Exhuast tips puzzle

[Mac]

OK Guys,

Being the original owner of my car, I knew that I would be keeping it so I've been gathering pieces and parts over the years.  One thing I've picked up is a puzzle, exhaust tip with ford part number D1ZZ 5255-D.  The "ZZ" indicates "Mustang" but when compared to original exhaust tips that I also have (Part No D1ZA 5203-AB) there is a difference.  Also attached pictures of aftermarket tip for comparison. 

The shop manual diagram does not give exhaust tips numbers.  See attached.

So... does anyone have any info / documentation on this puzzle?

Mac

 

[kcmash]

Interesting!

Is the D1ZZ a 2.25 inch diameter inlet?  Do you have 2 of them or just 1?

kcmash

 

[Don C]

My guess is that the 5255 number is a service replacement part number, and -D is a later number. My parts book is dated 1975 and just shows parts up through 1972. I see by searching online that the series runs up through at least -G. Maybe Secluff will chime in a clarify it better. Here's what my parts book shows

 

[Mac]

Interesting!

Is the D1ZZ a 2.25 inch diameter inlet?  Do you have 2 of them or just 1?

kcmash

Yes, it has a 2.25 inch diameter.  I only have one.

Mac

 

[secluff]

This D1ZZ-5255-D tip is much like the '71 Boss 302 stripes. Parts that were assigned a service part number, but were never used in actual production. Thousands of parts are released by engineering and assigned part numbers months before the vehicle hits the production line. Right up to the day of production and during, constant changes were still being made. This "D" tip was going to be used on the '73 Mach 1 (63R) with the Q engine. Unlike the left and right '71-72 tips, this "D" tip was for both sides and was secured to the exhaust pipe with a standard 2 1/4"saddle clamp. For reasons unknown to us commoners, Ford decided against this look and used the non Mach1 exhaust system with the turn down tips. The strange part is the D1ZZ prefix (there was never a 71-72 application) and that they were in the parts system until the '80s.
 Many feel as though Ford was so busy de-contenting the '73s (during their lame-duck period) and preparing for the Mustang II launch, that things like these unused production/service parts were not on Ford's radar. It might just be me, but the D tip just doesn't look as good as the '71-72 chrome tips.
 The following are the part numbers and engineering ID numbers for the 71-72 chrome tips. The right side tip is D1ZZ-5255-A, and the engineering numbers are D1ZA-5202-AA, BA, BB. The left side is D1ZZ-5255-B, and the engineering numbers are D1ZA-5203-AA, AB, and D1ZA-5263-AA. :classic_smile:

 

[Mac]

This D1ZZ-5255-D tip is much like the '71 Boss 302 stripes. Parts that were assigned a service part number, but were never used in actual production. Thousands of parts are released by engineering and assigned part numbers months before the vehicle hits the production line. Right up to the day of production and during, constant changes were still being made. This "D" tip was going to be used on the '73 Mach 1 (63R) with the Q engine. Unlike the left and right '71-72 tips, this "D" tip was for both sides and was secured to the exhaust pipe with a standard 2 1/4"saddle clamp. For reasons unknown to us commoners, Ford decided against this look and used the non Mach1 exhaust system with the turn down tips. The strange part is the D1ZZ prefix (there was never a 71-72 application) and that they were in the parts system until the '80s.
 Many feel as though Ford was so busy de-contenting the '73s (during their lame-duck period) and preparing for the Mustang II launch, that things like these unused production/service parts were not on Ford's radar. It might just be me, but the D tip just doesn't look as good as the '71-72 chrome tips.
 The following are the part numbers and engineering ID numbers for the 71-72 chrome tips. The right side tip is D1ZZ-5255-A, and the engineering numbers are D1ZA-5202-AA, BA, BB. The left side is D1ZZ-5255-B, and the engineering numbers are D1ZA-5203-AA, AB, and D1ZA-5263-AA. :classic_smile:

Seems strange to me that Ford never formally assigned this exhaust tip to a production car but yet some of this unused stock was released to the public.  

Also what is ultra strange is that the tip I have with the Ford wrapper printed D1 ZZ5255-D part number on it yet the tip itself has "D1 ZZ5255 D V2K" stamped on one side of it and "T 4710 V2K" stamped on the other side.  Also the Ford oval is not stamped anywhere on this tip like it is on their other more common standard tip.

Mac

 

[secluff]

Hello Mac,

I'm afraid some of these mysteries we run up on may never get the answers we seek. We are dealing with fifty-year-old cars where even if the engineers were in their twenties in 71-73, they are now in their seventies and retired long ago. So we don't have anyone to ask, "Why did this happen" that would have a clue. Like I mentioned in my previous post, design and engineering development start 2-3 years before these vehicles even get near a production line. Thousands of parts, both existing and new are entered into the parts and service system for each vehicle line. These are constantly modified as engineers make inevitable changes. Just like the 71 Boss 302 decals that were in the parts system and sold for a car that was never production built.

The D1ZZ-5255-D tip looks like a part that has the vendor ID stamped on it (T 4710 V2K) since that is not any kind of Ford formatted part or engineering number. Another oddity is the part number being stamped on the actual part. What most people don't understand is that these parts belong to the respective engineering department that designed them. They are the ones who decide which ones are released to parts and service. Only then are they assigned part numbers and they are NEVER cast or stamped on the part. They will have tapes, tags, or boxes with the part number, but nothing where the part number is permanently on the part. 

Not saying this is the case, but since the finish on this part doesn't look as nice as the D1ZZ-A & B tips, and there is the discrepancy of the part # stamped on the part (Ford Policy) this could be parts rejected by QC and never made it to the scrap pile. It has happened!    :classic_smile:

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Lots of mysteries out there for sure. We use to supply the old Ford Ranger program. The standard cab was called a model 10 and the extended cab was a Model 13. I believe we made 20 pair of prototype inside cab corners for a four door Ranger cab. They never made it to market here in U.S. but did in South America and also in Africa and you could get a turbo diesel in Africa. Is it possible that the odd part number is from Mexico or foreign country.
Here is a pic of my 73 Q code with the factory exhaust. You can see that the rear pipe has a resonator built into the pipe you can see in the turn down. The tip would not have allowed the resonator to be included.
We all know who Perkins is in MCA. He claims he has a 73 Mach 1 that came from the factory with chrome tips but I know that to be false. He got the car from Jackie Jones Ford and a friend of mine sold it to JJ Ford. When my friend had the car he liked the chrome tips so he ordered a pair and the rear valance and had it painted and put on. When the car left N.C. it had over 18,000 miles if I remember correct. The car was in MM as centerfold and had 12,000 miles and then they did a TV shoot at Perkins home in Wisconsin and it had 7,000 miles. He only drives in reverse I guess. He claims very rare to have the chrome tips. If there ever were any it would have to be on the Buck tag to identify a specific body part gong to paint. There is not any options on build sheet for two Q exhaust systems either. But since he was head judge in MCA it is true, lol.

 

[secluff]

Hello David,

As an original '73 owner, I knew you would be more than familiar with the mystery involving the chrome/no chrome exhaust tips. I was aware of the part number and had only seen them once before, and that was at the Charlotte auto fair years ago. There was no part number tape or Ford oval on them, and the appearance and finish made them look aftermarket (Which at the time I thought they were). There was a low-quality stamping of D1ZZ-5255-D on the part, but I knew Ford didn't mark the part number permanently on any part. At the time, I was purchasing the Ford A & B tips for under $30.00, so I passed. I had heard of Perkin's claim on the 1 of 1 '73 with chrome tips. MCA has come a LONG way from the days of more than vague, almost non-existent rules for the 71-73. At one time, it seemed as if MCA had as much disdain for 71-73s as the Mustang II!! Agree the rules usually were adapted from what was on "Someone" else's cars. ("He" may also have a magic elixir he poured in the tank that made the mileage reverse)!

And believe it or not, MCA finally updated and clarified the rules to reflect that factory chrome tips were on Mach 1 only, and all 2bl engines have single exhaust!

As far as the Ranger truck, we always caught a lot of flack for not having a four-door crew cab. Ford sold a mind-numbing number of standard and extended cab models. What made it so bad is that I knew there was a four-door crew cab Ranger sold by Ford outside the US. I had even seen them in use by the Mexican Policia, so they were close!  :biggrin:

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

On the diesel 4 door ranger. I had hunting clients that had been ridding in the back of one of them for days and he did not believe it was a diesel. No smell and no rattle. Sometimes the US gets the short end of the stick. With the millions of part numbers Ford has there has to be some mistakes. We will never know.