Author Topic: 69 Mustang Trunk Letters  (Read 8228 times)

Offline Brian Conway

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69 Mustang Trunk Letters
« on: June 30, 2013, 01:01:17 PM »
     I recently got some bling for the 69 trunk lid and wanted to share the laugh.  Now to be clear the OE letters had lost their shine but were at least straight and level.  Friday afternoon, slam dunk assignment started with, original deck lid, original factory drilled holes and original MUSTANG lettering.  Very carefully removed original letters and barrel nuts without scratching the paint.  Installed the new Scott Drake 65-72 FENDER/TRUNK letter set, letters and barrel nuts, and the result is laughable.  Not interested in recovering the $12.00  but am very disappointed that this issue has yet to be corrected.  I have notified Scott Drake and CJ Pony Parts. I don't really know why just the way I was raised I guess.  Brian
« Last Edit: October 05, 2014, 01:19:36 PM by Brian Conway »
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
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Offline Anghelrestorations

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Re: Mustang Letters
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2013, 06:07:41 PM »
So I assume the pictures here show the reproductions on the rear trunk installed.  Is one of the letters way off or all of them?  Never really seen this problem but also never used the reproductions. 
Marcus Anghel
MCA National Gold Card Judge, 69-71 Mustang
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Offline Brian Conway

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Re: Mustang Letters
« Reply #2 on: June 30, 2013, 07:39:15 PM »
Hello Marcus, little warm in your part of the world ?  Yes the pics are of the reproduction letters.  The M, U & G are lower than the S, T A & N.  The letters U, S & N are slanted/crooked.  The T seems to be the only letter correctly oriented.  The Scott Drake, officially licensed product, reproduction letters are very nicely chromed and the backsides are flat and rest very well against the sheetmetal surface.  That might present some difficulty in trying to remove them. To do over again I think I would try the glue-on pin less version.  Brian
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
Owner Driver Mechanic
San Diego, Ca.

Offline Anghelrestorations

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Re: Mustang Letters
« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2013, 03:50:17 AM »
Yep....118 here yesterday.
Too bad about the reproduction letters, I thought it would have been a better fit really. 
Marcus Anghel
MCA National Gold Card Judge, 69-71 Mustang
SAAC National Head Judge, Boss Mustangs

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Offline ruppstang

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Re: Mustang Letters
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2013, 09:23:09 AM »
  That might present some difficulty in trying to remove them. To do over again I think I would try the glue-on pin less version.  Brian
[/quote]
I have been where you are and was very frustrated. Things went from bad to worse, in trying to remove them I scratched the paint.

priceless

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Re: Mustang Letters
« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2013, 09:25:16 PM »
     I recently got some bling for the 69 trunk lid and wanted to share the laugh.  Now to be clear the OE letters had lost their shine but were at least straight and level.  Friday afternoon, slam dunk assignment started with, original deck lid, original factory drilled holes and original MUSTANG lettering.  Very carefully removed original letters and barrel nuts without scratching the paint.  Installed the new Scott Drake 65-72 FENDER/TRUNK letter set, letters and barrel nuts, and the result is laughable.  Not interested in recovering the $12.00  but am very disappointed that this issue has yet to be corrected.  I have notified Scott Drake and CJ Pony Parts. I don't really know why just the way I was raised I guess.  Brian
Our 69 has the original trunk lid and had the original letters on it up to about 2 years ago and isn't straight from the factory.  Even from the factory, the letters on NJ and (I've heard some San Jose) 69-70 Mustangs, were not straight from the factory.

Anyone care to elaborate?

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Mustang Letters
« Reply #6 on: July 02, 2013, 01:53:48 AM »
Our 69 has the original trunk lid and had the original letters on it up to about 2 years ago and isn't straight from the factory.  Even from the factory, the letters on NJ and (I've heard some San Jose) 69-70 Mustangs, were not straight from the factory.

Anyone care to elaborate?

Yes - never heard or seen such a think.... another excuse ???? for things not turning out well on a car- I wonder.
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

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Re: Mustang Letters
« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2013, 08:16:36 AM »
Yes - never heard or seen such a think.... another excuse ???? for things not turning out well on a car- I wonder.
Excuse me???  I don't know about "other" NJ cars or SJ,Thats what I have heard....... BUT, I do know about our mach1.

And YES, It was stamped crooked from the factory.

Come to Asheville, I will show you the mach1 in person.

Note: This is not another excuse.
« Last Edit: July 02, 2013, 08:47:34 AM by priceless »

Offline PerkinsRestoration

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Re: Mustang Letters
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2013, 12:23:50 PM »
I agree with Richie the original letters on both my original paint Mach 1"s are not real straight. I also agree with Jeff the pics Brian supplied are much worse than original. On restored cars I've used a smooth faced adjustable pliers to slightly tweek the letters after installation. I've not had to use repop letters yet. I believe the holes were pre stamped on assembly line decklids for pin letters and service decklids were blank. I believe the alignment issues are in the pins rather than decklid holes. I also have a 69 Boss and the letters are pretty straight. All three cars I looked at are Dearborn assy.

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Mustang Letters
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2013, 05:11:44 PM »
Richie wish you would not jump to the conclusion that I was referring directly about your car - sorry you took my comment that way. Was not meant to be

Guess that since you report that your car's deck lid was drill crooked from the factory that you have removed your letters for some reason from  the car and measured the holes and its not the letters ( which would go along with the current discussion)

I would offer that you can find letters that are not perfectly laser straight and you can find crooked. Having seen both of the cars Bob  referred to up close that neither of those cars IMHO are crooked. I don't think anyone would look at those cars and immediately notice that they were off though you might be able to put level on them and find them off a bit.

Sort of like (if you have kids) my kids often didn't get perfect grades but rarely did they have terrible ones. ;)

As for excuses - believe you have judged enough were owners of restored cars often throw out the idea that "these cars were never perfect in any detail" - "workers just threw things on.." or other reasons to explain ill fitting parts or less than full effort - just saying that was the context of my message. Again your car was not the focus of discussion.

Back to the discussion of ill fitting reproduction letters, causes and solutions ;)
« Last Edit: July 02, 2013, 05:13:28 PM by J_Speegle »
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline Brian Conway

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Re: Mustang Letters
« Reply #10 on: July 03, 2013, 02:47:37 PM »
     I have elected to not use the Scott Drake Letter set and put the OE letters back on.  All the OE letters are straight/vertical.  The M & U are about 1/8" or less lower that the other letters.  This Drake letter set was not for me but they do have a nice appearance and with some ' tweaking ' may work for others.  Brian
« Last Edit: July 03, 2013, 05:19:14 PM by Brian Conway »
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
Owner Driver Mechanic
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Offline jmlay

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Re: Mustang Letters
« Reply #11 on: July 17, 2013, 04:46:17 PM »
Just for reference I have an NOS deck lid & it has the holes drilled, red primer.
Mike

1969 Mach1 428 CJ Ram Air
San Jose
Scheduled Build: 1/2/1969
Actual Build: 1/3/1969
Released: 1/8/1969

Offline Brian Conway

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Re: Mustang Letters
« Reply #12 on: October 05, 2014, 12:17:22 PM »
I have learned a couple of things since this last post and wanted to share.  Again using my cars OE trunk lid and letters for a reference it appears the deck lid spoiler has a crown to it.  Both ends of the trunk lid drop off 1/4".  Several pictures are included to illustrate this; using a 6' level as a straight edge the drop off at the trunk spoiler ends is clearly visible.  The last picture shows, using a string line, that the letters S, T, A, and N are clearly not in line.  Marcus Anghel has recently completed a ' Trunk Lid identification Guide ' which suggests that the 69 Mustang trunk lid was pre-drilled using a factory template to accept the MUSTANG trunk lid letters.  Depending on how the template or guide was installed for use as a guide may explain why the trunk lettering is uneven on my car at least and possible many others.  Brian
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
Owner Driver Mechanic
San Diego, Ca.

Offline 7Lscjracer

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Re: 69 Mustang Trunk Letters
« Reply #13 on: October 11, 2014, 03:21:01 AM »
The original barrel nuts have a rubber (or some sort of material akin to it ) coating at the mouth so the metal of the barrel isn't touching the trunk lid face and the pins grip well and aren't metal to metal either.
The rubber inherently gives a little pin adjustment room
The barrel nuts don't sit flush which is why the original letters are recessed on the reverse for clearance.
Rechrome your originals and keep in mind there's a long back order wait of 6 months or more for the proper barrel nuts from AMK so try to save them.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2014, 03:23:28 AM by 7Lscjracer »
69 Mach 1 San Jose Nov. 68 build
Bought May '81, sold Sept '20