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Deck lid paint mark

nfrntau

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Aug 15, 2004
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Location
Rosharon, Texas
While Arlie and I were stripping paint this weekend we came across this mark on the underside of the deck lid. (or the boot lid for some of you).
Has anyone else found one of these?
 

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mmarsalone

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New Orleans, LA
You've found the Easter Egg !! I didn't know they were hiding these in Silicon Valley way back then, even at the Ford plant. You've done all of the right steps in the correct order to find it. ................ Most Palm Pilots used to have a hidden Easter Egg that you could make appear.

Actually, I have no idea what that is.
 

Mustanglvr

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If you turn your head to the left, it looks like the number 71 with a circle around it. I`m serious, lol.
 
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nfrntau

nfrntau

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I kind of like the easter egg option.
I thought it was interesting that it was under the original paint but the stripper didn't effect it.
 

J_Speegle

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Jun 19, 2006
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Its not an inspection mark from what we've seen and not specific to Cal Specials. Very few of the cars had such markings on the trunk lid and the hood (two places similar marks have been found) There purpose is know at this time (plant workers have been asked).

Was this under the original paint or just under a repaint? Normally we find these (WHEN we find them,) they are on top of the paint. Under the paint would indicate a shipping or crating identification mark possibly

Could indicate a number of things from what we've been told but nothing certain ;)

Always great to see though.
 
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PNewitt

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This is a longshot theory, but we're finding that GT/CS and the HCS cars were built in batches, based on DSO orders. So, this decklid could have been for a 71 DSO batch of cars, and/or a set of trunklids that were stacked on pallattes, with the top one marked for a specific batch, during a specific shift at the plant.

is this car a DSO 71 car? or--was the following batch 71 DSO "GT/CSs?

...just a theory, and one more thing for Jeff to ponder, consider, check into, or TOSS OUT!....LOL!!

Paul N.
 
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nfrntau

nfrntau

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The DSO is 71, Coberly Ford in Los Angeles. The mark was under the paint.
Paul, Good thought, any old photos of these deck lids on pallets? You propbably wouldn't see a mark but you should be able to tell if they are bottom side up or not.
 
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nfrntau

nfrntau

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The mark appears to be on top of the primer. Were the deck lids and fiberglass pieces primed before shipping?
 
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nfrntau

nfrntau

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asahlstein said:
I think we all should go out with our grinders to take the paint off to verify this theory!!!! Any takers???

This will surely weed out which of our members are a few cards short of a full deck!
 

Perkchiro

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Location
Nixa, MO
For what it's worth, I chemically stripped my fiberglass deck lid and I didn't see any markings. Of course, the stripper may have taken off any marks too. If that was a pallet marking, and they were stacked, wouldn't the mark be just be on the top deck lid? If so, the rate of occurance would be small. Just my thoughts.
 

J_Speegle

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nfrntau said:
The DSO is 71, Coberly Ford in Los Angeles. The mark was under the paint.

Has the car ever been repainted? If so maybe they just painted over the mark and the original paint when doing this. As I reported we have pictures of other San Jose cars (other years) that had similar marks over the paint,


PNewitt said:
his is a longshot theory, but we're finding that GT/CS and the HCS cars were built in batches, based on DSO orders. So, this decklid could have been for a 71 DSO batch of cars, and/or a set of trunklids that were stacked on pallattes, with the top one marked for a specific batch, during a specific shift at the plant.

No reason to mark specific trunk lid for specific districts. But the idea of marking a crate of pallet for or during shipping is a possibility. Sort of like the paper tag "Ready for Shipping" we see in some old magazines on front coil springs and the like.

We have also seen markings (not saying that they are similar to the ones we are discussing) that appear to be inventory identifiers put on a car at the dealership.
 
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PNewitt

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"No reason to mark specific trunk lid for specific districts. But the idea of marking a crate of pallet for or during shipping is a possibility. Sort of like the paper tag "Ready for Shipping" we see in some old magazines on front coil springs and the like." --Jeff Speegle

I just checked my notes from my 1988 interview with Lee Grey, and he said that cars were built in specific "DSO batches". Those numbers are showing up in the new registry results, too.

I also re-read that all the cars built for March and April were from orders made at the Feb 15th party at the Century Plaza Hotel, in L.A. (where we shot photos).

What I want to know from that decklid photo, is who drew the "Barbie doll wearing a thong"--located at the upper center-right of the photo? Factory or...um Owner artwork? This, of course, is critical factory history information...!! LOL!!

"Kilroy Was Here" strikes again!

Paul N.
 

J_Speegle

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PNewitt said:
I just checked my notes from my 1988 interview with Lee Grey, and he said that cars were built in specific "DSO batches". Those numbers are showing up in the new registry results, too.

But since there was no difference between a Calif Special going to 71 and ones going to 72 no reason to identify them in this way IMHO

Maybe this will put an end to that theory. Another 68 San Jose built car - non-Calif Special vehicle. There was no DSO identified by the number "10" :)

68SANJoseCougartrnkMrk10.jpg


By being "built" you don't mean all in ordered do you. Or rather the only Calif Specials built during a period of time were for the same DSO?

The first statement would seem to conflict (at least for the first half of assembly) with the factory arranging cars in order so that none of the difficult cars would be one after another to slow the line down.

Just a thought ;)
 

Mosesatm

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Jan 18, 2005
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Since the GT/CS had so many unique parts it seems to me that building them, intermixed with other Mustangs, on the line would have been difficult at best.

For example, how would they store the GT/CS decklids near the line in case a GT/CS order came along. How many would they store? Imagine having 3 in a row come down the line and have only 2 deck lids. Talk about holding up the line!

I know nothing about car assembly lines but batching the GT/CS and HCS builds so all the special parts could be installed by people who knew how to install them certainly makes sense to a layperson like me.
 

Mustanglvr

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I don`t think that`s a 10, it could be 81 for Canada. Was there a DSO 18?
 
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PNewitt

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J_Speegle said:
But since there was no difference between a Calif Special going to 71 and ones going to 72 no reason to identify them in this way IMHO

Maybe this will put an end to that theory. Another 68 San Jose built car - non-Calif Special vehicle. There was no DSO identified by the number "10" :)

By being "built" you don't mean all in ordered do you. Or rather the only Calif Specials built during a period of time were for the same DSO

Just a thought ;)

OK, this is a bit confusing, but I meant to say that at that evening event in L.A., they took orders for quite a few GT/CS cars. A week later, they had a similar dinner event for the No.Calif. Dealers (S.F. Fairmont Hotel)--to take more orders. Together, that would entail ordering a lot of GT/CS cars from the DSO 71 and 72 Districts. That is why there are a lot of VINs that begin with 142, 143, etc.. from heavy March and April production. Now--taking orders is one thing, having that translate into vins, build dates, etc., is up to the DSO--production folks at the factory.

"IF" this 71 on the decklid was DSO-related, it would require knowing the context of how that would be at the factory. The order and function of the factory is something that Jeff and myself are trying to figure out. Unfortunately, a lot of the plans of what was where at the SJ plant were lost, and we're dependent on former workers to point out what was where, how they did things, in what order, etc...

Paul N.
 
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