Battery apron

[shelbymann1970]

While going through my pics of cars I came across a file I had marked Thoroughbred 69 Mach1(Dearborn car by the detailing). This car had a "1970" apron on it. Car has the upper cowl blacked out and the later pass side fender apron(ribbed). Now were any of those battery reinforcement aprons used in 1969 production? Was it first used in 1970 when they started up production? I know this is a Mustang pic(s) but I'm trying to find out if this happened in Dearborn  as it would transcend into Shelbys built of course See pics below

[Bob Gaines]

Armond posted a picture of a B2 built 6/30 that had the hole in the original battery apron.

[Special Ed]

Gary are those photos of wes alfords car he did long ago as i sold him parts and helped him on the car and seen it while being restored.  He had that car a long time and took his time getting that car correct since he was keeping it for his collection. It was a great car to start with so i dont think it needed much metal work. I had a very late july 69 dearborn mach1 that had the hole in apron for the angle  battery bracket. The 70 battery apron has a hump just below the hole to support the bracket at the angle area and a 70 apron also has a  inward hump down by the battery tray because the  new 70  mustang headlight system has 2 big lights  mounted inward vs  69  4 small headlights. I have seen 2 different angle brackets and the hole can be in a  late 69 apron but all 70 aprons had the hole factory stamped. U can tell by looking at the spot welds on the battery apron if it was replaced as many were because of battery acid leaks and rusting out around the lower battery apron reinforcement plate and that flat plate didnt come on the service replacement nos aprons so if its not there then apron was replaced. This plate had to be cut out of a donor car but they are hard to find without rust. I had cut them out of cars out in the southwest desert back years ago and was running out of them so i sent one to bill at mansfield mustang to have made and he made them for all 4 years from 67 to 70 as they are different and u need the bottom plate to bolt the battery tray down properly and keep battery in place. I think ford thought this  extra angle bracket was needed in 69 70 when they started installing new bigger heavy 27f batterys.

[shelbymann1970]

So to be clear there was a change over in aprons and the 70 style that has notches for the inboard headlights was NOT used at the end of 69 production so when I see the hole in "Wes'" car pics I have(I don't know, Ed, who the car belonged to but a white interior car and a good ref on many areas. So the bracket was used late in production but on a 69 style apron with out the hump below the "pierced/extruded" hole for the 5/16 head  sheet metal screw. Gary

For ref this is the 70 style with the hump and extruded hole. It was not used at al in 1969 on late cars. The problem was Ford serviced the 70  as 69 and stenciled in "C9ZZ". Common practice on sheet metal parts. I formed my own metal and fixed my original apron in my Shelby and made up the reinforcement piece off of the original. You can buy them now these days. Couldn't 24 years ago.