The update on Facebook is still the same unfortunately, even after their threats to remove my account, the ‘One man and his Mustang’ page is still there. I can’t get to it, I can’t do anything with it except look at it. My replacement page (of the same name) is also out there and I can get to that as normal. It’s so disheartening to loose all the likes I had, but there are worse things going on in the world than loosing likes on Facebook to be honest, yes you Putin! Thanks to those of you that popped over to the new page to give me a thumbs up, I appreciate it. From the comments and messages I received, it looks like I’m not the only one who has had trouble with Facebook.
Enough of all that and back to the main point of my post. I have been busy at the weekends making numerous templates and test cuttings for my Magnetic Cowl covers. I have expanded the range from the first gen ’64- ’66, to now include ’67-’68 as well as the awesome ’69-’70 cars. As the cowl covers are the same for all models of the car’s particular year banding, it keeps the costs down. I’m making these cowl covers because I enjoy it, and I make virtually nothing on each one I sell. It might by me a beer or an expensive coffee (not that I drink tea or coffee) with the profit of each one. I intend to carry a couple with me to each show, so come and have a look and see what you think before you buy one.
Why did I do it?
Apart from people asking me where I got mine from (the bloke no longer sells them), I remembered back to the early days of my car.
There is well known rust problem with the lower cowls as the drain points get blocked and the water pools with all the other debris in there. The next thing you know is that there is a swimming pool in the footwell as the cowl has rusted through! These pics were of my own car when it was stripped back to see what damage there was and if it could be fixed. The short answer was ‘no’ it can’t be repaired and I needed a new lower cowl. On these earlier cars the upper and lower cowls were welded together and they formed part of the structural rigidity of the car. If the metal is rusted out and week, then you loose strength in the car.
The old cowl sections were removed and the new ones set in place ready for the paint. The cowl has to be painted at this point as it can’t be properly painted once assembled. That’s another easy way to see if the car has had a new coat of colour at some point.
Leaving a car in the outside is nothing new and this was a common issue, unless you got a car from the dry states, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah etc. But, in the UK we get rain, a lot. It’s not just the rain, it’s the leaves and other debris that that gets into the cowl and just sits there wet which causes the problems. Even though my car is undercoated and protected on the lower cowl I don’t like the idea of water sitting in there. Many cars don’t get to be taken apart and replace both parts of the sheet metal like I had as it’s a big job. Due to the work and costs involved, cheaper alternatives are sought out. The main one being these semi-permanent ideas that screw directly onto the cowl. The cowl covers are not cheap and can be found for the ’64 – ’70 cars.
They look fine for about a year or two and they certainly do the job they were made for. However, in my mind they spoil the look of the car; they don’t allow for ventilation in a dry location when they are not needed (like your garage or a warm day outside), they sweat and are not easily removed. These type of covers have a foam or plastic seal that will disintegrate and look a mess over time, maybe even damage the paint.
I have taken some photo’s of these covers in place, after a while they are done! Of course, if you look after them they should last longer. How many take people take them off to clean and replace back on? Not many, if any!
I’m selling my own alternatives for all early Mustangs and they can be found on my main page.
So, the alternative was the idea of a magnetic cowl cover. It simply lays on the car, held in place by ‘motorway standard’ magnetic material and stops the water ingress. I have used it for about five years now. I even had a bespoke vinyl made for mine. I am looking into getting my logo and website printed on my cover now. These covers are applied and removed in seconds, no matter what the year. It stops water and doesn’t look out of place. (Yes my car does get wet at shows, it tends to put me in a bad mood as well!)
’64 to ’66 Cowl Covers
The standard finish for these covers is white gloss. But, I have them in 4D black carbon look as well. The covers are cut to shape for a perfect fit around the wiper and follow the contours of the cowl.
Click here for the link or the line below for the hyperlink to purchase.
These retail at £18 white & £20 black carbon + £4.50 P&P in the UK.
’67 to ’68 Cowl Covers
For these years Ford introduced a centre line down the cowl and the hood running to the front. In order to seal the cowl properly the cover is in two parts. One side is a straight cut and does not need to be shaped, the other right hand side has to have a cut out for the wiper arm. Again available in standard gloss white or the 4D black carbon finish. These covers also follow the contour of the cowl, unlike the competition.
Click here for the link or the line below for the hyperlink to purchase.
These retail at £19 white & £21 black carbon + £4.50 P&P in the UK.
Beware of the alternatives out there, they are single shapes and fit inside the recess for the cowl. The result is virtually no adhesion due to the lack of surface contact. I know this for a fact because I bought a set and tried them out. They will be cut up into fridge magnets soon, they are a very week magnetic adhesion.
’69 – ’70 Cowl Cover
Another shape change from Ford and back to a single piece cover. Available in standard gloss white and 4D black carbon. The car is bigger in all dimension and so this is the biggest cover I produce. Like the other designs this cover follows the contour of the cowl and also has the cut out for the wiper on the right hand side. As far as I know, nobody makes these, except for me!
Click here for the link or the line below for the hyperlink to purchase.
These retail at £19 white & £21 black carbon + £4.50 P&P in the UK.
These covers can be used when at a car show to stop getting into the cowl, lets face it – owners of the classics tend not to drive them in bad weather! Washing your car these covers stops the water getting into the cowl. Parking at a car show under a tree with leaves and other debris falling onto your car, once they get into the cowl that’s where they stay until they wither away, plastic wont! So there you are my sales pitch for myself why you should get one.
Car Show Season
Very soon it will be time to get the car out for a clean and spruce up for the car show season which starts (for me at least) next month. I need an oil and filter change like I do each year. But this time I will be taking my car down to Mustang Maniac for a couple of little upgrades. One has been made especially for me. I will be bringing pictures of that one I get down there. I will do the oil change while I’m down there at the yard as they will have my car up on the ramps to do my little upgrade. Oh, and little once over as while they are at it. Not that they know that bit yet, by the time the guys read this they will know. 👍😉
