64½ List of Differences

On a first view it should be easy to determine the build date if you start checking the VIN of a car, but in this case it's not so easy. Ford decided that the early mustang will get the "65" status from beginning and so every serial number started with 5Fxxxxxx instead of 4Fxxxxxx. <BR>This caused a 18th month production time for the 65 mustang! The official transition date from 64½ to 65 and also the latest scheduled build date is the 31st of July. The start of the second production run of a 65 mustang was the the 1st of August. Being a weekend date the first registered scheduled build date was the 4th of August. Before that date a total of 121538 early 64½ mustangs had been build.

Regardless what the official view of Ford about the model year of this cars is, there are reasons enough to differ. So if you are interested to determine surely if your mustang is a 64½ there are some rules which don't have exceptions:
- every VIN has to start with "5"
- there doesn't exist a 64½ fastback
- there doesn't exist a 64½ luxury or GT option
- every D,F,U engine coded early mustang is a 64½
- every 64½ must have an generator
- every 64½ must be build in Dearborn (march to august) or San Jose (13 th of July to august)

Use the 64½ Decode Info to check if the dataplate options (Date code, DSO, Paintcode,...) match the requirements for a 64½ production mustang. Also this should be enough to answer the first round of questions, but what's about the other, over 100 differences between these two production years? When I searched inside the worldwide web I found several pages listing the differences, but most of them were incomplete and mostly usable for helping to determine which car it is. I wanna to go a step further with showing every difference to build up enough information for concourse correct restoration and so I decided to build up my own list.
In a first step I set up my 64½ parts page (check inside the Gallery), where you can see some of the special 64 1/2 parts.
What you see here isn't the holy bible of mustang knowledge, but I tried to do my very best to built up a correct and complete list. I hope that there are a lot of early-mustang friends out there who will help me to get the errors out and to finish it some day ...

Interior    
  Vent Knob Driver's side has white "A" on it
  Horn Ring with only one contact button (2/65)
  Horn Ring contact plate fits to 64 horn ring
  Horn brush horn ring brush and insulator for use on models with a 64 horn ring
  Trunk Mat Burtex splatter - Convertibles normally had rubber plaid
  Caps on the door jambs were not painted in bodycolor on some early cars
  Pedal Pads clutch, brake and gas pedal pads do not have indentation around edge for stainless trim
  Shifter Bezel 64½ auto shifter bezel dial and console shifter dial do not have red arrows
  Shift boot plate special for Man. Transmission w/o console option
  Shift lever special for 4 spd
  Shifter T-handle smaller one on very early (i.e. preprods) 64
  Door handle plate special plastic disk
  Door handles clip-on type instead of screw-on
  Door cranks front clip-on type instead of screw-on
  Door Cranks rear clip-on type instead of screw-on
  Door Sill plates different edges - not rounded like 65's
  Steering wheel can identified by the hole for the contact spring
  Contact plates for door light switches on inside door edge
  Lock knob different and painted interior color
  Lock knob grommets black plastic instead of clear plastic /FONT>
  Instrument cluster with warning light "GEN"
  AM Radio From Bendix - serial starting with TBZ, different scale
  Headliner rods one end is removable on rear two rods
  Seats upholstery Black with cloth in the middle - unique in 64
  Carpet on all bodytypes Has a heal but no toe pad
  Carpet on Coupe Does not cover the sides of the rocker panel to step plates
  Seat Belts front chrome buckles in alligator-skin style with eye bolt ends
  Seat Belts Hook Pin round plastik fastener to secure belt hooks to bolt
  Seat Belts Anchor Bolt early style eye bolt for chrome buckles
  Seat Belts Rear Not available; no holes or anchors
  Owners manual different cover and different content
  Passenger seat not adjustable until 5/08/64
  Passenger seat hardware Seat Spacers and mounting bolts for non adjustable passenger seat
Body & Wheels    
  Radiator Support air vent openings, no holes for mounting horns, voltage regulator holes
  Spare Wheel Mounting Bolt One straight bolt mounts in special bracket in trunk
  Wheels 13" 4 lugs only on 170 CID available
  Wheel cover 13" only on 170 CID available
  Wired wheel cover with ford crest symbol
  Styled Steel wheels argent wheel with silver accents instead of charcoal
  Brake master cylinder two types differ on powerbrake
  Brake master cyl. cap jar cap stamped with "fill in heavy duty fluid only"
  Brake light switch mounts in special master cylinder
  Lines fuel and brake line clamps are screwed to floor, not clipped
  Hood angled edges not completely folded over
  Head light buckets have beveled edges to match hood lip
  Headlights early 64½ headlights have raised FoMoCo script
  Rear quarter extension does not have the channel for the rubber seal
  Hood bumpers have a recessed phillips head screw instead of solid rubber
  Hood 2 underside of the hood does not have drill holes between vent openings folded over and headlight assemblies are beveled
  Hood Hinges black not natural metal look
  Engine Compartment bracket between inner fender apron and cowl cover have extra vertical tab
  Front Shock Towers no drain in frame rail under shock tower
Engine & Transmission    
  Engines V8 - 260 & 289 cubic inch (5 bolt); 6 cylinder - 170 cubic inch
  Transmission are close bellhousing pattern - no ears; smaller input bearing cover
  Timing cover V8 include oil filler tube and dipstick tube
  Waterpump Aluminium and fit's only on early cover; no alternator mount hole
  Valve cover V8 No oil filler cap
  Valve cover PCV small opening for PCV valve on passenger side and different valve
  Valve cover PCV hose hose without turndown to valve and used of brass elbow instead
  Oil Pan different location of oil drain hole
  transverse muffler with transverse muffler (before 8/15/64)
  Mufflers dual exhaust system mufflers were parallel but no resonators; pipes are turned down
  Pipe hangers Rear tail pipe hangers for dual exhaust are not through the frame
  Bellhousing V8 5 mounting bolt holes; not interchangeable with 65
  Brake hose brackets Front have a hexagonal cut-out instead of star washer cut-out
  Kick down linkage rod linkage for all automatic
     
  Differential special U-Joint with all 170 CID
  Radiator hose moulded hose with all 260/289 CID
  Transmission unique mount insulators with all 260/170 CID
  Air cleaner filter unique with all 260 CID
  PCV valve 64½ uses a brass 90 degree elbow instead of a contoured hos
  Spark plugs BF42 plugs on 260 and 289, BF32 on hi-po
  Crank pulley tripple sheave slotted cast iron with all 260 CID w/o AC
  Waterpump pulley two sheave slotted cast iron with all gen engines
  Front drive shaft (HIPO/4spd) before 10/05/64 28 splines
  Air conditioner compressor different bracket
  Air conditioner idler special pulley and bracket assembly
    No convertible reinforcement from fender apron to firewall
  Gas tank fill tube had 5 slotted holes
  Gas fill tube hose special clamps without screws
     
Electric    
  Taillight buckets wires to bucket are sealed instead of later snap on boots
  Convertible top top sides cables with studs and no springs
  Fuse box All unique (longer)
  Turn signal switch differnt switch assembly on 64
  Voltage regulator Autolite Black or FoMoCo
  Generator for all 64 1/2 two type for 170 CID and 260/289 CID
  Generator heat shield for all 64 1/2 without air cond.
  Generator insulator for all 64 1/2 with heat shield
  Generator rubber boot for all 64 1/2 mounts over generator
  Windshield washer pump only one level
  Heater box no mounting for resistor circuitry
  Heater blower fan two speed with circuitry inside motor; ground cable
  Heater control switch two speed with off in center position
  Horn Relay All with gen; mounts on radiator support
  Power steering with early eaton pump only with special adapter
Exterior    
  Badges "Mustang" emblem on fender is 4-1/2" long
  Gas cap without retaining cable
  Horse and Corral Different retaining screw location
  Wiper arm winshield wiper has smooth cap instead of flanged
  Wiper post winshield wiper post has a chromed nut extension
  Door Outside door felts backing is black not chrome
  Striker Plate striker plate attached for door light switch
  Distributor has a small oil filler cap
  Distributor Rotor unique with all 170 CID
  Distributor condenser unique with all 170 CID
  Distributor vacuum line unique with all 170 CID
  Fuel line to carb passes front of distributor with all V8
  Spark plugs autolite BF32 star powerplugs
  Wiring the wirering is completly different - for an example my generator wiring harness
  Yellow Coil unique mounting point beside carb on manifold
  Coil Bracket Bracket for mounting on manifold
  Starter Solenoid brown body instead of black one
  Headlight switch special before 8/17/64
  Parking light backing cups have no cut-out, originals are stamped lh/rh
  Pedal Clutch and brake pedal secured with "E" clips
     

Copyright 2003-2013 © by Early 64½-66 Mustang page of Klaus

All Rights Reserved

© www.early-mustang.com | Design by LernVid.com