Fender and Headlight Bucket Hardware

[Special Ed]

Phos thin washers  look at reply #7  photo

[69 GT350 Vert]

I took these photos at SAAC36 at VIR in 2011.  This car was entered in the survivor class.  I don't think the headlight bucket hardware was ever touched or taken apart.  Notice the 2 or 3 large washers at the lower sheet metal bolt behind the bucket, which space it out from the radiator support.  I forgot to add these washers and wish I wouldn't have. 

[Bob Gaines]

I took these photos at SAAC36 at VIR in 2011.  This car was entered in the survivor class.  I don't think the headlight bucket hardware was ever touched or taken apart.  Notice the 2 or 3 large washers at the lower sheet metal bolt behind the bucket, which space it out from the radiator support.  I forgot to add these washers and wish I wouldn't have.

Typically you see ether round or square . Sometimes you see both styles used as in this case but it is less typical. When I have seen the thick washers used they have had a crude slot cut into them as if they were made up quickly to replace the square ones for some reason. When the workers lowered the complete front clip on to the chassis the way it mated up to that particular car determined how many washers were needed in each position. Some used more and some less . I have seen some lower ones that didn't need a spacer at all. You can also tell if it should have one if none are present because of the material bending toward the rad support and or a crack in the fiberglass.  

[shelbymann1970]

Happy New Year to all! Ed, here is a pic of my fender area I took yesterday. I took the bolt off of the lower hood pin lock bracket to see the clip. It appears correct to me. I qalso added the phos washer. Is this all correct now? Thanks. Gary

[Bob Gaines]

Gary, the two sheet metal screws that hold the fender to the headlight bucket were there when the area was painted at Smith and so they should be painted too.

[Shelbypat]

What was the masking tape purpose ?

Patrick

[69 GT350 Vert]

From my personal experience, the tape prevents dropping the multiple square spacers when installing the headlight buckets.

[Bob Gaines]

Gary, the two sheet metal screws that hold the fender to the headlight bucket were there when the area was painted at Smith and so they should be painted too.

Same with the clip for the twist lock bracket.

[shelbymann1970]

Gary, the two sheet metal screws that hold the fender to the headlight bucket were there when the area was painted at Smith and so they should be painted too.

Same with the clip for the twist lock bracket.

got a pic with tape on the clips? Thanks. Also what would one expect to find under the stone guard overlap on that headlight bucket surface? no paint? primer? what color primer? Thanks. I got a pair of original headlight buckets taken off of June built #3052 that I took off in 1984 with original paint on them in my attic. Gary

[shelbymann1970]

From my personal experience, the tape prevents dropping the multiple square spacers when installing the headlight buckets.

+1 Ed educated me on that back in 2003. Gary

[Bob Gaines]

Gary, the two sheet metal screws that hold the fender to the headlight bucket were there when the area was painted at Smith and so they should be painted too.

Same with the clip for the twist lock bracket.

got a pic with tape on the clips? Thanks. Also what would one expect to find under the stone guard overlap on that headlight bucket surface? no paint? primer? what color primer? Thanks. I got a pair of original headlight buckets taken off of June built #3052 that I took off in 1984 with original paint on them in my attic. Gary

Given you quoted my post you misunderstood because I did not say anything about tape on clips . Read again. I did however talk about paint . Back side of the headlight buckets will have some degree of overspray from the body color paint process of the fenders on which they were attached and to a lessor degree the gray paint used in the grill area. Like other worker done painting processes you would have a range of what was typically seen but It would vary from one car to another depending on painter/painters and how the paint was applied.

[shelbymann1970]

Yes,Bob, re-read it and took it the wrong way earlier-thanks.  what color should be on the headlight bucket under the stone guard overlap? Should body color be under the dark gray paint? there is in one of Pete's website pics on the orange car. Here are 2 pics of my original headlight bucket taken off #3052 in 1984. A hint of Grabber blue on the underside but no GB under the dark gray and dark gray appears to be on the area under where the stone guard overlaps and the pic is misleading as it all is the same shade and not 2 different shades my garage lights created on the bucket. Gary

[Bob Gaines]

Yes,Bob, re-read it and took it the wrong way earlier-thanks.  what color should be on the headlight bucket under the stone guard overlap? Should body color be under the dark gray paint? there is in one of Pete's website pics on the orange car. Here are 2 pics of my original headlight bucket taken off #3052 in 1984. A hint of Grabber blue on the underside but no GB under the dark gray and dark gray appears to be on the area under where the stone guard overlaps and the pic is misleading as it all is the same shade and not 2 different shades my garage lights created on the bucket. Gary

Only the fiberglass parts were assembled together during the body color painting process. Then the other parts were added for the gray painting process.

[shelbymann1970]

Yes,Bob, re-read it and took it the wrong way earlier-thanks.  what color should be on the headlight bucket under the stone guard overlap? Should body color be under the dark gray paint? there is in one of Pete's website pics on the orange car. Here are 2 pics of my original headlight bucket taken off #3052 in 1984. A hint of Grabber blue on the underside but no GB under the dark gray and dark gray appears to be on the area under where the stone guard overlaps and the pic is misleading as it all is the same shade and not 2 different shades my garage lights created on the bucket. Gary

Only the fiberglass parts were assembled together during the body color painting process. Then the other parts were added for the gray painting process.

Bob, I see 4 pics in the link below that shows headlight buckets painted body color. I'd share the pics but am not sure if that is OK with Pete. Here is the link. Shows a blue and orange car where the headlight buckets are painted body color in the first 3 pics. My thoughts are the process had to change after these pics were taken because I had zero body color on my May 6 69 built Shelby or my June built Shelby that the above bucket came off of. No red or Grabber blue. http://www.thecoralsnake.com/1969Plantpics

[Bob Gaines]

Yes,Bob, re-read it and took it the wrong way earlier-thanks.  what color should be on the headlight bucket under the stone guard overlap? Should body color be under the dark gray paint? there is in one of Pete's website pics on the orange car. Here are 2 pics of my original headlight bucket taken off #3052 in 1984. A hint of Grabber blue on the underside but no GB under the dark gray and dark gray appears to be on the area under where the stone guard overlaps and the pic is misleading as it all is the same shade and not 2 different shades my garage lights created on the bucket. Gary

Only the fiberglass parts were assembled together during the body color painting process. Then the other parts were added for the gray painting process.

Bob, I see 4 pics in the link below that shows headlight buckets painted body color. I'd share the pics but am not sure if that is OK with Pete. Here is the link. Shows a blue and orange car where the headlight buckets are painted body color in the first 3 pics. My thoughts are the process had to change after these pics were taken because I had zero body color on my May 6 69 built Shelby or my June built Shelby that the above bucket came off of. No red or Grabber blue. http://www.thecoralsnake.com/1969Plantpics

Gary, those pictures are typical of the process. From evidence I have seen that same process was done through the end of 69/70 Shelby production.The amount of paint applied in the area could vary from one car to the next depending on painter. The painters weren't necessarily trying to paint the buckets in the process but they got overspray from painting the fenders that they were attached to. The fog light bracket was added after the body paint was done. The fender edges were taped off to prevent overspray. The gray was sprayed over  the headlight area covering any body colored paint on forward facing surfaces.