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Need Questions for a Milpitas Ford Worker Interview

P

PNewitt

Guest
I have a lead for getting in touch with a (San Jose) Milpitas (CA) Ford Factory worker, that worked on or near the Mustang GT/CS, during spring through fall 1968. I may also get in touch with a group of retired workers that also live in the Bay Area.

I wanted to open it up here, and ask if any of you have specific questions for this worker. Ask anything about how the car was assembled, procedures, colors, etc. Ask about undercoating, wiring, engines, tires, wheels, options, (stickers!) etc...whatever you can think of.

I'll include these questions when I interview these workers. Here is "your big chance"!

I'm also going to ask for photos of the GT/CS being assembled--at the factory--too!

Thanks!
Paul Newitt
 

390cs68rcode

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Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
2,864
Location
Houston Texas
did they build CS's in batches?
Does he remember the first CJ built and that it was a CS?
Were there delays in production of the 428 CJ's and if so what held them up (engine holdups?)?
 

68sunlitgold

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Messages
1,357
Paul,
My question concerns the build dates:
- When the first batch of cars came down the line, did they start to run low on parts?
The reason I wanted to know about this my coupe is 250 Vin # behind my GT/CS but the coupe has a build date of 17 Feb and actual date of 22 Feb and the GT/CS has a build date of 16 Feb and actual date of 29 Feb.

Doug
 

somethingspecial

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Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Messages
1,795
Hi Paul, My questions are:
1) Interior color change. My car seemed to have Ivy Gold interior, but I remember the carpet, Dash Pad and Door Panals being Dark Green. why did they do that.
2) What color were the San Jose built Power Steering pumps, Black, or Green.
3) On styled steel wheels, did any GT/CSs leave the factory with Chrome wheels, or were they all painted Argent. I saw somewhere, (It may have been your book), the Chrome wheels were added at the dealerships.

You already mentioned the Under coating, I hope this means the Red Oxide.
Talk to you soon. Mike
 
Last edited:

68gt390

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Feb 22, 2004
Messages
2,021
Location
Columbus, Ohio
somethingspecial said:
3) On styled steel wheels, did any GT/CSs leave the factory with Chrome wheels, or were they all painted Argent. I saw somewhere, (It may have been your book), the Chrome wheels were added at the dealerships. Mike

Mike;
The styled steel wheels were argent from the factory. The chrome wheels were a dealer option.

My question is pretty simple: Do they remember any GT/CS with the GT option leaving the factory with the GT pop open gas cap. I have heard there were several that did.

Don
 

miller511

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 3, 2004
Messages
567
Paul,

Questions I have-

How did they cut the holes for the tail lights (what was the procedure)? Guessing they had a jig set up (since they built 4118 of these). And was the process done on the line with a saws-all and hole saw? Same goes for the hood pin holes.

Also, how did they lay the stripes on the side and back (again, what was the process)? Guessing they had parts of the bodywork that they generally referenced to. I know that in recent threads there was some variance in where the side stripes actually ended up.

-Jeff
 

6t8-390gt

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Joined
Jul 19, 2004
Messages
490
Location
Central Virginia
Paul,
I would start with very general questions like: what parts of the plant did he work in? What did he do? and build on that. I had the pleasure of sitting in on a seminar at the Carlisle Boss Re-Union and a gentleman there was a suspension engineer and spoke very clearly on the different control arms, tie rod ends etc. It was very interesting, but he could not talk as specifically on other areas of production. So get ALL the specific stuff he can remember and then "fish" for the other stuff.

The suspension (steering link, tie rod ends) were blacked out (painted black) I am convinced it was done at the factory, but the MCA rules say natural. So, I would like to know what was blacked out and how.
 

case12

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Joined
Oct 8, 2004
Messages
1,450
Location
Crystal Lake, IL
I am mostly interested in the processes used.

1. Were they built on the same line? Were they built in batches? How, or what, determined when the batch was over? Was there a special team formed for the unique changes?

2. What training or manuals were they given to make these fairly significant changes?

3. How were they told to make the changes for the HCS? ie, how did they know to leave off the california special script and the GT/CS?

4. Since the build sheet and VIN do not tell that it is a CS, and there is no buck tag for San Jose, how did they track that all the parts went on the car?

5. Did they consider building this special version a pain in the butt, or cool? (If I were on the line, I might have grumbled about all the changes).

6. How did they like working with fiberglass for the first time?

7. Was there a particular or special CS that stands out in their mind? Why?

Thanks, Casey
 

hicountrybob

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2003
Messages
579
Location
Arvada, CO
PNewitt said:
I have a lead for getting in touch with a (San Jose) Milpitas (CA) Ford Factory worker, that worked on or near the Mustang GT/CS, during spring through fall 1968. I may also get in touch with a group of retired workers that also live in the Bay Area.

I wanted to open it up here, and ask if any of you have specific questions for this worker. Ask anything about how the car was assembled, procedures, colors, etc. Ask about undercoating, wiring, engines, tires, wheels, options, (stickers!) etc...whatever you can think of.

I'll include these questions when I interview these workers. Here is "your big chance"!

I'm also going to ask for photos of the GT/CS being assembled--at the factory--too!

Thanks!
Paul Newitt
Paul, where did you get you lead?
 

hicountrybob

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2003
Messages
579
Location
Arvada, CO
68gt390 said:
Mike;
The styled steel wheels were argent from the factory. The chrome wheels were a dealer option.

My question is pretty simple: Do they remember any GT/CS with the GT option leaving the factory with the GT pop open gas cap. I have heard there were several that did.

Don
Don, beg your pardon, chrome wheels available from factory for $77.73.
 

quicknick

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Messages
344
Location
Michigan
I have 2 questions.......
1) Did all 68 San Jose cars have rectangular antenna bases?

2) Was thier, or was thier not a "Caution Fan" decal installed on the fan shroud of 68 San Jose cars?
 

mmarsalone

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 10, 2004
Messages
324
Location
New Orleans, LA
I thought the true GT cars received the Argent (silver) painted wheels from the factory and the chrome wheels were an option on any V8 car.

Mike
 

rvrtrash

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Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
My questions would be "How often did engine/tranny assemblies get installed out of sequence and how might it have happened?" "Was there a quality assurance program in place that checked for proper drivetrain, options, etc.?" I ask because my body VIN is 8R01JXXX112 and the block and tranny VINs are 8RXXX110. If I think of anything else, I'll add it later.
Steve
 

68gt390

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Joined
Feb 22, 2004
Messages
2,021
Location
Columbus, Ohio
hicountrybob said:
Don, beg your pardon, chrome wheels available from factory for $77.73.

Well, maybe this is a good time to get this question answered also. All documentation I've seen and local restoration folks in my area have said the Chrome Wheels were an option but, not from the factory. So here's another question:

Did any GT/CS w/GT Option leave the factory with Chrome Styled Steel Wheels?

Don
 

390cs68rcode

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Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
2,864
Location
Houston Texas
68gt390 said:
Well, maybe this is a good time to get this question answered also. All documentation I've seen and local restoration folks in my area have said the Chrome Wheels were an option but, not from the factory. So here's another question:

Did any GT/CS w/GT Option leave the factory with Chrome Styled Steel Wheels?

Don

I am 99% sure I have seen a Marti with Chrome wheels as an option.
 
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