ConcoursMustang Forums
1st Generation 1964 1/2 - 1973 - Questions & general discussions that apply to a specific year => 1967 Mustang => Topic started by: J_Speegle on March 14, 2013, 10:14:59 PM
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This subject popped up over on the SAAC site and I thought we should share it with the members here. Initial question was basically, on what date was the change over from solid steering column to rag joint style in 67 at San Jose
Back ground - There were two different styles of steering columns installed in Mustangs and Shelby's during the production year. There was the solid style, often referred to as the "early" style which looked line a 66 column at the attachment point to the steering box
(http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f49/firetrainer/67%20Mustang/67%20San%20Jose/Solid67strngcolm_zps6b989004.jpg)
And the rag joint style, often referred to as the "later" style since it looked, at the steering box end, like the 68 and up style
(http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f49/firetrainer/67%20Mustang/67%20San%20Jose/Ragjoint67strngcolm_zpsd4c896e3.jpg)
Or understanding made sense at the time - "early" ones looked like the prior year and "later" ones looked like the following year.
Well it appears that this understanding was incorrect. Now this look into the usage has been focused only on San Jose Mustangs so far, the other two plants have not been included. Looking at my collection of pictures and others sharing what they found on their cares here is what we seem to have discovered
Appears that both the solid and rag joints were used through out the 67 production year at San Jose (last solid usage example mid July) so at this point IMHO its not an early/late feature at this plant.
Still have the Shelby pictures to go through - another 500 or so cars) but thought I would start with the Mustangs. Did ignore all restored cars (only have a few Mustangs that way in the collection) and will do so also for the Shelby's.
So far all big block cars that I could make out clearly the steering shaft were the rag joint style. Most of the other engines receive the solid. I do have a few cars in mid spring (non big block at also have rag joints)
So not perfectly defined in every example but the conclusion appears IMHO at this point to be sound. If you have an original steering box in your 67 I invite you to add yours to the survey
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Wasn't there also a steering box change in '67 to a larger sector shaft and accompanying larger pitman arm? Maybe some correlation with that change and the steering column change?
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Jeff I use to own a Dearborn 6 cil built on July 7th 67 that had a solid shaft.
Marty
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Wasn't there also a steering box change in '67 to a larger sector shaft and accompanying larger pitman arm? Maybe some correlation with that change and the steering column change?
Since the rag joints appear on all S codes so far (larger suspension would make sense) and a few non-S codes (C and A codes) that might be the reason for the choice of which car got what style ..... most of the time
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Want to point out that there were 4 different, long shaft steering boxes, for the 1967 Mustang.
SMB-A (19:1, 1 inch sector), SMB-B (16:1, 1 inch sector), SMB-H (19:1, 1-1/8 inch sector), SMB-J (16:1, 1-1/8 inch sector).
Generally the 16:1 boxes were used with power steering.