SFM5s444 restoration is continuing

[doublemyv]

Another 4 photos of 5S444 posted 12/24/25.  Mark

[doublemyv]

Finally, the last couple of photos showing what we did a couple of days ago, installing the firewall pad, and even a flashback to where I started 15 years ago.     More to come later in the build.  Mark

[FL SAAC]

Keep up the good work, best wishes!

[doublemyv]

Merry Christmas to all of you in Shelby ForumLand...  I have been busy with family, grandkids, and a few Christmas parties.  I'll get back on the resto shortly, but here's a few photos of the painted pinchweld you haven't seen yet.  Mark

[Brant]

Mark,

Thank you for sharing these pictures. I'm happy that you are making progress. It's fun to see things coming together.

I have a question, was that coat hook originally installed in that position? That is very unusual.

It is interesting to note that I have seen many cars without the hole/provision for the coat hooks. These cars are usually seen without coat hooks at all. These cars are usually built around the time of your car.

Perhaps there was no provision for the coat hooks on your particular car, so they just installed them at the location you show?

[doublemyv]

Hi Brant,  It's great to hear from you since the sale of VCM to Kentucky Mustang.  I miss you and your VCM business, and I won't ask you to come out of retirement, as it is well earned, and you should enjoy every second.  Thanks for the encouragement and advice over the years, and yes, the momentum is picking up.  When I acquired the car in late 2010, the coat hooks were on each side of the rear window, as shown in the one photo.  None of the prior owners were businessmen with dry cleaning needs, so I always assumed they were a factory installed hook.  Weird huh ?  I am reinstalling them since that's the way I found the car, and might have a need to hang something on them in the future.
  Thanks again for keeping in touch, and we'll talk soon, Mark

[doublemyv]

Good Morning, I have a question about the front brake caliper bolts on 5s444.  In the photo it shows ( from Left to Right ) the drilled head bolts, old notch head bolts, and new notch head bolts.  Since I don't remember that SAI did any safety wiring on the street model GT 350s, I think the notch head bolts are correct for assembly line builds.  Does anyone have any info on the correct bolts ?  Thanks, Mark

[Brant]

Good Morning, I have a question about the front brake caliper bolts on 5s444.  In the photo it shows ( from Left to Right ) the drilled head bolts, old notch head bolts, and new notch head bolts.  Since I don't remember that SAI did any safety wiring on the street model GT 350s, I think the notch head bolts are correct for assembly line builds.  Does anyone have any info on the correct bolts ?  Thanks, Mark

The ones without the holes are correct for your car.

You will find the ones with holes for safety wire on '67s. Honestly, it's a great idea.

I have seen them back out on '65-66 cars. I try to remember to check mine at every oil change.

[Bob Gaines]

Good Morning, I have a question about the front brake caliper bolts on 5s444.  In the photo it shows ( from Left to Right ) the drilled head bolts, old notch head bolts, and new notch head bolts.  Since I don't remember that SAI did any safety wiring on the street model GT 350s, I think the notch head bolts are correct for assembly line builds.  Does anyone have any info on the correct bolts ?  Thanks, Mark

The ones without the holes are correct for your car.

You will find the ones with holes for safety wire on '67s. Honestly, it's a great idea.

I have seen them back out on '65-66 cars. I try to remember to check mine at every oil change.

I put the red locktite on the threads of mine.

[J_Speegle]

Agree that the coat hooks were likely added out of need rather than something done at the plant at that time. Really interesting location.  We looked into the subject of 65 San Jose fastbacks without coat hooks (wasn't a Shelby things) and came up with the following

65 SJ Running Change Thread - Fastback Coat Hooks

[Road Reptile]

Hi to Mark and all,
Simple story....was lucky to have good teachers and to quote my dad as one."Always read the shop manual." To quote another from high school "Every thread gets treated with something after it is cleaned and inspected.", Such as: oil-assembly lube-teflon-antisieze-thread locking compound-thread sealer. (His only dry assembly was wheel studs.) That being said. Section 2-41 of the 1965 shop manual gives torque specs as follows:caliper to mounting bracket 45-60 ft lbs
                              Mounting bracket to spindle 35-45 ft lbs
In the assembly section it says use loctite, and verify a firm brake pedal before moving the car.Many new fasteners are treated and it is a visible color. Loctite has many grades and RED is typical for brake calipers. Car looks extremely nice and should be awesome to see completed!!

R.R.

[doublemyv]

This forum is truly a blessing.  Thanks to all the wisemen, and the link to the old post on Fastback Coat Hooks.  It looks like I have the extra sheetmetal for the coat hooks, as # 444 was a mid May build.  The hooks were found above the vents when I got the car, and although that seemed like an odd location, I didn't know any better.  Now I do.  I will put the coat hooks on the correct sheetmetal tab as shown in the pictures below during final interior assembly.
Mark

[Brant]

This forum is truly a blessing.  Thanks to all the wisemen, and the link to the old post on Fastback Coat Hooks.  It looks like I have the extra sheetmetal for the coat hooks, as # 444 was a mid May build.  The hooks were found above the vents when I got the car, and although that seemed like an odd location, I didn't know any better.  Now I do.  I will put the coat hooks on the correct sheetmetal tab as shown in the pictures below during final interior assembly.
Mark

Mark,

Can you determine (you probably can) if those holes show previous evidence of having a screw installed in them?

[doublemyv]

Funny you should ask, as my afternoon crawling around the interior of # 444 has determined that neither hole has been used in the past. In fact, there's a second sheet metal edge behind and below the welded on plates, and my attempt to pre-mount the hooks found that the driver side trim screw created new threads in order to mount the hook, and the passenger side hole was 3/4 blocked by the sheet metal edge behind the coat hook bracket and required drilling of the second layer to get the hook screw installed.  See photo of the screw and my masking tape with measurements to find the hole once the headliner is installed.  I'm wondering if the transition from No coat hooks to Yes coat hooks in mid May 1965 created some variances of where the line worker put the hooks ? Could it be that # 444 being built in Mid May got the hooks above the vents ?  Mark

[FL SAAC]

Truly interesting finding coat hooks on a fastback

Never seen that before