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Rear Koni shocks, rubber cap, is this supposed to be installed (see pic)...

Discussion in '1965-1970 Shelby Mustang GT350 & GT500' started by jntmjt1, Jul 1, 2007.

  1. jntmjt1

    jntmjt1 Member

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    Hi,

    I'm trying to determine if the black rubber cap on the end of the shock is supposed to be installed or not. I've seen some pictures of very nice cars, some with and some without the caps. What is correct?

    Also, if it's supposed to be installed, does anyone have an idea where to come up with something like this?

    Thanks,
    John Thomas

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  2. eljimb0

    eljimb0 Well-Known Member

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    John,
    If either of those is your car, wow it is beautiful underneath there.
    good job, (somebody)
    jimbo
     
  3. jntmjt1

    jntmjt1 Member

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    No, neither of those cars is mine... I'm still trying to get there.

    John Thomas
     
  4. Texas Swede

    Texas Swede Well-Known Member

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    Original Konis had the more rounded cap tip
    and later had a more flat cap tip.
    Texas Swede
     
  5. Snakepit

    Snakepit Well-Known Member

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    Yes originally they were installed. Currently (as mentioned) there are no reproductions of the original.

    Had to make a set for the last early car I did. Fashioned a pattern out of bondo, made a plaster mold, then pour the two part rubber mixture into the mold. Should have made a handful of them while I was at it.
     
  6. rr64

    rr64 Well-Known Member

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    f.y.i....Low volume reproduction of rubber parts is not cheap but you can get it done by Steele Rubber Products. I did my own reverse engineering to save some expense and Steele produced a mold for me to produce a small rubber part for Cobras. I just wanted eight little rubber bumpers. To make just eight would have been very expensive. I sent e-mails to all the owners I could and combined we made up an order that got finished parts down to a few dollars each. We got fanatastic just right OEM quality parts at a price that was not too bad, and the mold is still available should we want more.

    Sharing tool and machine time costs with larger runs for multiple car owners is not a bad way to go.
     
  7. ccarccrazy

    ccarccrazy Well-Known Member

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    Has anyone seen the inside of one of these caps? Exactly how did these rubber caps fasten onto the end of the Koni shock? Did the inside of the cap just have ~5/8" hole that was pushed over the shock hex nuts?

    I know from photos that the cap didn't just cover the threaded shaft. It went clear over the nuts

    Also, How much would a pair of reproductions be worth?
     
  8. Snakepit

    Snakepit Well-Known Member

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    Have not (don't recall) had one off. Made a couple years ago when building my first 65 GT350 for a customer. Created a positive out of bondo on a shaft (so I could spin and form it), made a mold of plaster of paris, then filled the mold with two part rubber and then drilled out the center to fit over the shaft and retaining nut.

    Looks fine and no one ever mentioned them. Only real difference IMHO is that thay did not collapse inward or deform like the originals often do
     
  9. ccarccrazy

    ccarccrazy Well-Known Member

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    I found a bag of these in my basement. I tried them for fitment on my shock and they slip over the stud and both hex nuts and rests against the shock bottom washer. How do these look for the flat tip style?
     

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  10. Texas Swede

    Texas Swede Well-Known Member

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    You just push them on and they will stay because the inner diameter
    is a bit smaller than the diameter of the original nuts.
    The ones on my car with the rounded tip doesn't cover the nut and pin
    all the way up to the washer.
    Texas Swede
     
  11. ccarccrazy

    ccarccrazy Well-Known Member

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    When did they star the flat tip?
     
  12. Bob Gaines

    Bob Gaines Well-Known Member

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    They have the same contour as the outside. Just enough interference fit to be held on by the sides of the nut. Made some up myself similar to Jeff's way. Used a rubber kit I got from Eastwood.

    All that is really important is that they started using the flat top ones AFTER Shelby's stopped using Koni's.
    Bob
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 14, 2009
  13. ccarccrazy

    ccarccrazy Well-Known Member

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    Bob,
    What do you think of the photos I attached above?

    So then this car is actually incorrect!

    You can click on this photo three times to get the clearest view.
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 14, 2009
  14. Bob Gaines

    Bob Gaines Well-Known Member

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    They both look good but since you asked --both the override undercarriage and the underride undercarriage have numerous details missing . Leaf spring ID paint marks should be stripes instead of spots like 65's and they still need to paint the face of the brake drums black like they did on all 66's from the Ford assembly line with deluxe wheels. Limiting cables on override car just to name a few things. I'll leave the rest for others.

    a LOT more issues with this picture. Bob
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 14, 2009
  15. ccarccrazy

    ccarccrazy Well-Known Member

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    Sorry my "this car is incorrect " question was a little vague.

    I was just asking about the shock stud caps. The photo I just posted (three replies above) appears to have flat tip where the very first photo at the beginning of this thread appears to have round tip caps.

    Also, the photo just above is a different car than the two at the very beginning of this thread.
     
  16. Texas Swede

    Texas Swede Well-Known Member

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    The first picture with the round tip rubber cover appears
    to be correct. Will check mine when the weather here in texas
    get warmer.
    Texas Swede
     
  17. s2ms

    s2ms Well-Known Member

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    When I bought my 66 in 1987 it had Konis with late 69 date codes that had caps with rounded tips so they made them that way at least until then.
     
  18. Bob Gaines

    Bob Gaines Well-Known Member

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    I 'm sorry I misunderstood. The bell shaped cap is the correct style the cap. Texas Suede called it and so did Snakepit so I assumed that it was understood. My mistake. The cylinder shaped cap with the flat or rounded top did not come on any year Shelby's from the factory so in my book they are a non issue. I hope this helps. Bob
     
  19. steveshelbymustang

    steveshelbymustang Well-Known Member

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    055 has rounded caps that have never been off...
     

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