Topic: "Front" decal on a 65 air cleaner

[mjd 65]

I know there is considerable debate over whether the "front" decal was installed consistently on 65 air cleaners, so in preparation for restoring my air cleaner, I have tried to document whether I can find any existence of the decal.  As you can see from they attached pictures, any decal is long since gone, but I seem to see a slight u-shaped ridge suggesting some of the adhesive from the corner of the decal remained.  The location where I see the ridge would be within the correct location for the decal.  Do you think I have enough evidence to reinstall it?

[mjd 65]

Here's another picture where I traced along the raised ridge to make it a little easier to see.

[suskeenwiske]

I don't know enough about this to say one way or the other whether the sticker was or should be there. Do you have anything like a jewelers loupe or other means to greatly magnify the area? It may reveal some evidence of fibers or gum from the sticker.

All the best.

Ray

[J_Speegle]

Is the size the same as the original FRONT decal ?

[CharlesTurner]

I can't make out anything.  In this case it would be best to study other cars built around the same time period and assembly plant.

[mjd 65]

Is the size the same as the original FRONT decal ?

Jeff,

I matched the outline on the air cleaner to a repro FRONT decal and it seemed like a close fit.  It is also interesting the outline is slightly off center from the distributor cut out.  I noticed the same placement of the FRONT decal in a picture of a 65 Mustang air cleaner in a 1968 magazine article.

[J_Speegle]

Jeff,

I matched the outline on the air cleaner to a repro FRONT decal and it seemed like a close fit.  It is also interesting the outline is slightly off center from the distributor cut out.  I noticed the same placement of the FRONT decal in a picture of a 65 Mustang air cleaner in a 1968 magazine article.

Thanks - never seen that picture before. Easy to tell that cars been messed with allot. Must be some sort of experimental PB unit and something else on the drivers side radiator support,


Guessing you believe that the air cleaner is original to the car (rust patterns match everything else). If so I agree with Charles you need to look for a pattern around your cars build time and plant. We've got little idea of when  the car in the picture was built - Looks to be a NJ or Dearborn car

[mjd 65]

Thanks - never seen that picture before. Easy to tell that cars been messed with allot. Must be some sort of experimental PB unit and something else on the drivers side radiator support,


Guessing you believe that the air cleaner is original to the car (rust patterns match everything else). If so I agree with Charles you need to look for a pattern around your cars build time and plant. We've got little idea of when  the car in the picture was built - Looks to be a NJ or Dearborn car

It's an interesting article from the February 15, 1968 edition of the English magazine Autocar about a company that converted a 65 Mustang to all wheel drive for use on icy roads.  Obviously, the car had some significant modifications, but it seems like the air cleaner remained stock (as another point of interest, you can also make out the alternator suppressor capacitor on the left hand side of the engine)

I agree with Charles' suggestion, but it is a challenge to find good examples of stock decal placement. Restored cars are not good guides, because almost everyone installs the FRONT decal which is usually included with the decal kit (I've even seen the FRONT decal on six cylinder air cleaners, which we know is incorrect). So, that leaves only unrestored cars and period pictures to serve as examples, and we know there aren't many of them.

My admittedly incomplete research suggests the FRONT decal was mainly used on late 65s into early 66. I've never seen one on a 64-1/2.  I haven't been able to identify whether there were different practices among the plants, but I suspect the car in the 1968 magazine article might be a Metuchen export model (note the export brace and English license plates). If so, it might be a good parallel to my Metuchen export car. 

[J_Speegle]

Never recall seeing them on original San Jose examples but considering your car is a NJ one it is going to be difficult to find nice unrestored examples. - too much rust. We've got ALLOT more original examples of 65-66 Dearborn cars to draw information from.

At the same time the group here has access to allot of cars, notes and pictures. Lets hope they can come through with some examples> I looked through the 66 NJ pictures I've got and none of the early or late 66's have the decal. Only a handful of 65's - no help there

[mjd 65]

Thanks for your help, Jeff. Admittedly, this is a small detail and I doubt I would lose any points for it, but I don't want to install it on the air cleaner if it wasn't there originally.  I think the FRONT decal has become like the Autolite stamp on the alternator -only a few cars may have had it originally, but now we see so many restored examples with it, it seems incorrect not to have it!

[CharlesTurner]

My stance on things like this would be to leave off the decal/part/detail, until I could find more evidence that it should be on the particular car I'm doing.  As you said, it's not going to cost you any points for not having it.

[J_Speegle]

Can always be added later - often a pain (and leaves a mark) if removed

IMHO a good item to bring up in the introduction if taken to a judged show. Simply inform them that you've done your research, came to that conclusion and you have it with you if they believe you have to have it not to receive a deduction.

[JohnRB]

It's an interesting article from the February 15, 1968 edition of the English magazine Autocar about a company that converted a 65 Mustang to all wheel drive for use on icy roads.  Obviously, the car had some significant modifications, but it seems like the air cleaner remained stock (as another point of interest, you can also make out the alternator suppressor capacitor on the left hand side of the engine)

I agree with Charles' suggestion, but it is a challenge to find good examples of stock decal placement. Restored cars are not good guides, because almost everyone installs the FRONT decal which is usually included with the decal kit (I've even seen the FRONT decal on six cylinder air cleaners, which we know is incorrect). So, that leaves only unrestored cars and period pictures to serve as examples, and we know there aren't many of them.

My admittedly incomplete research suggests the FRONT decal was mainly used on late 65s into early 66. I've never seen one on a 64-1/2.  I haven't been able to identify whether there were different practices among the plants, but I suspect the car in the 1968 magazine article might be a Metuchen export model (note the export brace and English license plates). If so, it might be a good parallel to my Metuchen export car.

http://bringatrailer.com/2012/08/20/ferguson-ff-prototype-1965-ford-mustang-4wd/

Last comment states; This car has apparently wound up at the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum in Florida.

[mjd 65]

Thanks for the link, John.  That's definitely the same car featured in the 1968 article, although I see the FRONT decal did not survive.     The interior shot shows clip on door handles, so it is probably  not a late 65 as I had hoped.  Also, I can't make out any indication of a buck tag so it might not be a Metuchen car. 

[mjd 65]

Can always be added later - often a pain (and leaves a mark) if removed

IMHO a good item to bring up in the introduction if taken to a judged show. Simply inform them that you've done your research, came to that conclusion and you have it with you if they believe you have to have it not to receive a deduction.

Excellent advice, Jeff.  I'm a lawyer, so I'm used to developing my defenses in advance!