67 Spec Case Question

[capecodmustang.com]

I just purchased a 1-owner 67 GT 500.  It's been sitting since 1982 and SAAC confirmed it's a one owner car.

Night mist Blue/4 Speed/Inboards.

I've had about 60-70 1967 Shelby's and this '67 is by far one of the most original untouched Shelby's I've ever owned..

However....
No spec case.
There's a rear end tag and it's dated perfectly to the vehicle.

Anyone have any knowledge of non-spec case 67 GT 500's?

Bret

[capecodmustang.com]

67 GT 500

[Royce Peterson]

Let's see a picture of the case and its date code so we can determine if it has been replaced or if it's a suitable substitute. Normally you would expect to see a SPEC case in a '67 Shelby or a '67 427 Fairlane or a '67 427 Comet.

I just purchased a 1-owner 67 GT 500.  It's been sitting since 1982 and SAAC confirmed it's a one owner car.

Night mist Blue/4 Speed/Inboards.

I've had about 60-70 1967 Shelby's and this '67 is by far one of the most original untouched Shelby's I've ever owned..

However....
No spec case.
There's a rear end tag and it's dated perfectly to the vehicle.

Anyone have any knowledge of non-spec case 67 GT 500's?

Bret

[gt350hr]

   Bret,
       There were C4AW-B cases cast IN '66 with regular date codes at the Detroit Iron Foundry. I have at least two at the moment. The "SPEC" cases were cast in early '67 through Oct '67( by Kerry W. and my personal research) at the little know "specialty" foundry at Ford. Since the SPEC tag is where the date code normally is we can't say when they began ( with 100% certainty). Kerry has found some Oct '67 "dated" non SPEC cases. "Most" of the time parts cast at that facility had a ''SPEC" tag added to the core pattern to indicate it was not from the "normal foundry". I have seen cylinder heads , water pumps , exhaust manifolds , and other misc parts with the SPEC tag added.
    If yours has a later '66 date and the car was built in '66 to 1-67 , (IMHO) it would not have a SPEC case.
    Randy

[capecodmustang.com]

   Bret,
       There were C4AW-B cases cast IN '66 with regular date codes at the Detroit Iron Foundry. I have at least two at the moment. The "SPEC" cases were cast in early '67 through Oct '67( by Kerry W. and my personal research) at the little know "specialty" foundry at Ford. Since the SPEC tag is where the date code normally is we can't say when they began ( with 100% certainty). Kerry has found some Oct '67 "dated" non SPEC cases. "Most" of the time parts cast at that facility had a ''SPEC" tag added to the core pattern to indicate it was not from the "normal foundry". I have seen cylinder heads , water pumps , exhaust manifolds , and other misc parts with the SPEC tag added.
    If yours has a later '66 date and the car was built in '66 to 1-67 , (IMHO) it would not have a SPEC case.
    Randy

Randy:  Thank you for that excellent explanation.
This 67 WAS built in that time frame.......

The tag on the rear is dated 6MC...
But it's non-spec
The actual housing is dated June 1966

My initial reaction is that someone's been there however the car is so original and it's been sitting for decades.

Bret

[gt350hr]

   Bret,
      One of mine is dated 6F2 , so right in line with yours. Finished cases would be warehoused at the Wayne axle plant for "builds" they did. "Some" out of a "run" would be sent to Parts and Service division for OTC sales. "My " speculation is the inventory ran low ( or out) and the only foundry with available time was the "Specialty" foundry. So a run of a thousand or so was done with the SPEC "label".
   Randy

[capecodmustang.com]

   Bret,
      One of mine is dated 6F2 , so right in line with yours. Finished cases would be warehoused at the Wayne axle plant for "builds" they did. "Some" out of a "run" would be sent to Parts and Service division for OTC sales. "My " speculation is the inventory ran low ( or out) and the only foundry with available time was the "Specialty" foundry. So a run of a thousand or so was done with the SPEC "label".
   Randy

Mine is dated......6F2...
Imagine that.....

[gt350hr]

     Very cool. I would like to see the Ford PO for the quantity made on it.  IIRC one of my insiders said they could cast 1,000 cases in a day. That's why the dates are bunched up. I haven't seen "consecutive days" on any yet.  I have a 5L13  as well.
   

[JD]

Thanks guys, certainly sheds some new light on a reoccurring question...

[Royce Peterson]

Sounds legit. It should look just like a SPEC case.

   Bret,
      One of mine is dated 6F2 , so right in line with yours. Finished cases would be warehoused at the Wayne axle plant for "builds" they did. "Some" out of a "run" would be sent to Parts and Service division for OTC sales. "My " speculation is the inventory ran low ( or out) and the only foundry with available time was the "Specialty" foundry. So a run of a thousand or so was done with the SPEC "label".
   Randy

Mine is dated......6F2...
Imagine that.....

[Bob Gaines]

Thanks guys, certainly sheds some new light on a reoccurring question...

+1

[gt350hr]

    My SPEC case is currently in my Hertz car but "I" believe the "DIF" letters ( Detroit Iron Foundry) are not on a SPEC case. Later "DOOW_B" , small bearing cases have the MCC ( Michigan Casting Center) logo.
    Randy

[2112]

Bret,

I hope you share more about the story about your car and finding it.

[67_1183]

Hi Guys,

  I was reading this thread and find it interesting so I would like to add a little to keep the discussion going.

  I don't know which car number Bret has or its Ford build date, but let me add that my car has a metal tag for the axle assembly that is dated 6LC, one month before the 6MC on Bret's car.

  My car does have a SPEC case, and it is labeled DIF.

  The Ford date for my car is January 26, 1967 and I purchased the car from the original owner back in 1976.

  For the SPEC case to have been used on a 6LC axle assembly, what would the estimated casting date be?

[Royce Peterson]

The case had to be made well in advance of the 6LC assembly tag date which represents 1966, 10th month, third week. Parts like the SPEC case were not made every day of every month so estimating when it might have been cast is not as easy as - for example - a WAR case from a 1962 Galaxie. Low volume parts were cast in batches as needed.

So it might have been a few weeks or a few months before the date on the tag.