timing cover ribs

[TLea]

When did the ribs on the timing covers disappear on the C5OE covers? I know it was sometime during early 67 model year production

[Bossbill]

Tim -- I have a no-rib cover dated late in 1966.
See this post for details:
https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=21159.msg132976#msg132976

Here is a pic of the date dots and maybe we can come to a consensus on date. I think November.
Do note that the date inside looks a bit like 65, but this IS a no-rib cover and they didn't have anything like this in 65.

[JD]

Maybe this will help...maybe not

[Bossbill]

I saw that, but the part I have says the changeover occurred in late 66, CY.
It doesn't help that the date dials aren't dotted very well.

[Bob Gaines]

I saw that, but the part I have says the changeover occurred in late 66, CY.
It doesn't help that the date dials aren't dotted very well.

It reads shortly after the start of the model year which would have been late 66.

[TLea]

Exactly. I'm trying to see if a car built in early October should have a ribbed or no ribbed cover. Engine would've been assembled mid September

[TLea]

Isn't this 10-66?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/393223612240?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3Dcc4ca15658b74fb280aa87e38a6245f9%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D115467228052%26itm%3D393223612240%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3Af9a235db-06e8-11ed-8245-f2a1a957790a%7Cparentrq%3A136d84e21820a60c036bc8cdffebf612%7Ciid%3A1

[J_Speegle]

Isn't this 10-66?

Not with the dots I can make out. I'm seeing 6 dots on five vanes

June 66



Would need to check other data for your Sept built engine assembly question. And of course this is not a Shelby engine question but one shared by all 289's built at Cleveland during 67 production so in ways we have many more examples to consider

[TLea]

Isn't this 10-66?

Not with the dots I can make out. I'm seeing 6 dots on five vanes

June 66



Would need to check other data for your Sept built engine assemblyquestion

Your eyes are better than mine

[J_Speegle]

Exactly. I'm trying to see if a car built in early October should have a ribbed or no ribbed cover. Engine would've been assembled mid September

After a look at other original cars from the time period I would say yes. Seven ribs with the top bolt holes (to water pump)  untrimmed

[Bob Gaines]

I wanted to get another point of view on date code in the picture 8,10 of 66?

[J_Speegle]

I wanted to get another point of view on date code in the picture 8,10 of 66?

Looks like the depressions or evidence of 10, the way I'm seeing it. Wonder if they used a wood plug pressed in the mold to make the dates. If you made up a bunch of year date plugs then you would only need to take a drill  quickly to the number of vanes for the month. or at least try and hit a vane looking at some examples. Guess you could do clay also to make the stamp.  Need to ask a couple of guys I guess

[Bob Gaines]

I wanted to get another point of view on date code in the picture 8,10 of 66?

I think it is a 10 /66 date too but wanted another set of eyes on it. This is from a no rib timing cover. It is the earliest that I have come across with no ribs. My 67 GT350 0001 had a ribbed cover unfortunately I can not find where I recorded the date code .The original vin stamped block was all together when I found it in the 80's but I can't be sure what was messed with and what was not.It did have a lot of original components normally changed like fuel pump ,waterpump etc. With no evidence to suggest otherwise I left the components together.  I do remember the majority of date codes were commonly in Sept of 66.

[JD]

OK, I see 5 "dots" indicated, yes or no?  (Where's the 6th?)

EDIT: OK, Jeff your saying the month line that in the image I marked-up the 2nd has two dots and that indicates two months but one the same month indicator?

[J_Speegle]

OK, I see 5 "dots" indicated, yes or no?  (Where's the 6th?)

EDIT: OK, Jeff your saying the month line that in the image I marked-up the 2nd has two dots and that indicates two months but one the same month indicator?

We have, from where I'm sitting, 6 dots on 5 vanes so honestly we could read it as May or June. What we don't know and never will is if the worker meant either date and simply placed two dots on one vane or he make, on purpose the one van with two marks. These are the same workers at the same plant that also were markign things like bell housing that didn't have the van detail on the date plug for some reason. Depending on the time period they had small guide dots or just a ring in the basic design and you can see in those examples where the dots are placed all over the place. So do we have a worker working in the timing cover casting area that day that had been marking bell housings (for example) and now trying to line up the dots on specific vans and missed?  Don't know for certain