My experience with Huck shoe retainers/springs is that some years did not use them at all. The ones that did, the hook of the retainer attached to piece of 90 degree angled metal which was spot welded to the backing plate. Sometimes those fell off at some time or other.
Carl


1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission