Do no new parts fit right these days

[secluff]

Unfortunately  things have only seemed to have gotten worse. Originally it was just trim and sheet metal parts (what FEW pieces were available for 71-73's) that were evidently designed and manufactured by blind people. Now things have spread to functional parts such as electrical parts, switches, engine components and gaskets, etc.
China is capable and does build quality products, but somewhere in the line we are just not getting what we pay for. My guess is the ordering business is having these parts built at the very minimum spec's as possible and then nailing us at the prices for a premium product.
I do have to give credit to Don @ Ohio Mustang Supply. He is involved in a lot of behind the scenes work with different vendors/suppliers/manufacturers trying to get parts built that actually fit and work. There is much he does that many are not aware of.
As long as the quality of the repo parts remain like they are, I'm afraid OE parts will continue to spiral sharply upwards like we've seen happen. Have a GM buddy with a 69 Z28 that needed both quarter panels. After trying for days to get two different sets of repo panels to fit, he finally gave up and paid $3,500.00 for two OEM panels. It's a original numbers matching powertrain car so he went ahead and spent the big $$$!

To Chuck and Ray. Here is what I have used on the 302's. Ford went to a one piece pan gasket around 12/94 early in the 1995 production year. Ford part # is F5TZ-6710-A and is something I have used with no problems.  Fel pro lists two different numbers for their one piece gasket. The OS-34508-R shows 1986/ fitment. OS-13260-T shows prior to 1986 fitment. Both have what Fel Pro calls "Snap Ups" which they claim will hold the gasket in place while you install the pan bolts. Not sure what the difference is as I have used the Ford gasket on a 85 GT and a 95 SVT Cobra.
I have also used the valve cover gaskets listed for the 87/ 5.0 (Ford F1ZZ-6584-B) to cure a car with leaking cork gaskets. They have a steel core with a rubber coating and worked great.
If you do contact Fel Pro about the problems you experienced with the gaskets you were using, would be a good opportunity to ask about the one piece gaskets.


F5TZ-6710-A


F1ZZ-6584-B


L Fel Pro

[Boss1Ray]

Thanks Steve! (Secluff)

"I do have to give credit to Don @ Ohio Mustang Supply. He is involved in a lot of behind the scenes work with different vendors/suppliers/manufacturers trying to get parts built that actually fit and work. There is much he does that many are not aware of. "

+1 Thanks Don.

Ray

[Hemikiller]

To Chuck and Ray. Here is what I have used on the 302's. Ford went to a one piece pan gasket around 12/94 early in the 1995 production year. Ford part # is F5TZ-6710-A and is something I have used with no problems.  Fel pro lists two different numbers for their one piece gasket. The OS-34508-R shows 1986/ fitment. OS-13260-T shows prior to 1986 fitment. Both have what Fel Pro calls "Snap Ups" which they claim will hold the gasket in place while you install the pan bolts. Not sure what the difference is as I have used the Ford gasket on a 85 GT and a 95 SVT Cobra.
I have also used the valve cover gaskets listed for the 87/ 5.0 (Ford F1ZZ-6584-B) to cure a car with leaking cork gaskets. They have a steel core with a rubber coating and worked great.
If you do contact Fel Pro about the problems you experienced with the gaskets you were using, would be a good opportunity to ask about the one piece gaskets.

Be careful that you use a one piece gasket that matches the pan you're using. The original Ford one piece was designed for the rear sump pans that had the smooth rails with stamped reinforcements. It would leak like a sieve when used on a front sump pan that had the embossed rails, had lots of calls at Canton from guys trying just that on their early cars. You had to use the four piece cork n rubber units on those until the aftermarket released a one-piece gasket specifically designed for that pan.

[jowens1126]

I talked with the guys that build the New 68/69 mustang's at a car show last year and they said every single piece has to be modified because of shitty manufacturing quality. They said that is the main reason they are 200k and not 100k.

[jpaz]

The owner at the shop where my car is says about the same thing. They have to deal with this crap all the time. And he said it’s worse for the 7123’s.

[c9zx]

Just a follow up. I contacted Fel-Pro, they asked for pictures, I sent picture, never heard from them again. So my low expectations were met. The good news is the pan does seal. Chuck