67 GT500 Thermostat housing

[shelbydoug]

There's always this one...
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F202554359385

A very nice set up but pricey!! I need the carb spring bracket and brake booster fittings.

I was able to find a bellhousing with a Dec 66 date for my March build. That's the closest I've found in 6 years of looking. Still, the clutch fork eludes me!!!

He has the air cleaner too for $2500. I think the seller is an example of "gold miners" panning at garage sales and over valuing gold as platinum? The problem is every time this happens, it makes everyone pause and fearful of offering one for sale for fear of screwing themselves for selling it too low.

I look at it as I might have to buy back my own part if I sell it and I simply won't be able to afford it. Like selling your 427 Cobra for $5,000 years ago and wanting to buy it back now but now it's a million?

In any case, those, the thermostat housing and the bell, agreed, are two items that are so scarce, that no one is sure that they weren't just made in batches and not every month of every year had them produced. Maybe there are no  first half 67's made at all? Not likely but could be the answer?

Where the heck are they? ONLY on '67 GT500's?


I'm sure glad my SPEC is here and dumb as s that I can be didn't sell it for $400. For sure there ain't no way I'm going $4100 for a case. I'd rather krazy glue the SPEC letter on to another housing!

[Bigblock]

To recap, the thermostat size changed to the smaller size on all Mustang BB in approximate Dec of 1966 according to Ford documents so there is a +and -period .

My Nov. 66 build 390 has the large thermostat. Would just buy a stat for a 66 Ford/Tbird.

[George Schalk]

I just checked and without bead blasting everything off, I think it says "67"??

I'm not totally sure? Yes, mine is slightly pitted but that's an easy fix and will be covered by the hose in the same area. Boy, a NOS one, now THAT is hard to beat!! I'm pretty sure there supposed to be painted blue as they came from Ford like that and Shelby just added the intake and blue bolts for the intake as well?

The intake was installed at Ford. It was not added . It was assembled on the engine from the get go. You have to disassemble the entire top end of the engine to change the intake unlike the SB . The intake had a mask installed prior to painting of the engine to help keep paint off of the aluminum intake. The thermostat housing and the waterpump bypass were areas that didn't get covered with the mask so they got engine paint. I am not near my picture files so maybe JD or another can post a picture.

Here are some pics of 2 different restored '67 GT500's using the over-spray technique similar to what was done at the factory.  The pics show how the thermostat housing and surrounding items are supposed to be painted blue with the engine block.

[shelbydoug]

Mine only has not even a 1/10th of that. Jst a spot of blue. Judging by mine, that car is drastically over stated.

I do like the pic of the thermostat housing though. Goes to show me even the date code doesn't show assembled? Unless that's a counterfeit? Hum? Someone's getting tricky.

[George Schalk]

The intake that is currently on Ebay does show some signs of, what appears to be, "factory" blue over-spray and not the replicated version. 

[shelbydoug]

The intake that is currently on Ebay does show some signs of, what appears to be, "factory" blue over-spray and not the replicated version.

Key word being "traces".

Some nail polish remover will take that right off with a thermostat change? It does look like that thermostat housing was never off the car from new? Interesting. 

[1967 eight barrel]

That "blue mess" above is someones interpretation.  I would never mess up a beautiful new build like that and I have seen many T/O intakes with almost NO blue on them and those on unmolested examples. I also don't bead blast intakes. I take them and have them tanked in an aluminum tank where aircraft engines are rebuilt and sit for a few days. They look new. 
As for the poster, OE accelerator return spring brackets are far and few between. The manufacturer's hallmark is on the bottom, which is a G in brackets.
Mansfield Mustang offers the spring, bracket and the booster tube.  The one NPD sells is not correct and is a J shape, which looks like a standard 390 offering.
                                                                                                    -Keith

[tonys_shelby]

Keith, I feel so much like a newbie when I read your posts I'm laughing! I don't know what a T/O is I thought it was throw out: bearing and don't know what a "G" in brackets means. 

[shelbydoug]

That "blue mess" above is someones interpretation.  I would never mess up a beautiful new build like that and I have seen many T/O intakes with almost NO blue on them and those on unmolested examples. I also don't bead blast intakes. I take them and have them tanked in an aluminum tank where aircraft engines are rebuild and sit for a few days. They look new. 
As for the poster, OE accelerator return spring brackets are far and few between. The manufacturer's hallmark is on the bottom, which is a G in brackets.
Mansfield Mustang offers the spring, bracket and the booster tube.  The one NPD sells is not correct and is a J shape, which looks like a standard 390 offering.
                                                                                                    -Keith

Jim Cowls has good ones. Inquire with him.

[1967 eight barrel]

I have all my original brackets and tubing. I did have to buy a repro return spring however.
                                                                                      -Keith

[1967 eight barrel]

Keith, I feel so much like a newbie when I read your posts I'm laughing! I don't know what a T/O is I thought it was throw out: bearing and don't know what a "G" in brackets means. 

Tony, I posted a picture of my original return spring bracket, but I think it was lost during the crash of the original forum. I will try and see if It's on my perosnal laptop. American doesn't like me filling up issue laptops with Shelby pictures. 
                                                                                                                     -Keith

[67GT500#1594]

Well, while we all slept, some lucky buyer snagged this item...

WOW!!

[shelbydoug]

8594 is the basic part number of a thermostat housing. That's a bellhouse basic. Probably why it went mostly unnoticed. It did get sold and surprising that it was posted as a $30 buy it now.

Someone did find it but it wasn't me. Wait til somne tells Joe Galaxie what he could have gotten for it? 

I do remember getting a mint original 68 S8MS carb for $150. Odd thing was that no one seemed to want it but me?

[Mike James]

That was listed with the wrong engineering number right?

[shelbydoug]

That was listed with the wrong engineering number right?

Yes. Probably Joe Galaxie couldn't read it correctly off of the housing? They aren't great castings and they corrode quickly.