1984 Tu Tone Coupe Marti Report

[4eyes]

Yes, those personalized stats mean you have the only production 1984 5.0L/T-5 coupe painted 5C/35 w/ blue vinyl seats.

What is unclear is whether that "Blue Vinyl Bucket Seats" stat means only the AB trim that is on your Elite report or also BB and CB trims. I would assume that stat is for AB trim only but the way it is worded....

I'll see if I can get further clarification and report back. FoxChassis, isn't BB the code for standard cloth/vinyl high back buckets? I know AB is all vinyl for L and CB is all vinyl for LX. Could you clarify where the BB code fits into the equation? Thank you

[4eyes]

That's awesome! Good to see you posting again btw.

Thanks Mike! Been real busy this Spring, working on a new business venture that's taken over my free time. Hoping thing's will slow down soon so I can get started with this restoration project!!!

[4eyes]

Here's some pics of Elite Marti report and the docs included.

[FoxChassis]

A_ = vinyl, low-back*
B_ = vinyl, high-back*
C_ = vinyl, low-back**

* L model
** LX, GT models

[4eyes]

A_ = vinyl, low-back*
B_ = vinyl, high-back*
C_ = vinyl, low-back**

* L model
** LX, GT models

Hmmm, This car has AB interior which shows to be high back all vinyl per Marti. I also looked at Ford Trim book and I don't see a low back bucket offered in the L model in 1984. Rather B_ is the cloth/vinyl high back bucket code.

You know these cars a lot better than I ever will, I'm just going by the research I found through Ford and Marti. I've included a pic of page from 1984 Ford Trim Book and the repo window sticker Marti sent. Could you compare with your resources and see where the discrepancy lies?

Thanks!

[FoxChassis]

My mistake...I got 1984 mixed up with earlier years. The trim book you're looking at is correct. (I am not looking at my copy right now, so I was going from memory...obviously the wrong move. )

So the only all vinyl seats are:

A_ = high-back (L only)
C_ = low-back (LX, GT only)

[4eyes]

No problem FoxChassis, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. I appreciate the quick response!

[FoxChassis]

I think Grey or Blue were the only interior trims available with 5C paint. You can look at the trim book to verify.

So if those personalized stats are for AB trim only, and not also CB trim, that means the other 20 1984 5.0L/T-5 coupes painted 5C/35 had AA trim.

[4eyes]

Yes, Charcoal (_A) and Academy Blue (_B) are only interior trims available with Dark Academy Blue Metallic (5C). But if I read the number breakdown from Marti correctly(See post 21), these numbers include ALL coupes, which means L and LX models. So I'd expect there's a mix of AA, BA, BB, CA, CB, FA and FB out there. I don't know if Marti Group will be able to give me an answer but I'm going to ask!

[4eyes]

Just spoke with Marti Group. The statistics include all 2 dr coupes, both L and LX. Guy said the only thing they could tell me is my car was only one with an AB interior produced with 5C/35 Special Tu Tone paint. The other 20 could be either L or LX models and have either blue or gray cloth interiors or gray vinyl interiors but none had the blue AB (upgraded high back bucket, all vinyl) interior.

I bet they get tired of explaining these things to people like me because he seemed over it by the time I let him off the phone!

I'm just amazed there was a car built in the era of mass production that's this unique and in restorable condition...

[FoxChassis]

I forgot for this brief moment that the stats on Marti reports are by body code in the VIN, in this case P26, not model. That's strike two for me!

[FoxChassis]

Also, don't forget that Sport seats were available in LX coupes, so you have HA, HB, PA, and PB possibilities with 5C paint.

[4eyes]

Well we've both been had!!! Charcoal was not an interior trim color for Dark(5C), or Light(35), Academy Blue for 1984, only Academy Blue was offered. Therefore, the other 20 5C/35 Special Tu Tone 5.0L/T-5 coupes would be either High Back cloth/vinyl(BB), low back all vinyl(CB), low back cloth/vinyl(FB) or sport performance bucket(HB). The sport bucket wasn't offered in all vinyl in 1984. I went ahead and added pictures of the interior trim swatches and what exterior colors they were available with to make it easier for others to understand!!!

I just wonder if any of the other 20 5C/35 Specials are still on the road? It'd be cool to see one...

[TopGear85]

You guys are nerds...lol

[FoxChassis]

I checked the database real quick last night and Charcoal was available with 5C, albeit seemingly limited to special orders.

Most of the 5C in the database have Blue interior but the two in the database with Charcoal seats are an Oregon State Police SSP and a 1-of-1 SVO.

Not sure about Charcoal with 35. I didn't have any in the database.

[4eyes]

I checked the database real quick last night and Charcoal was available with 5C, albeit seemingly limited to special orders.

Most of the 5C in the database have Blue interior but the two in the database with Charcoal seats are an Oregon State Police SSP and a 1-of-1 SVO.

Not sure about Charcoal with 35. I didn't have any in the database.

That's cool you have this data compiled. Is the SVO owner a member on FEP? I'd love to see the 5C SVO and hear the story behind the car.

Also, I'll see if I can dig up the VIN for my '84 GT that was totaled back in '91. It was white but had tan interior, which wasn't offered in '84. Under the hatch carpet and the buck tag where painted copper color, so, I'm assuming it was originally Bright Copper Glow.

[FoxChassis]

KCoker owns the 1984 5C SVO.

[4eyes]

Can anyone help me understand the shade of blue (F1) the tape stripe would be on this car? Also, does anyone have a nice close up of an original tape stripe for my restoration documentation?

[FoxChassis]

The stripes were painted on at the assembly plant. For (5C) Dark Academy Blue Glow paint and (B) Academy Blue interior trim the tape stripe was "Bright Blue". You could possibly get a Ford paint code/number for the stripe from paintref.com.

Paint stripe color coding is totally dependent upon exterior and interior color combinations. You could not pick a different paint stripe color.

[FoxChassis]

According to 1984 Ford Rapid Spec Ordering Guide the paint stripe is "Bright Blue"
According to 1984 Mercury Color & Upholstery Selections the paint stripe is "Bright Academy Blue"

A keyword search of "1984 Ford Bright Blue" @ paintref.com reveals this...

Bright Blue stripe color = Ford code M5171
Bright Cadet Blue stripe color = Ford code M5963

[FoxChassis]

FYI: "Academy" and "Cadet" are the same thing in 1984. All of the Ford and Mercury books say "Academy" but other sources and even the Dearborn plant used "Cadet".

http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread.php?85907

[79mustangcobra]

Academy Blue paint with Academy Blue seats! That is cool, also love the Elite report

[4eyes]

Okay, Mike's right, I am a nerd! But I want to make sure I get this right before spending the time and money restoring this car. I found this page in the TuTone Paint section of trim book and it talks about the tape strip. For Tape Stripe code I, which is correct for this car it shows "Light Academy Blue/Medium Light Academy Blue/Medium Academy Blue/Light Academy Blue Glow"... Huh???

Are those the same color just with different names or could there be a special strip that had these colors stacked on the Special Tu Tone cars?

I apologize if I ask too many questions. I have a very black/white personality... gray doesn't exist in my world, I like answers!

[FoxChassis]

Strike three. I'm out. I forgot we're talking about a special tu-tone paint car here. So yes, the tape stripe (not "paint" stripe) is a different animal.

According to the 5-9-83 printing of the 1984 Mustang Rapid-Spec Ordering Guide, the upper (5C) paint was applied to:

hood
roof
decklid
below bodyside molding

And the lower (35) accent paint was applied to:

bodyside

And lastly, the TRI-color tape stripe was:

Light Blue/Medium Light Blue/Medium Blue/Light Blue

Here is a 1984 5C/1E: http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread.php?125481 That will give you a good idea where the paint was applied. No close-ups of the tape stripes through.

Maybe we can get some help from another special tu-tone owner?

[unt8mdgt]

Its a 9W 1E

Strike three. I'm out. I forgot we're talking about a special tu-tone paint car here. So yes, the tape stripe (not "paint" stripe) is a different animal.

According to the 5-9-83 printing of the 1984 Mustang Rapid-Spec Ordering Guide, the upper (5C) paint was applied to:

hood
roof
decklid
below bodyside molding

And the lower (35) accent paint was applied to:

bodyside

And lastly, the TRI-color tape stripe was:

Light Blue/Medium Light Blue/Medium Blue/Light Blue

Here is a 1984 5C/1E: http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread.php?125481 That will give you a good idea where the paint was applied. No close-ups of the tape stripes through.

Maybe we can get some help from another special tu-tone owner?