Author Topic: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring  (Read 5917 times)

Offline deaconhp

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1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« on: June 27, 2015, 06:53:36 PM »
Hi guys, happened on a link somewhere out here where we have the paint codes for a 1969 Coupe with orig springs C9ZA 5556 G 8AL
Metuchen built May 1 1969. This is a T5 with the export suspension supposedly ergo Boss.
The car also came with the reinforced upper shock caps and heavy front stab bar

Looking for opinions on spring paint swabs and stripes
1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)

Offline Brian Conway

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2015, 07:24:32 PM »
I have those leaf springs on my car and the build sheet calls out GLDVIO code G.  Would like to see a picture of the ' reinforced shock caps ' ?  Brian
« Last Edit: June 27, 2015, 07:26:34 PM by Brian Conway »
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
Owner Driver Mechanic
San Diego, Ca.

Offline deaconhp

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2015, 10:08:02 PM »
Let me find my a close up but you can see the braised on washers in this pic

I have owned the car since 1972 and began resto many moons ago but things are restored the way they came off, In the case of the shock caps, phos plated.
1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)

Offline Brian Conway

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2015, 10:36:11 PM »
Thanks for the picture.  Just what I needed.  I know what those are.  I didn't know they were on the 69's.  So I'll guess a Shelby ?   You might try a search for some paint colors and stripe applications as I know this has be discussed before.  Some interesting details in your engine bay.  The firewall brake line clips are different than what's on my ride.  Yours is a manual drum and mine is power disc.  Of course the distribution block is also different.  Shock tower wraps so a 428 car ?   Brian
« Last Edit: June 27, 2015, 10:40:17 PM by Brian Conway »
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
Owner Driver Mechanic
San Diego, Ca.

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2015, 11:15:12 PM »
Hi guys, happened on a link somewhere out here where we have the paint codes for a 1969 Coupe with orig springs C9ZA 5556 G 8AL
Metuchen built May 1 1969. This is a T5 with the export suspension supposedly ergo Boss.

Have only seen a few 69-70 export cars. Lots of export cars got changed into T5's over the years.  Guessing your buck tag spells out Germany like all the other exports built at NJ state the destination country. Not all plants and years  did that

Not sure of the Boss reference  :-\


The car also came with the reinforced upper shock caps and heavy front stab bar

Did you get an original export brace with it. Odd that the shock mounts where P & O . Not sure where they would have plated them after the washers were added. All the others I've ever seen  even NJ plant ones, were painted black after the washers were added.


Looking for opinions on spring paint swabs and stripes

No opinion - just what I've found. First example is a 69 CJ Mach one - that doesn't really matter as long as the spring markings match. Reproduced what was found








This example is an original marked spring of those colors. Reversed this time by the guy putting the stripes on at the spring plant that day




Guess you didn't find your cars buildsheet - if so this information and more is on it


Hope this helps

Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline Bob Gaines

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2015, 02:11:05 AM »
I am skeptical of the finish on the reinforced upper shock brackets also . FYI the finish on the nuts is different and the nuts themselves are different design then what is typical on any 69 plant I have observed . If those things are different then the typical there is a distinct possiblitiy that the finish on the upper shock brackets was different too. Some other things like no sound deadener on firewall, black chassis mounts and a few other finishes bring up the distinct possibility that the normal finish's details may have been forgotten in time which is understandable. Just a thought. 
Bob Gaines,Shelby enthusiast, Shelby collector , Shelby concours judge SAAC,MCA,Mid America Shelby

Offline deaconhp

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2015, 12:51:04 AM »
Been off doing none car things sorry.

Jeff, thanks for the spring paint info!! On the Boss reference, from what I have gleaned in years of tracing my T5 and many other 1969 T5, the suspension is referred to as export, Boss, heavy duty and what not. What I know is the springs and stabilizers and the reinforced shock parts are all heavy duty. My T5 is a 302 2BBL yet carries these springs. The literature says this was done regardless of engine in anticipation of the autobahn speeds

Their is a good website on these cars, google Ford T5

The build tag does reflect this car T5 and it matches from front to back, engine, tranny to build tag.

One of the most noticeable oddities is "MUSTANG" appears nowhere on the car. Trunk never drilled for the letters, those other owners I am in touch with report their tire pressure decal was missing the top left corner, and the fenders carry FORD letters (LTD parts) and the T5 emblem which is really a GT badge with the T5 metal decal on it

All in all a very odd car and as mentioned this one is 1 of 3 in the registry

Brian, this car is drum and gas no power brakes or steering

It's off getting the drive train slipped back in, attached is when I last moved it.

1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)

Offline deaconhp

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2015, 01:08:49 AM »
On finishes.

I disassembled this car and have books of notes and photos. Got pretty adept at that as I did the Corvette the same way. No deadener on firewall or under the body, only in the wheel wells. The fasteners were cataloged, tapped died, stripped, re-plated and tapped again to remove excess plating. The brightness of the CAD I and II might be brighter than a 1969 factory but tis what it tis :)

While the phosphate may have stuck better on the shock brackets than the washers but tis what tis is as well.

I have seen info posted saying the shock brackets were black before. They were not painted black when removed for sure, just dirty from driving well over 173k miles.. If I ever get to an MCA event I may paint them but hesitate to given the found finish.

This car went to Germany and then back, appeared on car lot near Ft Knox in mid 1972 where it was purchased.

Years ago I passed a couple letters though the registry owner to all 69 T5 owners and accumulated quite a lot of confirmations and copies of info. Been fun sorting this car out given the T5 variation.
1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)

Offline deaconhp

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2015, 01:10:13 AM »
eh posted the same part of the build tag twice
1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #9 on: June 30, 2015, 02:11:59 AM »
Jeff, thanks for the spring paint info!! On the Boss reference, from what I have gleaned in years of tracing my T5 and many other 1969 T5, the suspension is referred to as export, Boss, heavy duty and what not. ............

The reference was a bit confusing since the springs are not the same as what was used originally on Boss's


Their is a good website on these cars, google Ford T5

Yes have know Gary for about 40 years. We're both fairly local to one another and run across each other at shows every year. He's be tireless for many years taking care of these special cars. There are a few export and T5 owners here.

The build tag does reflect this car T5 and it matches from front to back, engine, tranny to build tag.

You didn't post a picture of the left side - does it show the country it was sent to? Have pictures from other examples showing EX WEST GERMANY


One of the most noticeable oddities is "MUSTANG" appears nowhere on the car. Trunk never drilled for the letters, those other owners I am in touch with report their tire pressure decal was missing the top left corner, and the fenders carry FORD letters (LTD parts) and the T5 emblem which is really a GT badge with the T5 metal decal on it

Pretty much the same parts/configuration/markings done on 67 and 68 T5's also. Can't remember 70's :( Friends have owned a few that I got to help with

All in all a very odd car and as mentioned this one is 1 of 3 in the registry


Always seemed that Europeans ordered cars other than the high performance models every year during the 60's/early 70's when it came to Mustangs for some reason. Though I do have some pictures of two 428CJ Mach i's - at least one of them was a T5

I'm not sure if Ford even displayed them at the annual Auto show in Munich (think it was there every year) at least I don't recall seeing them when I went one year.
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #10 on: June 30, 2015, 02:25:12 AM »
On finishes.

I disassembled this car and have books of notes and photos. Got pretty adept at that as I did the Corvette the same way. No deadener on firewall or under the body, only in the wheel wells. The fasteners were cataloged, tapped died, stripped, re-plated and tapped again to remove excess plating. The brightness of the CAD I and II might be brighter than a 1969 factory but tis what it tis :)

Think you'll find that the Mustang and Shelby world is a bit different that the Corvette world. Since we understand that most cars don't make it through 40 or even 10 years untouched or unaltered we also rely on other cars built by the same hands, supplied by the same suppliers and put on the cars at the same time.

If you ever show the car or another owner chooses to follow your lead guess it will be your responsibility ;)  tis what is tis

Don't understand why your car would have been skipped over especially considering its planned destination as far as firewall sealant.

Not something was I've seen on other T5s or any export car. More sealer in many cases  A few 69 NJ examples likely from around your cars build date


9T186xxx



9T197xxx



9T202xxx




 As for the shock mounts did you (in your survey) find anyone else with an unaltered car with unpainted mounts?  Know plenty of original cars that went through the same plant that received the same mounts that were black. Think that is why this will often get questioned when the car is out at a show if you choose to take it. BTW did you find the normal paint mark on the mounts that identified the export ones for the plant/line workers

Thanks for share your pictures and cars with us.

Did notice you posted the other side of the buck tag - interesting that it stamped differently from the other 69 NJ built T5 that was built fairly close (little over two months)  to yours

« Last Edit: June 30, 2015, 02:35:02 AM by J_Speegle »
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline deaconhp

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2017, 05:44:41 PM »
Sorry I dropped out of sight. Seems in August 2015 I was told I should be a dead man and spent the next to many months getting onne pacemaker and then another. BUT.....everyone is happy and I am back at it pushing the past many months to get the T5 D O N E....
1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)

Offline deaconhp

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #12 on: March 02, 2017, 05:48:18 PM »
I saw many questions in the stream that I never answered.
The whole VIN Tag.

Have the Marti report that does show this car as 1/219 and the Ford T5 Registry shows 3 65B listed.

An Army bud was actually stationed where this car was and the tag I use on the front is correct for 1969
1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)

Offline deaconhp

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2017, 05:50:24 PM »
Jeff posted the undercoating near the heater. I thought this was road crap from 200k miles. But I have similar "coverage". Not like they spent a lot of time on this
1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)

Offline deaconhp

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Re: 1969 C9ZA 5556 G spring
« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2017, 05:52:01 PM »
I am VERY glad you found the spring with the same engineering codes and paint marks. That is actually what lead me back out here, was looking around once again and spotted the 5556 G springs. Great! 
1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)