gaines]

Bob,
Refer to my first post that started this thread.  I am trying to determine what these crazy springs are that I pulled off of #455.  They don't look like ford springs at all except the bottom leaf with the ford numbers.  I just found the paint marks today as I blasted over them in the blast cabinet.
I don't understand why if the springs were changed with something aftermarket they have the ford bottom leaf.  And the bottom leaf has the correct paint marks But the engineering numbers do not match what should be on a shelby or competition handling spring??

Sorry, i don't have any useful comments or theories then.BG

[J_Speegle]

Hmm... well since you report that the rest of the leafs in the set are not factory all bets are off IMHO and we can not assume that these leaves (the ones with the Falcon engineering numbers)  came with the car originally either.  I think that we can disregard the happenstance that the spring markings are the same as what was used on Mustangs.

Checked the 67 Master Parts Catalog and even by then these springs had been dropped so I can't see what the leaves original came on or any ratings.

I think I would start looking for the C4ZA - S springs if it were my car.