’67 Rear Valance Exhaust Flat-Style Trim – Who’s Got ‘Em?

[Richstang]

The first few early cars received the Flat-Style trim on the exhaust cut outs (this version was later used on 1968 Cougars). These were made and installed at LAX by Shelby American workers until approximately 10/28/66. That only includes approximately 6 production cars.

(Some background; Shelby workers at LAX made the cut-out opening in the standard Mustang valance. It had no cut-outs for the dual exhaust tips that Shelby American would be adding to exit out the rear of the cars. These hand cut openings were rough and needed a trim piece to dress them up.)
The two brochures cars (V-738-2 and #0176) also had the Flat-style trim.

The Flat-Style is thought to be a prototype solution. It was replaced by using the existing '66 Mustang Hi-Po exhaust trim. Shelby workers only had to cut off the lower portion. These pieces were a readily available Ford part that only needed the trimming to use (thus a faster and less Shelby worker or sub-contractor expense). These '66 Mustang trim pieces were used until the end of March '67 on approximately 1725 cars. The change notice for the '67 GT Valance was issued 1/13/67 and stamped received on 1/25. When it was implemented by Ford on Shelby units is still in question. My unit estimate is not valid.

At this point, base Mustangs were shipped to Shelby American with the standard '67 Mustang GT rear valance. The Mustang GT valance had a wide stamped opening to accommodate the twin exhaust tips used on the Ford Mustang GT. The GT valance was used for the remainder of the '67 Shelby production.

Below is a short list of the cars known or believed to have this Flat-Style. If you have or know of any others please let us know.

Car #       Model    Trim        SA Completion / Source
V-738-2   GT500     Flat         9/1/66 (estimated) Sid Avery photo
0176        GT350    Flat          9/1/66 (estimated) Sid Avery photo
0003        GT350    Flat         10/19/66 photo BG
0018        GT350    ?             10/19/66 uncertain which version from SA
0002        GT350    Flat         10/20/66 photo JD
0019        GT350    ?             10/20/66
0024        GT350    ?             10/26/66
0031        GT350    Flat         10/26/66 photo rcgt350
0004        GT350    '66 style  10/31/66 photo shows '66 trim style
0017        GT350    ?             10/31/66 photo appears to have '66 trim style
0029        GT350    ?             10/31/66 photo appears to have '66 trim style
0030        GT350    '66 style  10/31/66 photo shows '66 trim style
0049        GT350   ?              10/31/66
0053        GT350   ?              10/31/66
0059        GT350    ?             10/31/66
0060        GT350   ?              10/31/66 photo appears to have '66 trim style
0066        GT350    ?             10/31/66
0072        GT350   ?              10/31/66
0075        GT350   ?              10/31/66
0078        GT350   '66 style   10/31/66 photo appears to have '66 trim style

Thanks to JD and Randy "rscgt350", for sharing photos and added information.

Edit 4/27/2023
The first few cars with the flat trim are not made from the Cougar parts.
After some conversation with Greg Kolasa, and following his caption in one of his books,
   We determined the Cougat trim part was added after they the '66 Mustang Hi-Po trim.
   It did not need to be cut to fit, saving time, and was a natural progression from the '66 Mustang part used.

It appears the Cougar trim was used on the tail end of trim parts needed...right around the transiotion to the stamped valance opening.
We see the Cougar trim on cars in the 700 VIn range. Cars with the stanped valance were arriving at that same time

The transition date is critical to note on the Shelby American 'Production Order'
It will help to determine the trim type that should be used in any restoration.
There were more than a few cars that had the Cougar trim part.

[Richstang]

Flat Trim brochure cars;

#0176 GT350



V-732-8 GT500



#0002



#0031



#0003

[Richstang]

Standard Mustang Valance (part as delivered to SA prior to April '67)


'66 Hi-Po Exhaust Trim on left / Valance with cut out and Trim piece cut to fit on right

[Richstang]

Standard Mustang GT Valance with Stamped exhaust notch



Shelby exhaust tip with standard Mustang GT Valance

[Richstang]

M. Sullivan drawing "Bezel Assembly Exhaust Interim" 10/20/66

Interesting the part was called "Interim" and the date of the draft was on the second day of production. 

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[BGlover67]

Dear Rich,

You said, "The Flat-Style is thought to be a prototype solution. It was replaced by using the existing '66 Mustang Hi-Po exhaust trim. Shelby workers only had to cut off the lower portion."

On the set I had, it looks like there was a bit of modifying necessary to create the trim ring from the Hi-Po exhaust trim ring.  It looks to be a bit more complicated than just cutting the bottoms off:



Also, here is a pic of the believed to be original exhust trim rings on car no. 003:

[propayne]

The only Cougars that got the chrome exhaust trim where the XR7-Gs which were converted to G's at Smith via Shelby Automotive.

Here are the blueprints for those.

- Phillip

[Richstang]

Dear Rich,

You said, "The Flat-Style is thought to be a prototype solution. It was replaced by using the existing '66 Mustang Hi-Po exhaust trim. Shelby workers only had to cut off the lower portion."

On the set I had, it looks like there was a bit of modifying necessary to create the trim ring from the Hi-Po exhaust trim ring.  It looks to be a bit more complicated than just cutting the bottoms off:

Brian,
It look like the lower 45% was cut off so the top would retain the three studs for mounting.
What other modification do you think was needed?

I should have given you and JGuyer (?) credit for the photo of the #0003 exhaust trim photo in my second reply.
Although still a flat style, it does not appear to match the others trim pieces shown on the other early cars.

[Richstang]

The only Cougars that got the chrome exhaust trim where the XR7-Gs which were converted to G's at Smith via Shelby Automotive.

Here are the blueprints for those.

- Phillip

Phillip,
THANK YOU for posting the Cougar trim drawing and educating us on the model that received them. They don't appear to be an exact match to the '67 Shelby trim piece with the longer straight downward ends.

It is interesting that the '67 Shelby #0003 appears to match this Cougar drawing with the same longer straight downward ends.
Since #0003 has been modified with a '68 taillight panel and other odds parts, we can't be certain the exhaust trim pieces are original to the car.

[JD]

Yes there was a bit more to do than just snipping off a portion of the bottom of the '66 GT exhaust trim rings but not much.  Some quick work with the tin snipes bend a couple ends with pliers and drill one hole, maybe ten minute tops.

Rich, good that you could use many of the images of cars and the drawing that were provided ;-)

[BGlover67]

Sorry Rich, I didn't see you posted it already.  Credit goes entirely to John Guyer.  He's da man.

As for the cut, I think it's actually a fairly complex cut to acheive the final result.  First, it is cut like in this picture I believe. 





The 'tab' is bent up and rolled over to create an end, and then one side wall is bent in also.  Here is a view from the bottom of the ring on 26.  JD might be able to give some more insight into it's history.

[JD]

To the best of my knowledge the ones on #26 are the originals.  If I remember correctly the left and right are not quit the same, there are some hand-done differences on the very bottom edges that were rolled-back.

Not sure if there was a jig made to do these in batches or if they were done "free-hand" by each worker that day, that shift, that car. 

[roddster]

  The 66 GT cut-off on 0036 did not have cuts like that either.  Likely just as JD said - that employee, that shift, that day.

[Richstang]

The question about how many cars have the valence exhaust cutout with the '66 Mustang "Hi-Po" trim came up in another thread.
I was asking if it had a parts date code on the Mustang GT stamped valance. (wondering if the date code was prior to the cars build date of 3/22/67)
Rather than cluttering up that forum members car thread with the replies about this specific part, I thought we could shift the discussion here.

On Brian's "1967ShelbyConvertible" website I've been reading some of the group discussions on the DSO observations.
In his January 1967 observations, it mentions when the transition to the Mustang GT style occurred (written on a change notice stamped received 1/25).
He notes this would effect cars starting with DSO 2580 and later. The earliest SJ build date on that DSO is 3/30/67.
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/shelbyresearch/iVFYFlk_u9g

Based on the above note, I estimated 1725 cars built with the '66 Mustang trim (minus the 6 or so with the flat trim) from the earlier DSOs.
That should leave the remaining later built 1500 cars with the 67 Mustang GT stamped style. These estimates are no longer valid.

Perhaps what I did not consider is if a lower (or higher) number DSO might have been fulfilled built before or after this change noticed was issued.
That would definitely affect my estimated count.

[Bossbill]

From SAAC I received my DSO 84-2571 with a "DATE 1/30/67", a "DECENT. DATE 1/30" and a "SCHED. DATE 2/6".

It's in the order of 280 steel wheel cars.

Can't seem to correlate the dates with what's said in the link.