Topic: Original TONNNEAU cover....???

[AIRDRIVERUSA]

Hello all....I purchased a 1965 Ford Mustang A-code convertible...it is all original...I noticed that it has snaps along the front of the area where boot cover is placed.  The snaps run along top of doors and there appears to be two guides on the dash panel...I was told the car had a tonneau cover... Here are my two questions...

1.)  Is there ANY WAY to tell if this is a factory tonneau cover setup...I understand that there was actually a "factory option" for a convertible having a tonneau cover...i.e.,  is there a specific measure meant between snaps?  Snap location?

2.)  If there is a way to ascertain if it is in fact a factory tonneau cover, when I restore car, should I keep it set up that way.  I do not think I would ever use a tonneau cover but I do want it to be original. 

Any advice would be much appreciated.  Thanks in advance

[J_Speegle]

First welcome to the site

What are the markings on the underside (back side) of the material.

Part of the challenge is IMHO that the option would ahve been a dealer installed option rather than from the factory. Because of this the dealer could choose one of the aftermarket kits rather than, what might have been more expensive, Ford kits. Would juts mean more profit for them

Would also help to see the "two guides" look like. Looking at the installation instructions for the Ford kit I don't see what I would call guides so just checking - without leading the "witness" Don't see any measurements for drilling holes for the snaps down the side or around the rear. Guess one would use the cover as the guide for the correct location of these snaps

We had an original paint 65 convertible as our first Mustangs (in our family) and it was equipped with a tonneau cover

[196667Bob]

AIRDRIVERUSA : I don't believe that the Factory or Ford Accessory Tonneau Cover used any snaps on the front of where the top boot goes. I base this on two things; 1) the one on my 67, which I believe is a true Ford Accessory one, uses the same snaps as are on the corners and rear of the boot; and 2) I have a very blurred picture of an original Ford Instruction Sheet for 1965-66 Ford Tonneau covers, which while I can't read the text, "clearly" shows using the same corner and rear snaps as used by the boot.

Hope this helps some.

Bob

[CharlesTurner]

1.)  Is there ANY WAY to tell if this is a factory tonneau cover setup...I understand that there was actually a "factory option" for a convertible having a tonneau cover...i.e.,  is there a specific measure meant between snaps?  Snap location?

2.)  If there is a way to ascertain if it is in fact a factory tonneau cover, when I restore car, should I keep it set up that way.  I do not think I would ever use a tonneau cover but I do want it to be original. 

I have never seen this as a factory option, only dealer installed.

The only way to know for sure if your car had this when delivered to the original owner is with original paperwork stating such.  Otherwise, your only proof is period Ford documentation to show that it was available as a dealer-installed accessory.

[196667Bob]

As far as "Factory Option" versus "Dealer Accessory", here is what I can pass on :

1) The Tonneau Cover is shown as a Factory Option in the 1965,66 and 67 Mustang Sales Brochures (does not show up in the 1968).

2) The Tonneau Cover is not listed in the Salesman's Price Book for 1965,66 or 67.

3) The Tonneau Cover does not show up in the 1967 Showroom Factory Options Book (I do not have one of these for 1965 or 1966).

4) Thus, my "educated guess" is that if a Customer ordered it at the same time as they ordered the car, based on seeing it noted as an "Option" in the Sales Brochure, it was, most likely, actually installed as a Dealer Accessory (which, as Jeff noted, could have been either a "Genuine Ford Accessory, or an "Aftermarket "Accessory", depending on the Dealer and/or the Customer).

Bob

[CharlesTurner]

Dealer brochures sometimes can have incorrect info in them, but nonetheless, here is a dealer order sheet for a 1966 Mustang and there is nowhere listed to choose 'Tonneau' as a factory option.  I'm not seeing it on the factory punch card either.  Would be interested in seeing any other documentation to the contrary.

[jwc66k]

The Tonneau cover is shown as a dealer option in the 66 Mustang Illustrated Facts Book (California Mustang), then the 13 snap studs installed at the assembly plants were an incentive for convertible owner to buy a Tonneau cover at a dealership. Sneaky - 
Jim