The NOS Ford script exhaust system is finally installed. It was a major effort acquiring the various parts (taking 7 years some parts coming from as far away as Germany) and a major effort to restore them. Ford never spent much effort to protect exhaust system pipes and muffler from damage - so they all have dents and imperfections - as did the exhaust systems when then they went on the cars at the factory. One of the ways that you can immediately spot a reproduction exhaust system is by it's lack of imperfections. Additionally, because the NOS parts were stored without packaging for the most part, they developed surface rust - especially those parts that weren't stainless steel or aluminized. (There is a whole progression of revisions to the components of the 64 1/2 exhaust that I uncovered during research of these cars - whether aluminized, stainless, bare steel, etc. - too much to try and present here, but if I ever get the new book finished you can find that and more detailed history about these early K codes there.)
Here's a shot of the whole exhaust system before installation including the original restored exhaust hangers and hardware that were still on the car when I got it. Also pictured are the NOS Fomoco clamps near their approximate locations on the exhaust system when installed.
I have documented and studied over a dozen early June planned build date K codes. This particular one is unique in numerous ways from the others, including the way in which the original rear floor pan exhaust hangers were attached. Instead of using the the C1VV-5B236-C plate, on this car, two Ford bolts with toothed nuts attached them to the body. I have the complete ownership history for this car and have spoken at length to 4 of the prior owners and the General Manager/Owner of the Ford dealership that allocated this car to the original owner. This in addition to a detailed examination of the mounting holes, these hangers had all been on the car since the day the car left the factory. In fact, they had been reused by the last owner to hang the aftermarket exhaust that was on the car when I bought it - which is really cool. From inside, showing the rear seat pan reinforcement plate.
From outside. All hardware was replated as originally done. Note the original date correct rear shocks.
There are several other oddities, including that the rear brake line to body bracket was attached by two screws and two nuts, rather than spot welding like all of the other cars I've studied have had (pic in one of my previous posts).
Shot of left rear dual exhaust tailpipe (which is clamped to the left hand outlet of the transverse muffler with a NOS Ford clamp). The pipe and the rear of the exhaust system is supported by the original 64 1/2 style exhaust hangers that were on the car when I acquired it. The original hanger to body hardware was re-plated as original and re-used. Note the red leaf spring markings were recreated from the original markings found on the rear springs after soaking in rust remover though they disolved when the spring was rinsed. They refer to the actual measured leaf spring load rate and deflection. These markings are also documented on at least one factory promotional/test car used in a magazine road test published in the summer of 1964.
The early production K code used the zinc plated screws unlike later production which used phosphate plated screws. These screws are not reproduced. There are at least 3 types of markings that appear in the recessed area of these screw heads.
