Stupid parts question! Really!

When i bought my car it came with a few boxes of parts since the PO took it apart and didn't finish putting it back together. I'm going to admit up front I've been mainly a GM car guy. I don't ever remember seeing a car part like this. Is it part of the 73 Mustang or just some scrap that he needed to dispose of? I couldn't find it in any catalogs, service manuals etc. Can someone tell me what this? There is only one, I just included two pictures. 

I have not seen anything like that on a classic Mustang,  and I have torn down every year.

Does it have any type of part number on it?

Kcmash

If I had to guess I would say it's a homemade vibration damper that was bolted on a differential or transmission.

Vibration damper that bolts to the rib on the underside of the C-4 tail housing. Not 71-73 Mustang related.

Vibration damper from a pinto.

Great, at least I now have an idea what its from and my zero knowledge of a Pinto or any other Ford for that matter explains that! New question now is the transmission sitting in my trunk a C4 from a Pinto and can it still be used? Will it still need this damper installed on a car that never had it?

That is a driveline vibration dampener used on several  Ford and Mercury vehicles  to control driveline vibration/oscillation/harmonics. No 65-73 Mustang applications but strangely enough there is a one year listing for the 1968 Cougar with a 289/302 with a C4.

Basic number is 4A263 and was used for the rear axle and transmission dampener applications.

There is also no question that is stupid. We are all here to help each other and to learn something new everyday. We especially like to help the crossover GM folks to let them see what they have been missing!   

That is a driveline vibration dampener used on several  Ford and Mercury vehicles  to control driveline vibration/oscillation/harmonics. No 65-73 Mustang applications but strangely enough there is a one year listing for the 1968 Cougar with a 289/302 with a C4.

Basic number is 4A263 and was used for the rear axle and transmission dampener applications.

There is also no question that is stupid. We are all here to help each other and to learn something new everyday. We especially like to help the crossover GM folks to let them see what they have been missing!   

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Thank you everyone and Steve too for the GM reminder! I see the AF logo on your profile, I work (as a civilian) at Westover ARB with the C5's. Is it safe to say this transmission should also be fine in the Mustang without the damper attached?

Do you have any numbers off the trans to help identify it?

ID tag on a C-4 should be on the servo cover on the passenger side.

http://www.pigseye.com/sadie/trans/c4.htm

Worst case, I believe there should also be one on the valvebody.

That is a driveline vibration dampener used on several  Ford and Mercury vehicles  to control driveline vibration/oscillation/harmonics. No 65-73 Mustang applications but strangely enough there is a one year listing for the 1968 Cougar with a 289/302 with a C4.

Basic number is 4A263 and was used for the rear axle and transmission dampener applications.

There is also no question that is stupid. We are all here to help each other and to learn something new everyday. We especially like to help the crossover GM folks to let them see what they have been missing!   

Click to expand...

Thank you everyone and Steve too for the GM reminder! I see the AF logo on your profile, I work (as a civilian) at Westover ARB with the C5's. Is it safe to say this transmission should also be fine in the Mustang without the damper attached?

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slowpoke17,

I was active duty Air Force at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Ga for three years before being sent overseas. It was designated as Warner Robins Air Material Area (WRAMA) which means they were responsible to  supply parts, maintenance, repair, upgrades, modifications and storage of aircraft that were vital to our Nation's defense. We probably saw some of your C5's there as that was a plane the Air Force modified for several different missions.

I was in a unit designated as 5th Mobile Communications Group (5th MOB) but was later changed to 5th Combat Communications Group (5CCG) when we started getting deployed worldwide. The recruiter did say I would get to travel a lot.    :whistling:    

Since there was never a dampener production installed on the 71-73 Mustang/Cougar I would say it would not be necessary on your car. You can check your transmission if your not sure it is original to your vehicle by using the link Hemikiller provided. Lots of good info and we can also help you identify it further if your still unsure.

And once again....Welcome to the Blue Oval World!!  

Unless you are going to show the car in competition I would use the dampener. It was added later for a reason to make the car quieter and ride better. In some of the Fox body verts they added dampeners in the back to eliminate vibrations.

Cars and equipment are like a musical instrument you have to tune them, lol. It is amazing what a little weight in the right place will do. When I worked in lawn equipment people would complain about the vibrations in the handle bars on garden tillers. We did lots of testing and found if we added a front like brush guard and the size and where the cross bar was placed took probably 90% of the harmonic vibrations out. When you get something that sets up a harmonic vibration it grows and grows until something interrupts it.

I would put it on if not in the way of anything else. If you do not want I will put on my 73 with a C-4. And yes it was changed.

Do you have any numbers off the trans to help identify it?

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I'm going to try and pull the car out myself and see if I can lift the trans onto a two wheeler and drag it to the garage. I'm curious myself now to see if there are any numbers on it and find what it came from.