Why were the first eight (8) GT500 Emissions-equipped units almost built in Metuchen instead of SJ?

[Brian Styles]

What was it that almost prompted the first eight (8) G.T. 500 Automatic + A/C + EECS cars to get built in Metuchen rather than San Jose?

DSO 2504 ... 1 car  - package 413H ... Asm Plant = Metuchen (typed)

DSO 2511 ... 1 car  - package 413F ... Asm Plant = Metuchen (typed)

DSO 2512 ... 1 car  - package 413C ... Asm Plant = San Jose (typed), then crossed out and Metuchen was handwritten

DSO 2523 ... 5 cars - package 413F ... Asm Plant = Metuchen (typed), then crossed out and San Jose was handwritten

What did all these vehicles have in common?

• All GT500 model (Special Interceptor 428-8V) 
• All had C6 Automatic transmission
• All were equipped with Air Conditioning
• All were equipped with Exhaust Emissions Control System (EECS)

These were the first four (4) Shelby 413 package cars ordered, and all of them almost ended up being built in Metuchen. Why?

• Other GT500 units (autos and 4-speeds) were ordered during the same time span.
• Other GT500 units with A/C (autos and 4-speeds) were ordered during the same time span.
• Other GT500 units with emissions (autos and 4-speeds) were ordered during the same time span.

In summary, no combination of options, other than the 403/413 package (428+AC+EECS), appears an issue related to assembly plant....

Was the Metuchen plant better equipped to built cars with a combination of A/C and EECS as compared to San Jose?

And how was this resolved so that the cars were built at San Jose? 

Notes: 

• Car #0100 was ordered with EECS, but the EECS component was canceled via Change Notice. 
  
  
• It's likely that the EECS systems were added to the 428 engines on #0131 and #0139 at the assembly plant rather than the engine plant.
  
  
• The next 428+EECS (402/412 pkg) cars weren't built by San Jose until January 6, 1967
  (two days after the regular production of EECS-equipped GT500 cars was supposed to start)
  
  
• The next air-conditioning equipped GT500 cars 428+AC (401/411 pkg) and 428+AC+EECS (403/413 pkg) cars weren't built by San Jose until May 10, 1967.
  
  
• From the DSOs and SVOs, we've determined that the ordering/option codes for the 428-8V with EECS engine assembly are:
  7393139 - 4-speed manual, and
  7393141 - C6 3-speed automatic. 
  

[Brian Styles]

Response received from Kevin Marti -

According to the database:

There were hundreds of big-block Mustangs of all body styles produced at the San Jose plant with air conditioning right from the beginning of production to the point [the first three Shelby G.T. 500s] were built. 

Production with this configuration continued throughout the model year with no significant interruptions.

[Brian Glover]

Brian,

That sure is an interesting point. Therefore it was just an issue with Shelby’s and not Mustangs in general. Did the A/C unit interfere with the Shelby specific steering pump?
Just throwing it out there. I have zero experience with big blocks.

Brian

[Brian Styles]

Well, perhaps in my aggressive attempt to solve this mystery, I've combined two different things into one. Let's take a step back and restate the facts that we know:

• There were 8x GT500s (FE big blocks), ordered with A/C+Emissions at the start of production. 
  
• There was some evidence on their DSOs as to San Jose and Metuchen and cars almost being reassigned to a different plant.
  
• Three first three GT500 cars did end up getting built at San Jose. Two with AC+Emissions (#0131 & #0139) and one with just A/C (#0100).
  
• Many more GT500s were ordered with A/C, but those orders, including DSO 2523, were delayed and/or cancelled. 
  
• No other GT500s with A/C would even built until after those ordered on February 22, 1967 (about 6 months after the first orders were placed).
  

Looking specifically at the DSO microfilm:

• DSO 2504, a 413H pkg (car 0131 - coupe) had "Metuchen" typed.
  
• DSO 2511, a 413F pkg (car 0100) - fastback) had "Metuchen" typed.
  
• DSO 2512, a 413C pkg (car 0139) - convertible) had "San Jose" typed, then crossed out by hand and "Metuchen" written above it.
  
• DSO 2523, a 413F pkg (5 cars), has "Metuchen" typed, crossed out and "San Jose" written above it.

DSO 2512 clip

DSO 2523 (cancelled) clip

 

[Brian Styles]

Posting email rec'd from Bob Gaines:

It has been theorized that the issue was concern over the compressor not holding up under high performance circumstances. Evidence for that was the use of a compressor with a different engineering number as in C7ZX. This C7ZX compressor was not used on #0139. The regular Mustang compressor was used on the early GT500's with A/C. That C7ZX compressor was identified with silver paint unlike the normal production C7AA black painted compressors. Kevin's database would not have any information because it has to do with regular Mustang Production.  

A GT500 with A/C was tested on the same track and at the same period as the Super Snake was testing high speed tires. 

2019-11-05 Edit (clarifications and corrections from others in relation to this post): 

• The first three Air/Con cars (#0100, #0131, #0139) would have received the standard Mustang AC Compressor.
• It is unknown how many of the early G.T. 350 Air/Con cars received the Mustang compressor and when the switch to the C7ZX compressor happened.
• It is unknown if the fourth GT500 AirCon, car #0463, received the regular AC Compressor or the  newer C7ZX compressor.
• The C7ZX compressor used on the Shelby G.T. cars was not 'painted silver' but rather it was bare Aluminum. 
• The full p/n for the AC compressor that was used on the later production Air/Con cars is C7ZX-2875-A.

[Brian Glover]

Do we know what no car was used at that event besides the Super Snske?

[Rich Plescia]

From the registry there were only 125 GT500s built with A/C. (83 automatics & 42 manuals)

As Brian noted, the first A/C cars built had automatics. They were the three engineering cars built at San Jose in November ’66.

The next A/C car built was the first GT500 4-speed built with A/C. It was #0463. It was built at San Jose 1/3/67 and completed by Shelby American on 2/3/67. The grid code indicates it had a louvered hood. The registry footnotes indicate the factory order was marked as “Air Cond Test Car For Cooling”. It further notes the SA engineering department would be evaluating the additional cooling effects of the new louvered hood.

The remaining production run of GT500 cars with A/C were built in a two week span at San Jose. This was between May 10^th and May 24^th 1967.

[Brian Styles]

Car #0463, after being used for the AC cooling tests, was re-purposed as a '68 advertising (photographic) car along with the G.T. 500 Convertible #0139. The fastback was changed from Lime Gold to Acapulco Blue.

The reason we believe that #0463 was the '68 Fastback advertising car is that we've been told that it's the only car that had a rear defogger, and those package tray slits are visible in the LAX photo with the corporate jet and at least one photo of the fastback @ Riverside/LLTC.

Here's where it's a bit confusing...

According to the registry and Marti, #0463 was ordered on DSO 2528.

DSO 2528 is for 145 cars with 400F package (i.e. base cars, no AC)

However, according to the Ford record (Marti) and the registry (Shelby VIN), #0463 is a 401F package.

I've verified Marti's decode of #0463 using the 80-column Ford computer record, and indeed column 57 contains a value of '3' which means the car had Selectaire Air Conditioning.

Other cars on DSO 2528 (from Marti reports sent to us) all are the correct 400F package that was ordered.

There's no mention of any rear defogger on DSO 2528.

Other than paint, all cars on a DSO should be identically equipped (package, trim, options). 

It's certainly possible that a rear defogger was added by SAI... 

[Phil Murphy]

 There may be a difference in pulley diameter s  or  like 68 cars the rear gear ratio made a difference  if car could be equipped with a/c . Most 68 with a/c had 3.00 rear  possibly 3.25 ??  The a/c compressors are not know to hold up in higher rpm ranges .      

[Brian Styles]

Looking at the SVO sheets --

SVO 2549:

COOLING & ACCESSORY DRIVES

7393124     Power Strg.(N/A with A/C and/or E.E.C.S.)    (REL. 9-8-66 Eng. Ltr. 67Z885)

SVO 2609:

COOLING & ACCESSORY DRIVES

7393124     Power Strg.(N/A with A/C and E.E.C.S.)       (REL. 9-8-66 Eng. Ltr. 67Z885)

There is a difference -- notice the the "/or" that appears on the SVO sheet for 2549 does not appear on the one for 2609. Nothing conclusive, but going to keep my eye on this as a potential clue...

[Brian Styles]

Looking at build dates in a table:

								Date	Date
VIN (from Registry)	Pkg	AC	EE	Pnt	Tr	Seq*	DSO	Built (SJ)	Completed	Purpose
67411F--0100-ENG.	411F	AC	--	9	A	00100	2511	11/7/1966		Engineering
[ NO VIN PLATE ]	413H	AC	--	9	A	00131	2504	11/8/1966		Engineering
ENG.-67413C9A00139	413C	AC	EE	9	A	00139	2512	11/21/1966		Engineering
67401F7A00463	401F	AC	--	7	A	00463	2528	1/3/1967	2/3/1967	Engineering
67413F7A02415	413F	AC	EE	7	A	02415	2602	5/10/1967	6/19/1967	Retail
67413F7A02416	413F	AC	EE	7	A	02416	2602	5/11/1967	6/20/1967	Retail
67413F4A02464	413F	AC	EE	4	A	02464	2602	5/11/1967	6/12/1967	Retail
67413F7A02465	413F	AC	EE	7	A	02465	2602	5/11/1967	7/8/1967	Retail
67401F2A02471	401F	AC	--	2	A	02471	2593	5/11/1967	7/17/1967	Retail
67401F2A02472	401F	AC	--	2	A	02472	2593	5/11/1967	6/21/1967	Retail

First three engineering cars and then a two-month gap. One more engineering car and then another two-month gap before regular GT-500+AC production commences.

And don't forget about all the GT500+AC cars that were ordered all along and canceled....

On a side note, the first GT350 4-speed AC car was ordered on DSO 2506 (car #0522). However, the first one built by San Jose was car #1245 on 12/8/1967.

[Rich Plescia]

The above table establishes a timeline of the first G.T. 500 cars with A/C, which also includes the first three 428 cars built (#0100, #0131, & #0139). 

They were used as company cars (noted as driven by various SA employees including Carroll himself). 

We know car #0100 with its extensive media testing in December 1966 was likely the first to develop overheating issues in regular driving usage. 

Initially the car did not have an oil cooler, but shortly after the first magazine tests a race style GT40 Harris oil cooler appears on #0100. 

Eric has constructed a timeline that indicates a temperature gauge was initially added to the interior (before the oil cooler) and that the gauge was removed after the oil cooler was added.

It would be fair to assume that the coupe and convertible would have experienced the same overheating issues, especially if used for local driving around town.

I'd expect the overheating issues to have been noticed very quickly after these cars were initially completed in the first half of December 1966.

Perhaps Ford did some of their own testing and that's why so many 428+AC orders were quickly canceled.

Regardless, the issue needed to be resolved quickly before regular production of the G.T. 500 cars were allowed to continue.

The ECP (Extra Cooling Package), included on all 1967 Shelby’s from the start of production, was not enough to prevent the overheating issues.

Car #0463 (a G.T. 500 4-speed, with A/C, & no emissions) was built by San Jose in early January and completed at SAI in early February.

Its purpose was testing, as noted on the car's production order "Air Cond Test Car For Cooling - F.Martin." 

Note: #0463 remains a bit of an enigma since the Ford record places this car onto DSO 84-2528.

                                          This DSO was for 145 units with a 400F package (G.T. 500 4-speed, no AC, and no emissions).

                                          How could a single AC-equipped unit get built along with 144 other non-AC equipped units? We haven't explained this one, yet....  

We are pretty confident that #0463 (and possibly one or more of the first three G.T. 500 cars) received the design modifications.

That included the 'outboard' relocation of the high-beam for unobstructed direct airflow to the radiator, the louvered hood to allow hot air to escape from the engine bay, and the addition of an oil cooler.

#0463 and #0544 were then both taken to the Texas test track between March 20th and 28th for various tests; 

#0463 was there to test how the design changes affected cooling on a 428+AC car. 

#0544 the "Super Snake" (also fitted with the same cooling modifications) was used to test Goodyear's new Thunderbolt tires under high speeds, achieved by using a lightweight 427 race engine.

 

Although we don’t know much about the Texas tests, the results must have been positive.

We finally see the G.T. 500’s with A/C roll out of San Jose two months later in early May.

They are completed by SAI and shipped throughout June and July. In total, approximately 125 G.T. 500s were built with A/C.

That is just a tiny fraction of the 1967 total production run.

A question that comes to mind is; “Where did the oil coolers get added...at San Jose, or at Shelby American?”

We're hoping that someone has an SVO sheet set for any of the G.T. 500 cars with A/C to help us with an answer.  

This would include 401F, 403F, 411F, or 413F packages.

[Brian Styles]

I just came across a Ford document titled "1967 Mustang Options and Accessories."  

This document actually seems to align with my initial theory that A/C may not have been available on the early built big blocks. The document states:

AIR CONDITIONER, SELECTAIRE -- All Models (N.A. with High-Perf. V-8)

In fact, this document takes my initial theory a step further because High-Perf. V-8 would include the 289 K-code in addition to the 390 S-code. 

The bottom of the page states REVISED 10-28-1966

I guess it's time to ask Kevin to double check his records.... if regular production (i.e. non-'pilot') S and K code Mustangs with AC were built in October, this Ford document is wrong.

Note: It is important to clarify we're looking for 'regular production' cars (not pre-production or pilot cars).

Also worth adding that the first G.T. 350 with AC (211F pkg), car #0175, was built on 11/28/1966 (1 month after the revision date of the document above).

The next ten (10) 211F pkg cars were built between 12/1-12/3/1966. 

The first G.T. 350 4-speed with AC (201F pkg), car #0522 was built on 1/4/1967.

[rgsimkins3]

I think it might be worth considering that Ford Hi-Po engines of the 60's era had larger pulleys on the alternators to keep them from over speeding.  Could it be that Ford did not have a larger diameter pulley for the air conditioner compressor?  They might have been in the process of tooling up for a larger pulley.

Roy

[Brian Styles]

Removing the Air/Con and/or the combination of Air/Con and EECS from the equation....

Looking at only G.T. 500 units with Exhaust Emissions Control System (EECS)

Observations:

• First two cars #0131 and #0139 on the list (three, if you also count #0100 - not shown in the list) were nearly reassigned to Metuchen.
• Then the next five cars on DSO 2523 were also almost reassigned to Metuchen (though that DSO was cancelled - and therefore not shown).
• The next 33 G.T. 500 units that were supposed to have EECS, didn't get built until early Jan 1967, and didn't get EECS because those EECS engine assemblies were a couple days late to the line. See the yellow highlighted cells in the table above.  Additional reading in the dedicated topic

It seems like this "almost reassigned to Metuchen" thing could be solely related to the 428-8V with EECS engine assembly (packages 4x2 and 4x3).

Which leaves the question .... why would Metuchen have been better equipped to build the first batch of 428-8V with EECS units? At the time, California was the only state with the emissions requirement on big block engines, so wouldn't the San Jose plant have been better suited for this build?  

[Brian Styles]

It's Randy Gillis' theory that the first G.T. 500 cars may have been changed from San Jose to Metuchen to avoid issues with the California government -- specifically the clean air agency (which became the CARB board in 1967).  

According to Randy, Ford/Shelby was a lot less likely to get into trouble as long as they were not 'caught' building the non-emissions G.T. 500 cars in California. Building them in New Jersey and then shipping them to California would effectively provide a bit of a loophole and reduce their liability risk.

Applying this to what we've found in the DSOs, it would appear that:

• The GT500 units were ordered with, and therefore supposed to have, the California-compliant exhaust emissions control system (EECS)
• The units were supposed to be built at San Jose, as would all '67 Shelby units.
• At the time the orders were placed, Ford had not fully designed a compliant emissions system yet for the dual-quad GT500.
• It was decided that building the cars without a compliant or fully-tested emissions would best be done in New Jersey, rather than California. This would limit Ford's potential risk with the CA government.
• Apparently, the legal concerns were overcome, perhaps because of a decision to classify the earliest cars as 'Engineering' units, and stamp "ENG" into the VIN plates.
• The first three cars did end up getting built in California.