GT350 Tri Y manifold bolts (?) for sale on CL

[JWH]

https://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/pts/d/puyallup-shelby-gt-350-rockford-headers/6933536131.html

I thought I would post this for comment and education. Are these Shelby items? If so, what year where they used? Maybe these are hard to find and something someone here would have an interest in them?
Jeff

[Bob Gaines]

https://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/pts/d/puyallup-shelby-gt-350-rockford-headers/6933536131.html

I thought I would post this for comment and education. Are these Shelby items? If so, what year where they used? Maybe these are hard to find and something someone here would have an interest in them?
Jeff

Not for 65's and not for 67's. Most 66's after the beginning of production used the Rockford header bolts . 16 of them that is

[gt350hr]

   Jeff the Rockford header bolts are STILL being made so why pay $450 for a $20 set of bolts?  Mag Mustangs gets $1,400 for them!

[JWH]

   Jeff the Rockford header bolts are STILL being made so why pay $450 for a $20 set of bolts?  Mag Mustangs gets $1,400 for them!

Cuz they are dirty and rounded?!    Great info. I do not have a car these would work on but you may have saved someone a bunch of money. Thanks.

[gt350hr]

   One more time for those who haven't seen my past comments.
      The header bolts were NOT a SAI specification  OR anything SPECIAL. They were purchased by the THOUSANDS by every header manufacturer and supplied WITH  the header sets in the day and STILL done that way. Cyclone "probably" bought the least expensive ones they could find  There had to be at least ten different "end styles". Flat , three "bars" ( for grade 5) , round recess , recess with raised circle and three radial lines ( like mine had) Rockford, some with three small letters, and others I can't remember at the moment.  At 16 per pair of headers it didn't take long to go through a couple thousand bolts and the manufacturer DID vary over the course of '65-66 production. The point is various bolts were also used on Hedman , Doug's Jardine , Belanger, Douglass, Stan's, JR, Stahl and others in the day for Chevy and other makes. MANY of the bolt manufacturers are STILL around and making bolts the same way. Others like the company that made "my " style , recess with circle and three radial lines have either changed what they make or quit making those bolts as I haven't seen them offered in header kits for over 40 years. I have header bolts all over the place ( shop , garage , tool boxes, drawers in race car hauler) and ( now) I sort them by end design or lack of it . People have asked me for them in the past but I was not organized well enough to help them and am still not.  I may offer what I have that is extra in the future but don't bomb me with requests now. I simply don't have the time to search for them.
   Randy

[427heaven]

I am the same way as Randy with my organizing of all my bolt collection. I have some of the radial type pattern that came off of my 6s 409 car when I changed it over to Boss 302 power. I also have the Rockford bolts and a few of seemingly most types from the 1960s . I keep pulling them up in the most obscure places, I just didn't seem to care too much about bolts back then. Now I get asked regularly if I want to get rid of these bolts for that just right little detail of their restoration. The problem is most of us remember these little parts as nickel and dime or throw away pieces.  Back in the day they were correct, now they are non existent and pricing is all over the place. So don't throw those little items to your vintage cars away, you never know who might want them.

[Karguy]

 Randy, I'm glad to hear someone take a little bit of the mystique out of this topic. Quite a while back I inquired about which bolts should be on the headers of 281. I got several answers from the experts but basically they said that there were only three types, Rockford, small wheel with three spokes and round recessed hole. The bolts that were on 281 when I bought it back had three small bars, one with what looked like a lightning bolt and one that had the recessed hole.  Based on what I was told I was sure that I had the wrong bolts for my car. I recently took a picture of a header bolt on 273 which is a match to 14 that were on 281.  I'm sure certain styles were used more or less in different months of 65 through 67 production but now I'm sure that it's not a perfect science  and that there were more than just the three above mentioned types used IMHO. I have included a picture of the type on 273 and 281.

[Bob Gaines]

Randy, I'm glad to hear someone take a little bit of the mystique out of this topic. Quite a while back I inquired about which bolts should be on the headers of 281. I got several answers from the experts but basically they said that there were only three types, Rockford, small wheel with three spokes and round recessed hole. The bolts that were on 281 when I bought it back had three small bars, one with what looked like a lightning bolt and one that had the recessed hole.  Based on what I was told I was sure that I had the wrong bolts for my car. I recently took a picture of a header bolt on 273 which is a match to 14 that were on 281.  I'm sure certain styles were used more or less in different months of 65 through 67 production but now I'm sure that it's not a perfect science  and that there were more than just the three above mentioned types used IMHO. I have included a picture of the type on 273 and 281.

So you are assuming that the bolts found on 273 were original to that car and never changed . The reason why I ask is because that bolt you picture is a generic grade 5 header bolt . I agree it is not a perfect science because we are still evolving discovering and confirming details.  If you are convinced that it is correct then I guess it is a win for you. I know others who have studied these things will be skeptical. FYI no headers were used in 67 production Shelby's which is a very well documented fact so at least that point of view should be reconsidered .

[Karguy]

 Thanks Bob, you are correct it is an assumption on my part. The reason I think it is at least a very valid conversation to have is that when 281 came back into my possession after being gone around 34 years, I found it had 14 of same header bolts as the style in the picture on 273. Odd coincidence? Worth consideration? Just asking. Does anyone else out there have the style header bolt pictured on their 65 or 66 a Shelby?

[J_Speegle]

............ Does anyone else out there have the style header bolt pictured on their 65 or 66 a Shelby?

Staying around the same period - no I don't have any pictures of a similar looking head design.

By your post it appears that you didn't get the car until it was almost 20 years old.  -Just saying. Lots and lots of things had typically happened, especially with these cars, by the 80's.  We'll keep our eyes open as we typically do for this sort of  detail.

[Karguy]

 Thank you Jeff! I originally inherited the car in 1974. I honestly can't remember which bolts it had on the headers at that time.  Details like that and other subtleties weren't important at the time.  Just seemed like a bit of an odd coincidence.
Karl

[bluemax]

  Does anyone else out there have the style header bolt pictured on their 65 or 66 a Shelby?

I have been following this thread as well as others on this subject because of what is currently on 6S235 and wanting to know what is correct. I have a combination of header bolts, both a simple grade 5 marking and a Rockford marking (mostly the grade 5 marking).

While I have owned this car for over 20 years now (I do not have a lot of information on the previous owners), I am just now starting to dig into the various details as I prepare for a full restoration.

[Bob Gaines]

Thank you Jeff! I originally inherited the car in 1974. I honestly can't remember which bolts it had on the headers at that time.  Details like that and other subtleties weren't important at the time.  Just seemed like a bit of an odd coincidence.
Karl

There is more then one way to look at your findings I would respectfully think you should consider. It would not be a odd coincidence if the replacement bolt used back in the day was a typical generic replacement when it came time to replace bolts on a car that might be on one side of the US and another car on the opposite side of the US or closer. I think the odd coincidence would be replacement bolts used on two different cars with a more obscure marking and not one that has one of the most prevalent . The good news is if you are convinced that you need the generic grade 5 marked bolt you should not have much of a problem finding more. As a point of reference ,In DIV II concours or MCA trailered a header bolt with a marking that is different then what is expected to have come from SA is not deducted for . The bolts would just need to be the typical style ,size head etc. and all match each other . DIV I Premere or MCA Throughbred would have to be correct in every aspect. On a car that is not going to be entered into concuor it depends on the individual owners preference.

[gt350hr]

   I went through "one of many" of the boxes I have of header bolts and found SEVEN different types of end markings. I am going to go through some others i have and compile a list of those markings , excluding obvious ( Mr Gasket , ARP etc) late model versions . It is important to remember there were AT LEAST twenty different header companies in '65-66 all over the country, plus companies like Segal , Eelco , Develvco, and others selling header bolts. There was no "brand loyalty" or "exclusive" situation going on. No one cared about what bolts they had. Collector bolts are another can of worms. There were at least three different styles there too. Most common was the plain steel "no marks"  1-1/2 bolt and plain nut with a split lock washer.
      Randy