65-66 Mustang Battery Tray

Unless you purchase one of our exact reproduction Autolite Batteries for your Mustang, the replacement battery will not have the "ledge" on the lower side of the case as shown . This "ledge" is necessary to secure your battery using the original tray and holddown clamp. If you don't have the proper battery; the original clamp does not secure it properly, and it simply is not very safe.

Our special 65-66 Battery Tray Kit has been a very popular part for good reason. It consists of a special battery tray that accepts the 67-70 style top holddown and bolts. I can remember many, many years ago welding tabs on an original tray in a 1966 GT350 Shelby just so we could use this type of set up. Now it is much easier. This is really a great idea and super product.

Our part number is EG2602.

Post Frequency

We have been posting 5 days a week since the Blog was started. Not that there is a lack of things to write about, but we think it will work better to just post 3 days a week.

Thanks to everyone reading. Please don't forget to email us if you would like to see your car featured!

Cool Commercial

Someone sent this to us in an email. We just thought it was pretty neat. It is a Ford Motor Company commercial. It is kind of long. Be patient though, it does have some Mustang content!

67 Mustang Console Plates

We have the 1967 Mustang Top Console Shift Plates. For your copy of the 2009 Virginia Classic Mustang parts catalog, click here.

Anyway, these are the plates that go on the top of the console and surround the shifter. They feature the correct brushed and chrome finish. They are really nice and are available for Manual and Automatic Transmission models.

65-66 Mustang 289 High Performance Clutch Equalizer Bar

Just a quick note about our 1965-66 Mustang Clutch Equalizer Bar for the 289 High Performance Model... There are actually three of them (that we know of) out there on the market. Unfortunately, the other two are not made correctly. One of them has the bottom pivot located at the wrong place, and the other has an extra "reinforcement piece" welded to it.

The one that we now handle is made and the USA and is a very close reproduction. Unfortunately, it is more expensive than the other two; but this is a part that must be made correctly.

It comes with the top block for use on the 1965 Mustang. This can be removed if you have a 1966 model.

Our part number is BK191.

67-68 Mustang Radio Mounting Bracket

This part is a rather unique radio mounting bracket that was only used on 67 and 68 Mustangs that were equipped with a factory console. It is an essential part to eliminate loose consoles, rattles and excessive dash flex.

This is really a well made part. First, it is made in the USA by one of our customers. He just always had a difficult time locating this part when he would restore a 67-68 Mustang with a factory console. In order for the part to do it's job well like the original, it is made of heavy 16 gauge steel. No short cuts were taken in making this unique, hard-to-find part.

Order part # RD-222.

How to Photograph Your Mustang-Part 2: Compostion

From the desk of Troy Kruger, the photographer of the 2008 catalog car.

This is the second installment of a series of articles, which will help you create that spectacular photograph that you yearn for. Last time we learned how to use both natural and artificial lighting to help achieve great shots. Click here to see Part 1 in the series of articles. This week, we’ll learn how to position your camera for that money shot.

When taking pictures of your car, please remember that the car is the star, so pick a good location/background that doesn't detract from your car and that contrasts with the car's color/paint nicely. Be aware of your surroundings. Look for reflections in your car showing parking lot stripes, telephone poles and wires, busy tree branch/leaf reflections, clouds, building windows, people, and the camera/photographer! If you can find an open clear area with a nice clear horizon behind you, you have a great spot. If choosing a location such as a store or gas station, always choose a location that appears OLDER than your car.

If you remember nothing else, remember this easy tip: Turn your wheels so that the wheel face of the front exposed wheel is aimed at the camera. Nobody wants to see your tire treads. This is a common mistake, and the easiest error to avoid.

For a great aggressive looking muscular shot, get down to the ground at bumper level and take some ¾ view shots of both front and rear. You will have to move your car around to get both front and rear, as you must keep the light behind you. Park the car on a LEVEL surface. Mount your camera down real low so that you can see all 4 tires touch the ground through the camera view finder. The more you can do to create an imaginary line touching the bottom of all 4 tires, the better. This is a good starting point for many spectacular shots. Move around and experiment from that point on. Try to avoid “hiding” one of the rear tires from the shot. Use a telephoto lens of about 120-180 mm and stand back far for this shot so as not to distort or “bulge” out the front of the car. Try tilting the camera 20-30 degrees to create another dramatic effect.

Use a ladder or climb on a roof and take some perspective shots from up high. This works great with convertibles and cars with stripes. The ladder is also very helpful for shooting the underhood shots, especially if you are a bit vertically challenged. You should always be using your tripod when you can.

When attempting a side view “profile” shot, you must use a tripod and get the camera set up so that you are looking through the side windows as cleanly as possible without seeing the other interior door through the window opening. Speaking of windows, roll up the windows during a photo shoot, except for convertible shots when the top is down.
Don't be afraid to take 100 pictures of your car - you may only get a dozen that you can actually use! Digital media is cheap - your time for a re-shoot isn't. Speaking of digital, we’ll discuss equipment in our next installment. Good luck, and happy shooting.

More tips are available on my website: http://www.customshowboards.com/

Special Paint 1968 Mustang Coupe

Note: We want to thank Karen Rose for sending in this great story about her "Special Paint" 1968 Mustang Coupe. The paint code on the original data plate is blank. It is believed that the original color is the Madagascar Orange that is mentioned in her story. These stories always start with the car, but they are really about people.

When my grandmother retired from driving at the age of 89 (she's a
lively 97 now!), I bought her 1968 Mustang. It was in very good
condition as she bought it off the lot and only drove around San
Francisco and kept it garaged in her Victorian. I commuted to work in
it for a few years and when I moved to Raleigh, NC from California, I
shipped it out here. The flamboyant color reflects my grandmother's
sense of style, art and fashion which have been singularly
influential in my life. A few years ago I researched the unusual
color and came up with the following information: In the 1960's Ford
produced some limited edition Mustangs as promotions. In 1968 and
1969 the Rainbow Color Mustangs were sold in the San Jose and Los
Angeles districts. Rainbow Mustangs were well-advertised and listed
colors such as Madagascar Orange, Whipped Cream, Spanish Gold,
Dandelion Yellow, Hot Pink, Caribbean Coral, Forest Green, Sierra
Blue, and Moss Green.

Bit by bit I have restored areas as required: the front end, the
entire cooling system, the upholstery, and my current task is the
roof situation. I call it a situation because when we removed the
vinyl top which was bubbling up from the rust underneath, we found
many holes and tons of rust. The body shops won't touch it with sand
blasting. Their solution was to cut the roof off and replace it with
another Mustang roof in better condition - this to the tune of
several thousand dollars. It is not my goal to restore the car to a
showpiece, but to enjoy as many more years out of it as possible
(without going broke in the process!). I researched at great length
and am fixing the roof with Rust Bullet and fiberglass patch and
having an upholsterer install the vinyl roof I just purchased from
Virginia Classic Mustang. I hope to tackle the rotted carpet next
and, with a few other minor fixes, will again be enjoying the
attention I've always received driving my grandmother's cool car.

Does my 1965 Mustang (with Gauge Package) have a Factory Ammeter?

Most '65 model Mustangs came factory equipped with the "Long Style" Speedometer with warning lamps ("idiot lights") for the Oil Pressure and Ammmeter. '65 models equipped with the Deluxe/Pony Interior Package and/or the GT Package came Factory equipped with the 5 gauge instrument panel with the Round Gauges. All '66 models came with the Round Style Gauges.

Over the years, a popular conversion has been to put the Instrument Panel with the Round Style Gauges in a '65 originally equipped with the Warning Lamps. From the front of the panel, both the 65 and 66 gauges look alike. The '65 Ammeter is totally different than the '66. The Wiring harnesses for the two are also, of course, entirely different.

We have had numerous questions about this over years, as we sell the Exact Wiring Harnesses for all of the configurations. To help you order the correct harnesses, please take a look at the pictures below. If you have any questions at all, please give us a call at 540-896-2695.



This Picture shows the back of a 1965 Mustang with the FACTORY Deluxe/Pony and/or GT Gauge Package. The Specific gauge shown is the Ammeter Gauge. The Wiring Harness shown is just a section of our WG193 65 Under Dash Harness (w/Factory Gauges.) The Black w/Yellow Stripe wire routes through the loop on the back of this gauge.

Images are copyright 2006 Virginia Classic Mustang Inc and cannot be used without permission.

This Picture shows the back of the Instrument Panel of a 1966 Mustang. The Specific gauge shown is the Ammeter Gauge. This Ammeter Gauge has two posts on the back like the rest of the gauges. If you have this one, it's from a '66 model. We,of course, have the correct '66 Wiring Harnesses for these also.

Aluminum Radiators Now in Stock!

We now have Mustang Aluminum Radiators in Stock! These radiators should take care of any of your cooling problems. They feature extra large one inch tubes for 4 row efficiency but with 5-7 lbs. less weight. The size of the tubes in a row are really more important than the number of rows, and these are big!

These aluminum radiators also have a baffle at the top (see picture below) to help evenly distribute the flow of hot water across the upper part of the radiator. Many radiators have a real problem distribuing the hot water to the far left side of the radiator. The design of this radiator has been tested and significant changes have been recorded in the temperatures across the radiator's cooling tubes.

These aluminum radiators are also manufactured for specific models, so they will bolt right in just like the original!

We currently have them available for the following models:

65-66 Mustang with Automatic Transmission
65-66 Mustang with Manual Transmission
67-70 Mustang (Bolt in Style 20 inch Radiator) for either transmission (We have sold all of the 67-70 models already but will be getting more soon.)

Other models are in production now.

This photo shows the large tubes in the rows along with the special baffle.

1965 High Performance "K" Mustang Convertible

Here is another update on our 1965 High Performance "K" Mustang Convertible. As we mentioned, Jeremy at Maple Hill Restoration is doing the work. This update is about the doors on the Convertible. They were in pretty good shape, and now they are in absolutely incredible shape. Nothing was overlooked in restoring these doors. Check out the pictures of the insides of the doors! Jeremy really did a nice job!

I used Google's Picasa Slideshow to create this, and it seems to work pretty well. Check it out!

2008 Amelia Island Concours

We want to again thank our customers, Jan Nelson and Frank Dobias (see this post about their 1966 Mustang Trans-Am Coupe), for sending us this cool document about the recent Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance that they attended.

Read this doc on Scribd: 2008 Amelia Island Concours

Mustang Lower Radiator Hose Springs

Here is a new part that we have had lots of calls on over the years. It is the spring that goes in the lower radiator hose. Originally, Mustangs were equipped with these to prevent the lower hose from collapsing when the water is sucked back into the engine from the radiator. None of the new hose sets purchased today have this spring. It is made of stainless steel so it will not rust.

We have these for Small Block (EG4761) and Big Block (EG4762) Applications.

Trans-Am Race Cars at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance

We want to thank our customers, Jan Nelson and Frank Dobias (see this post about their 1966 Mustang Trans-Am Coupe), for sending us this cool link about the recent Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance that they attended.

1968 and 1969 Mustang Colorized Wiring Diagrams on CD

Not too long ago, we received the 1965, 1966, and 1967 Mustang Colorized Wiring and Vacuum Diagrams on CD. They have been a great hit! Our Blog Post announcing these items can be read by clicking here.



Well, we just got the 1968 CD and the 1969 CD!



We are expecting the 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973 CD's in the near future. Keep reading!!

1965 High Performance "K" Mustang Convertible

We've mentioned before that we have owned an early 1965 K Code/HiPo Mustang Convertible for over 25 years. If you have visited our showroom, you have probably seen the Poppy Red Convertible. It's in the restoration shop now for a "re-restoration." Right now, the sealer and paint is being stripped. We thought that you may enjoy seeing some recent pictures. We will have more updates...stay tuned!

Mustang Sales Brochures

You know how cool it is to get a full color sales brochure of a new car and just "study" it? Well, they are still available; but I guess with the all of the information on the internet, it's just not 1965 anymore.

These sales brochures are just interesting to look at and a nice detail to keep with your Mustang. These brochures are nice, full color reprints of the originals, and they are only $10.00 each. They are available for the following models:

• 1965 Mustang
• 1966 Mustang
• 1967 Mustang
• 1968 Mustang
• 1969 Mustang
• 1970 Mustang
• 1966 Shelby
• 1967 Shelby
• 1968 Shelby
• 1969 Shelby
  

Mustang Books No Longer Available

Today, Classic Motorbooks notified us that two of our most popular books are currently not being published-LT42 1964 1/2-68 Mustang Color History Book and LT1 Mustang Interior Restoration Book. These may be available again sometime in the future, but they cannot give us any kind of expected delivery date.

You can always keep up with price updates, corrections to our print catalog, and discontinued items by checking out our web site.

1965-66 Mustang Ignition Switch Plug

Now Available!

This is the plug and wiring pigtail for the 65-66 Mustang Ignition Switch. Many times the wires coming out of this plug are broken. Up to this point, there was no alternative except to find a good used one (good luck!) or buy the entire underdash wiring harness.

Our part number is IN7110.