'69 Jade Black vert on BaT

[557]

Billet aluminum....

[shelbymann1970]

I'm thinking about buying a pair of these hinges that relieve the tension from the hood, but provide a spring effect to hold the hood up.  My car is just a driver.  I'm getting tired of fiddling with the chains.  The springs warp my hood also. 

https://www.eddiemotorsports.com/product-p/ms149-81.htm

Like I said I have been putting on the light tension springs for years on my car or use the prop rod. The springs can be put on by hand and I suspect you would never have a problem at a show getting someone to hold the hood up while you put the springs on. Some have used a custom chain link to keep the hood up(Bob?). I wouldn't spend the money on those non original hinges and have to hope everything lines up with those new hinges like it does with the factory ones. I believe there was a factory bulletin about using a Maverick(?) prop rod and pull the springs? I have seen some on other year Shelbys and I think the one I have and never used was sent to me by Larry Quay. Gary

[69 GT350 Vert]

I've tried the really light tension springs, and my hood still warps.  I use the chains, and sometimes one link seems to get caught on the seam in the brake booster, and it prevents the hood from opening.  My brake booster paint is also getting chipped.  The 69 hood hinges were changed from 68 - I think the hood mounting area changed in 69. 

I rarely open my hood nowadays at car cruises, or at home.  I used to like to open the hood on my 68 shelby after a drive to let the hot air escape, but it was a big block.   

[SCJSTU]

great looking stance

[5s386]

This Shelby was on Ebay May of 2012. The seller at that time was Jim W. from Vermont. Odometer was 70,401 miles. Per seller's remarks,"Owned 35 years, original engine replaced at 10K miles, minor front damage in 1970, completely disassembled for restoration 1981 to 1984, engine rebuild in 1998."

[Shelby4Life]

Looked like a fun driver, but not surprised at the outcome on this one.

[shelbymann1970]

I've tried the really light tension springs, and my hood still warps.  I use the chains, and sometimes one link seems to get caught on the seam in the brake booster, and it prevents the hood from opening.  My brake booster paint is also getting chipped.  The 69 hood hinges were changed from 68 - I think the hood mounting area changed in 69. 

I rarely open my hood nowadays at car cruises, or at home.  I used to like to open the hood on my 68 shelby after a drive to let the hot air escape, but it was a big block.   

Pull the light tension springs off when you close the hood. They come off by hand but you will need help holding the hood. Use a prop rod to keep the hood open when you do not want to install the springs. I believe Bob Gaines uses chains so maybe he can shed some light on how he uses them. THe springs have not been on my car in a couple of years. In my garage I use a prop rod. At a show I will install the springs and take them off when the show is over. Gary

[Survivor]

5s386-really good info. and certainly not mentioned in the auction listing-which, btw, I thought was poorly prepared.  I would have been a bit perturbed learning on day 3, after having bid to 100k, that the engine was from a '74-a '74 what we were never told.  But, you could buy a date code correct engine after the auction for another 5k.  All in w/o the replacement 351 was close to 120k.  Add in the cost of the replacement 351 as well as the other inevitable costs to complete the project (like the missing quarter panel bades!), you'd be at 150k w/o breaking a sweat.  Not even close to worth it imo and nowhere near market-again, imo.  I'm guessing the buyer doesn't care... or just looks at things a bit differently than I.       

[shelbymann1970]

5s386-really good info. and certainly not mentioned in the auction listing-which, btw, I thought was poorly prepared.  I would have been a bit perturbed learning on day 3, after having bid to 100k, that the engine was from a '74-a '74 what we were never told.  But, you could buy a date code correct engine after the auction for another 5k.  All in w/o the replacement 351 was close to 120k.  Add in the cost of the replacement 351 as well as the other inevitable costs to complete the project (like the missing quarter panel bades!), you'd be at 150k w/o breaking a sweat.  Not even close to worth it imo and nowhere near market-again, imo.  I'm guessing the buyer doesn't care... or just looks at things a bit differently than I.     

Can elaborate on the "missing quarter panel bades"? Thanks. Driver cars bring more than you usually expect on BaT in many cases. I could show you non Shelbys of the same year you would SYH on at the final auction price with known issues you could even see in the pics. I wonder what was on the front of that 74 engine since the front of a 69 351 2V/4V is a one year only setup. Gary

[67 GT350]

I have seen at a car sow a guy forget he has the chain type on his can and go to shut the hood and CRACK!

[Survivor]

Mis-spelling.  Meant to say quarter panel badges.  My understanding is that convertibles received the Shelby badge/emblem on the quarter panel.

[shelbymann1970]

Mis-spelling.  Meant to say quarter panel badges.  My understanding is that convertibles received the Shelby badge/emblem on the quarter panel.

Well it has been a discussed topic on SAAC forum 1.0. My opinion(first given to me by Tony Branda early 80s) is that it was a running change as in possibly no early cars, then the snakes came and then the snakes/Shelby emblems. Case in point are these 2 GT500s(the vert owner I think is a forum member and original owner). A silver jade vert pre F-60-15 tire car with snakes only and a later F-60-15 FB car in pastel gray with both. Both at an Indianapolis dealership in 1969.  BTW the vert emblems are DIFFERENT and harder to find than the FB roof emblems. I bought up all the original ones I could find and it wasn't many so far. My June drag pack GT500 had grill emblems mounted on the roof and they were mounted into barrel clips. Never seen that before or after. https://www.flickr.com/photos/bossmustang/albums/72157609155163577

[Bob Gaines]

I've tried the really light tension springs, and my hood still warps.  I use the chains, and sometimes one link seems to get caught on the seam in the brake booster, and it prevents the hood from opening.  My brake booster paint is also getting chipped.  The 69 hood hinges were changed from 68 - I think the hood mounting area changed in 69. 

I rarely open my hood nowadays at car cruises, or at home.  I used to like to open the hood on my 68 shelby after a drive to let the hot air escape, but it was a big block.   

Pull the light tension springs off when you close the hood. They come off by hand but you will need help holding the hood. Use a prop rod to keep the hood open when you do not want to install the springs. I believe Bob Gaines uses chains so maybe he can shed some light on how he uses them. THe springs have not been on my car in a couple of years. In my garage I use a prop rod. At a show I will install the springs and take them off when the show is over. Gary

Gary, I have used a length of chain in the past to go in place of the spring to hold the hood open to eliminate the springs that put too much tension on some hoods and causing a bow. The extensive bow is not a universal problem but just so on some cars. Some of the cars I have had it and others didn't.  I learned to hold up the hood with my shoulder while disconnecting the factory large diameter hood springs with the help of a lever tool. I would leave the disconnected springs hanging from the hinge while the hood was down and reconnect when I was leaving the hood up. I got so that I could do the procedure on both hood hinges by myself in around a minute. I didn't need to do this on every 69/70 Shelby that I have had over the years.

[Bob Gaines]

Mis-spelling.  Meant to say quarter panel badges.  My understanding is that convertibles received the Shelby badge/emblem on the quarter panel.

Well it has been a discussed topic on SAAC forum 1.0. My opinion(first given to me by Tony Branda early 80s) is that it was a running change as in possibly no early cars, then the snakes came and then the snakes/Shelby emblems. Case in point are these 2 GT500s(the vert owner I think is a forum member and original owner). A silver jade vert pre F-60-15 tire car with snakes only and a later F-60-15 FB car in pastel gray with both. Both at an Indianapolis dealership in 1969.  BTW the vert emblems are DIFFERENT and harder to find than the FB roof emblems. I bought up all the original ones I could find and it wasn't many so far. My June drag pack GT500 had grill emblems mounted on the roof and they were mounted into barrel clips. Never seen that before or after. https://www.flickr.com/photos/bossmustang/albums/72157609155163577

I don't know for a fact but believe that not all emblems were installed at the factory. I believe many were left to be installed by the dealer. I had heard stories of the emblems being stolen for souvenirs on route from the factory to the dealer which is why the procedure was changed to dealer install. I am not sure how valid that story is but it is a reasonable explanation IMO. The dealer choice was what determined if just the snake emblem , the snake emblem and the separate different name plate or just the name plate was used regardless of if fastback or convertible. I saw too many different varieties of usage back in the day and on later day survivor cars to think that there was only one way they were done back when new. The dealer installation is the best explanation for the variations IMO.I personally have always just liked the snake emblem with no name plate as my variation of choice.

[shelbymann1970]

I've tried the really light tension springs, and my hood still warps.  I use the chains, and sometimes one link seems to get caught on the seam in the brake booster, and it prevents the hood from opening.  My brake booster paint is also getting chipped.  The 69 hood hinges were changed from 68 - I think the hood mounting area changed in 69. 

I rarely open my hood nowadays at car cruises, or at home.  I used to like to open the hood on my 68 shelby after a drive to let the hot air escape, but it was a big block.   

Pull the light tension springs off when you close the hood. They come off by hand but you will need help holding the hood. Use a prop rod to keep the hood open when you do not want to install the springs. I believe Bob Gaines uses chains so maybe he can shed some light on how he uses them. THe springs have not been on my car in a couple of years. In my garage I use a prop rod. At a show I will install the springs and take them off when the show is over. Gary

Gary, I have used a length of chain in the past to go in place of the spring to hold the hood open to eliminate the springs that put too much tension on some hoods and causing a bow. The extensive bow is not a universal problem but just so on some cars. Some of the cars I have had it and others didn't.  I learned to hold up the hood with my shoulder while disconnecting the factory large diameter hood springs with the help of a lever tool. I would leave the disconnected springs hanging from the hinge while the hood was down and reconnect when I was leaving the hood up. I got so that I could do the procedure on both hood hinges by myself in around a minute. I didn't need to do this on every 69/70 Shelby that I have had over the years.

Thanks Bob. Since I am not being judged at shows I use the light tension springs which I can put on by hand with no tool. What tool do you use on the factory springs? My tool over the years was a large screw driver. Have to ever used a Maverick prop rod? I was given one 30 years ago but never figured out where to mount it without more hardware or mod work which is a non starter. One day a few years ago I took my car out for a drive and kept hearing a clunking noise under the hood. Yep, the low tension springs were hanging there from the hinges  bouncing around. LOL. My car when bought in 1985 had the factory hood springs and looked pretty good. Hood fits better without any. Gary