Assemblyline manuals vs. Shop/Service manuals

[Bob Gaines]

I was recently trying help explain to a friend the difference between the shop manuals and the assemblyline manuals. This has been explained before but since the big crash it was lost . Since I was asked about it I thought it would be beneficial to mention again as a thread for others and posterity(better back ups now we are told)  In this example it was for 1969 but it can apply to 65-70 Mustang /Shelby. Each year has a specific set assemblyline manuals. I know that there are others that may not be aware of the benefits the assemblyline manuals have when putting a car together. Of course the info within is not set in stone for some instances and are best used in conjunction with original examples but when those original examples aren't handy the manuals by themselves are more right then wrong. The Shop/Service manual set (69/70 has multiple service/shop volumes while 65-68 are compiled in a single book each year) were Ford produced and meant to cover all of the different 69 Ford passenger car models in a repairing or servicing context. They were typically used by the service departments at Ford dealerships. The 69 aseemblyline manual set is different in that it was not available to the dealerships and only used on the Ford assemblyline plants for use by the people on the line to confirm how they were supposed to put the cars together. Years ago Jim Osborn RIP got a hold of the master assemblyline manuals and made copies of the pages pertaining to Mustang.  The ones that have been copied Jim Osborn RIP put into different volume manuals specifically for Mustangs. There are different titles just like there are different titles for the 69 Shop/Service manuals. The illustrations show the components and how they were installed on the car . They also identify the different fasteners used be a long Ford ID number as well as the finish it came in. Besides ALL of the assemblyline manuals you also need a decoder book put out by AMK "guide to fasteners" to decode the different fasteners numbers. You look the Ford ID number in the back of the AMK book and it gives a page .You go to the page and there is a picture of the fastener . You find the ID number on the page and it gives the size, thread,length etc. All of the major Mustang Vendors sell the ASSEMBLYLINE manuals as well as the AMK guide to fasteners book. Do not get the assemblyline manuals confused with the different Shop/Service manuals. I hope this helps shed some light on the differences   

[NC TRACKRAT]

Anyone contemplating restoration of a Mustang without the various assembly manuals and the AMK Guide to which Bob refers does so at their own peril.  They are a virtual necessity.  There are still minor details missing which only the learned gurus like Bob, Jeff, Jim C., Brant and the other highly knowledgeable resources on this Forum share with us when asked but every time I reach for one of those assembly manuals, I say a prayer for Jim Osborn.  He left us way too soon but he left us a great remembrance.

[J_Speegle]

Yes very helpful items. Use them in conjunction with original car details from other cars built at the same plant and at the same time, forum threads and asking in new ones as well as your car unless it's been "restored" or played with in the past. Together these can all reduce mistakes, poor choices or having to redo things.  Always consider that the individual pages of the manual are a collection from different periods within the production period. 

Allot of those pages were produced to replace another page because the page printed before them had mistakes or there were changes to parts or processes.  And they may have been a new page that replaced the page we have so double check and confirm what you see.  Also, as far as processes they often show what Ford wanted to be done – not always what the workers did do.  We have had some builders /owners who copied some details from the pages receive deductions at the yearly show because the "book" didn't show how cars were finished in real life.

Still a valuable resource when used and applied properly. And a great help with allot of little details Other opinions may differ

[gt350hr]

 The assembly manuals were produced at a "point in time" , before production began , and time marched on. Some parts are listed in the manuals (engine manuals) as XE , had conventional "production " numbers by the time the cars rolled down the line. They are an extremely valuable resource for sure. Like Jeff said some cars "didn't read the book" so to speak.

[propayne]

I assume these were printed and bound books?

A photo of some original examples would be great.

Thanks for all the info!

- Phillip

[JD]

Here is a link, sorry it's asked for a year in the search so I had to put 1967.  Scroll down as each book covers specific aspects of the cars, there is a series for each year 1967 books are black covers and each of the other years are different color.  Each year has (engine, interior, chassis, etc)  will try to post a photo of one but that hasn't been working lately - IT Worked!!.

https://www.npdlink.com/store/index.php?search_str=assembly+manuals&p=catalog&parent=1&mode=newsearch&results=25

[NEFaurora]

Since Jim Osborn's passing years ago, His two sons have taken over the running of the business....though I think expansion of the business has stopped in recent years and their website is very flaky....The business still runs under their operations.

)

Tony K.