Original KONI Shocks

[Texas Swede]

Hi,
Like to tell you guys an incredible story about my KONI Shocks.
Got two front ones dated 4-65 in a trade and found out that the number
didn't match my current ones, 82-1326 instead of 82-1388.
An email to KONI in Holland solved that issue. Shelby 65 used 82-1326
in the front and 82-1327 in the rear and in 66 they changed to 82-1388
and 82-1389 respectively (if ordered, option you know). Never too old to learn something new.
Now the only problem was to find correct rear ones.
I remembered a box with several pairs of older KONIS that's been in my
garage for about 18 years. Found the box and there were two dirty
82-1327 rear ones dated 4-65. Don't remember where I got them
but they may have been on my car when I bought it in 1988. Simply don't
remember. Had a paint shop mixing the darker red color and a friend
painting them for me. Yesterday I put on the KONI wing decals and managed
to destroy two of them but I am very happy with the final results.
/Texas Swede, 5S275

[65gtfastback]

you are blessed with above average stuff in your garage...

[texan]

When I pulled my original rear Koni's off my car several years ago one had fine thread studs and one had coarse thread studs. Both shocks were dated the same month in 65. I should get them painted like yours and put them back on the car.

[vernonestes]

Wish i had great parts like that just laying around!

Vern

[Texas Swede]

Texan,
Are both your rear Konis 82-1327 and what month in 65
are they stamped with? Seems odd that the studs are different
if everything else matches. If you are going to paint yours
I can probably get the paint mixture formula from the paint shop.
/Texas Swede

[Jerry_Moss]

Hi Bo

You are crazy!!! you have all my respect for the way you
are into Shelbys. Wish more people would take it that serious to keep
these rare cars original.

Cool job.

Bye Jerry

[texan]

Yes both my rear shocks are 82-1327's. One is dated 4-65 and the other is dated 3-65. Both of the fronts are dated 4-65. The one with the coarse threads look like the stud had broken off at the step and had a coarse thread section welded on. I had noticed this when I pulled the shocks off 20 years ago.

[Texas Swede]

Great, What's your car's serialnumber?
Probably between 250-450, correct?
If your front shocks need fixing, don't send them to
Koni America. A friend of mine with a 65 did that and
when he got them back they had cut off the upper
bushing loop and welded on the current type instead.
The old ones, bushing loop, bushing and bolt pin are very different
and Koni probably don't have that type of specific bushing anymore.
Hopefully, your's, like mine, only need a good cleaning, painting and
new wing decals. Again, if you need the paint mix write me a personal
email and I will try to get a print out from English Paint in Richardson.
These shocks 1326,1327 are specific to the 65 Shelbys and, in my opinion,
as important as the tach, oil pressure gauge and so on.
Texas Swede

[Snakepit]

Texas Swede - nice find.

Oddest ones I've seen were dated Koni's (for an export Boss) that were also stamped AUTOLITE. Only set I've ever seen (in NZ about 15 yrs ago)

While we are on the subject of shocks has anyone found a supplier or source for the upper (for front) bushings?

Have some 66 shocks that need bushings

[Texas Swede]

Snakepit,
If your shocks are the newer type, 82-1388 and use
bushings that protrude out of the bushing loops on both
sides, Mustangs Unlimited has them. They would not fit
the 82-1326.
/Texas Swede

[s2ms]

[quote=Texas Swede;20186]

Originally Posted by Texas Swede

...Hopefully, your's, like mine, only need a good cleaning, painting and new wing decals....

Hi Bo, Do you have a close up pic of a 1326 or 1327 with the original decal still attached? I bought a set of four decals recently from Koni and there are some differences between them and the originals on the 1388 and 1389's that came with my car. Thanks, Dave

[Snakepit]

Texas Swede - this is for the Gabriel's (they original stuck out a bit) rather than the over the counter Konis (66-up) Will give this a shot though - Thanks

s2ms - Pictures??? Yes have tons here is one (though service replacements the decal and location appears correct). BTW allot of people are putting them in the wrong location (kind of like the alternator ink stamps

Took off points on two cars at a recent show for this. In both of these examples owners placed them on the bottom half of the rear shocks



Not a great close up of the original decal


But it does differ from these decals

[Texas Swede]

Hi,
Sorry, but I don't have any 1326, 1327 with original
decals. What was left of them were taken off in the
cleaning process. Have a pair of 1389's dated 4-70
and believe it's the original decals on them and they
are very close to the ones I bought from Koni.
The new ones that Snakepit shows are quite different
from the new Koni ones. Especially on the left lower side
where the green stripes are much wider on the Koni decals.
I did my very best to place the decals in the correct spots
by measuring from the August 1965 Hot Rod magazine where
they show all four shocks.
As regards the front bushings, they (Mustangs Unlimited) says
they are for Konis, i.e. the later type of loops, not 1326 in 1965.
/Texas Swede

[texan]

My car is 5S426. I'll dig the shocks back out of the attic and try to post some pictures of the decals later tonight or tomorow. I may need help with posting the pics.

[texan]

Original shock decal photos. They obvoiusly didn't care about exact decal location back in 1965.

[daltondavid]

This is what the Hobby and this Forum is supposed to be all about!! I have a set of old Koni's and need to check out the dates....

[s2ms]

Thanks everyone for the great pics! Here's a shot of the decals I have. The top one came with my 66 GT350 when I bought it in 1987. The Konis were put on the car in the early 70's by a PO who raced it, they have 69 date codes. Don't know the history of the decals but am assuming they were extras with those shocks? The bottom decal I bought from Koni within the last year. The differences are pretty apparent.

[Texas Swede]

Thanks for all the great pictures.
The pictures of the original 65 decals that Texan posted
are, in my humble opinion, quite close to the current
decals that Koni sells. I certainly feel good about using them.
They cost $1.25 each in comparison with the $3.95
Mustang vendors charge and are probably better.
Ordered another 20 last week and got them within 3 days.
/Texas Swede