SX Spark Plug Wire Boots @ Distributor Cap

[19~GT350~67]

Need an education please...

I have set of NOS SX wires, but I am unsure of the boots. I thought the originals had a more rounded top. The attached pic is that of a repro set. They have don't the rounded boot top.

Can anyone tell me which is original and correct?

Thanks!
Bob B

[acman63]

post some close up pics of the part in question

[car 26]

Hi Bob B, this area?

[Bob Gaines]

Need an education please...

I have set of NOS SX wires, but I am unsure of the boots. I thought the originals had a more rounded top. The attached pic is that of a repro set. They have don't the rounded boot top.

Can anyone tell me which is original and correct?

Thanks!
Bob B

The SX steel core wire is not original or correct for a factory 65-67 GT350 application. The radio suppression wire was the typical . All of the vintage photos show radio suppression also.

[19~GT350~67]

Hi Bob B, this area?

Yes that is the spot. Bob G has once again educated me. I thought SX wires were original to the '67's. I was wrong. Thanks for the clarification Bob! I'll post a photo of the two different boots I have found for the SX wires, even though they are not correcct....

[19~GT350~67]

Photo of the two different types of boots.....

[acman63]

The SX steel core wire is not original or correct for a factory 65-67 GT350 application. The radio suppression wire was the typical . All of the vintage photos show radio suppression also.

Bob:  Think you made a typo?  all 65/66  K codes and GT350s  got SX wires.  Dealers reported problems with some of the radios and if the static suppressor didnt work they put standard wires on them.  67s got the radio resistance wires from factory

[Bob Gaines]

Bob:  Think you made a typo?  all 65/66  K codes and GT350s  got SX wires.  Dealers reported problems with some of the radios and if the static suppressor didnt work they put standard wires on them.  67s got the radio resistance wires from factory

Jim I used to believe that to . I could have sworn that I had a vintage photo of the SX wires on a car as proof. I was having a discussion with Brant at Virginia Mustang over this very issue . I tried to proof out the SX wires and to my surprise I couldn't . All of my vintage photos of 65-67 GT350's show the radio suppression wires!! That in itself discounts the misconception that "ALL" 65/66 GT350's got SX wires. Look for yourself. I had to change my point of view based on the evidence. Show me a vintage photo of any Street GT350 that had SX wires and at the very most it will prove that it was a variant. The fact that radio suppression wires can be seen in vintage photos from 65,66 and 67 indicates that they were apparently more the typical.The fact that few if any SX wires can be documented in the same years of vintage photo period seems to indicate that the SX wires were not the typical.   As I said the radio suppression wire was the typical apparently and "if" any GT350 street cars came with the SX steel core wires installed from Ford it was not typical but out of the ordinary. This statement does not preclude the possibility of somewhere somehow SX wires being installed on the assemblyline but just that it would not be typical apparently. This is of course in relation to street cars and not the race models.

[acman63]

I know the pictures you have showing the RR  wires on that one 65 GT350. Its possible that car got a radio at the dealer,  its not a brand new car.   I probably sent them to you years back.  I know I have close up Kodak pics somewhere just showing SX wires on other cars from my buddy Friedman including 66s.  I went thru the delete sheets and dont see anything to indicate a change from stock K code wires to something like that. It makes zero sense to change out solid core wires on a car with no radio to inferior performance wires on a performance car, especially when dealing with a cheapskate like Shelby.   If a radio was installed I could see it but not gospel.   The original 9000 mile Hertz car that used to be in this area  had SX wires and the suppressor. I worked on it a few times and that was what I based the detail work years back when your buddy Heasley came up to do that engine detailing article. I guess if I was from Missouri Id say show me by some sort of factory paperwork showing a running change. Until theres definitive proof shelby mad a change  Im voting for the SX wires

[Bob Gaines]

I know the pictures you have showing the RR  wires on that one 65 GT350. Its possible that car got a radio at the dealer,  its not a brand new car.   I probably sent them to you years back.  I know I have close up Kodak pics somewhere just showing SX wires on other cars from my buddy Friedman including 66s.  I went thru the delete sheets and dont see anything to indicate a change from stock K code wires to something like that. It makes zero sense to change out solid core wires on a car with no radio to inferior performance wires on a performance car, especially when dealing with a cheapskate like Shelby.   If a radio was installed I could see it but not gospel.   The original 9000 mile Hertz car that used to be in this area  had SX wires and the suppressor. I worked on it a few times and that was what I based the detail work years back when your buddy Heasley came up to do that engine detailing article. I guess if I was from Missouri Id say show me by some sort of factory paperwork showing a running change. Until theres definitive proof shelby mad a change  Im voting for the SX wires

You can see the RR wire in vintage magazine photos of the day on 65 models besides 66 and 67 models. I was using vintage magazine photos as examples because it is hard to dispute the time frame they came from. Many photos are too far away to read the print however you can still distinguish the longer word " Radio Resistance " compared to the comparatively shorter "SX"  Of course you understand that the spark plug wires were most likely installed for the first and only time at the Ford Engine plant and not anything SA would have done in LA.

[19~GT350~67]

Can any of the experts weigh in on my questions about the boot configuration.

My question now concerns SAAC Concous judging rules. So SX solid wires would be viewed as a item to deduct points on a GT350?

[Bob Gaines]

Can any of the experts weigh in on my questions about the boot configuration.

My question now concerns SAAC Concous judging rules. So SX solid wires would be viewed as a item to deduct points on a GT350?

On a 67 there would be a deduction for SX wire unless it was a radio delete car. I don't think there were any radio delete production 67 GT350's. A 65/66 GT350 would be acceptable with ether at this time. SX steel wire has been the accepted standard for many years. The concours evolves as new information becomes available and is the reason for changes as we move forward. The facts are there that show that the SX plug wire was not the only plug wire used on 65/66 GT350's. As time goes on it will be interesting to see how dominate the radio resistant wire was in 65/66 GT350 builds.  I would guess it is more the majority then the minority based on the evidence at hand. At the very least both will be allowed until more definitive proof comes available. It will not be the first long held belief to be shaken. It will no doubt not be the last.

[A-Snake]

Just to interject information from Bob Mannel’s  book on plug wires.
 
In the ’64 section he notes “Radio Resistance markings were on all wires, except for the 289 HiPo’s. The 289 HiPo still used solid core wires with the SX marking”

In the ’65 section he writes, “The ignition wires, with the exception of the coil wire, were repeats of those of 1964. The coil wire, due to the movement of the coil to the cylinder head, was lengthened from 10.5” to 13”. Also different from 1964 was the installation of the coil wire. Whereas most 1964 wires were installed with the straight end into the center post of the distributor cap, the 1965 wire was always installed with the straight end into the coil.”

In the 1966 section he writes, “Prior to 1966, ignition wires used a black neoprene and hypalon boot over the spark plug insulator. In 1966, the boot material was changed to a silicone compound. In Mercury’s 1966 TSB #5 dated 10/8/65, the color of the new silicone boots was described as rust or orange; however, many original 1966 wire sets confirmed that black colored boots were also used. All wires were still identified by the white stars and made of a linen/rayon core. HiPo 289’s used the same wires unless the steel core wires, which carried the SX marking were specified as a regular production option (R.P.O.)”

In the 1967 section he writes, “Spark plug wires for 1967 continued with the stars and Radio Resistance labeling used previously, The only difference was that the boots now carried the AUTOLITE name rather than the FOMOCO logo.” (A picture there also shows AUTOLITE on the wires themselves) 

I think this would indicate that ’65 HiPo’s still used the SX wires and a radio suppression kit if needed. ’66 HiPo’s used RR unless there was an R.P.O. for steel core wires.
 

[Bob Gaines]

I could have sworn I had a vintage picture of a 65 with the SX wires but can't find it. Can anyone help and post a vintage picture of a 65 GT350 with SX wires ? Even a picture from a distance may hold the clues as the shorter SX letters would show up shorter then the radio resistance words do. All of the ones I can lay my hands on are with the radio resistance markings. Brant ,Charles,Bo ,anyone ? 

[Bob Gaines]

I could have sworn I had a vintage picture of a 65 with the SX wires but can't find it. Can anyone help and post a vintage picture of a 65 GT350 with SX wires ? Even a picture from a distance may hold the clues as the shorter SX letters would show up shorter then the radio resistance words do. All of the ones I can lay my hands on are with the radio resistance markings. Brant ,Charles,Bo ,anyone ? 

Here is a early 65 that has radio resistance wires. you might have to save and then blow it up to see the long words (radio resistance) on the wires.