FYI FORD MustangSteve's Ford Mustang Forum / The MTM fastback

**Posted by josh-kebob** 7/29/2019 8:23 AM

So, the MTM fastback also got a free ride to it's new AL home.
As for the history on this FB, it previously belonged to Mr Tim. If I remember correctly, he and MS were in sort of a neighborly competition to see who could finish their FB first. (MS can fill in those blanks) Mr Tim drove the FB for several years until it developed a freeze plug leak. Long story short, he fixed the leak then later was in the process of disassemble for a new "redo", and lost interest. I believe it remained parked in front of his house for sometime until he stored it inside an enclosed car trailer. It remained that way for several years until he decided to let it go and he gave me the call.

My focus is now centered on getting it back on the road. Thus far, a rebuilt 5.0, AOD, shortened and balanced drive shaft, new front brakes and front sway bar have been installed. Rockauto is my friend and more parts are on the way. I do have to pace myself in the AL humidity; work on it early in the morning or later in the evening.......kinda hard to see what I'm doing when the sweat waterfall is running into my eyeballs.....

Once all the brakes are updated, I'll focus on finishing the engine install and hopefully have a successful engine start up soon....

More progress updates and hopefully cooperative pics will be posted as work continues......

Last edited by josh-kebob (7/29/2019 11:50 AM)

**Posted by Don** 7/29/2019 8:39 AM

Good luck. I remember this car, we parked next to each other at local car cruises (pep boys). My personal preferences is BUILD IT and DRIVE the snot out of it. I am also dying with sweat waterfalls here in Texas.

**Posted by josh-kebob** 8/05/2019 12:52 PM

Progress continues but, typically only in the morning to avoid the sweat box heat of the day.
Saturday installed the front brake hoses I ordered from Rockauto and made one brake line from the distro block to the driver side brakes. BTW, I hate making brake lines. Today, made the brake line from the block to the passenger side front brakes, finished the borgesen box install, installed the power brake booster, and new AOD trans lines.........too hot and humid to continue....so after the paramedics finish administering a couple IV's of D-5-W....i called it a day. The focus tomorrow is on the MC install and making the remaining brake lines...

Last edited by josh-kebob (1/03/2020 9:52 AM)

**Posted by josh-kebob** 8/07/2019 12:42 PM

work resumed in the sweat box again today by installing the MC and making the two MC brake lines to the distribution block. I'll next focus on the rear brakes but will have to put that on hold awhile due to an upcoming trip up north for a couple weeks and the fact that I need to order a few more parts but won't do that until i return.....really don't care to have boxes on my front porch for two weeks. In the meantime, I'll work to install the '05 bucket seats tomorrow and hopefully cross one more item off the list.....

**Posted by josh-kebob** 8/29/2019 12:31 PM

Cool morning temps arrived this morning along with my latest box of parts from Rockauto. Installed upper ball joints, lower control arms and shocks. Refreshing to see, "Made in the USA" on those Moog boxes. The to do list keeps on shrinking. Now waiting in the parts cart is an order from CJ's for cooling system parts.....rad, hoses, shroud, blah, blah, blah stuff....... After that, I'll focus on replacing the third member and finishing the rear brake update. Not sure why I post this crap here for no other reason than to keep a progress journal that serves to motivate me to continue....

Last edited by josh-kebob (8/29/2019 12:31 PM)

**Posted by rpm** 8/29/2019 1:52 PM

josh-kebob wrote:
Not sure why I post this crap here for no other reason than to keep a progress journal that serves to motivate me to continue....

You post it so folks can live vicariously thru you. And pics make us happy!

**Posted by josh-kebob** 8/30/2019 6:00 PM

The pair of 2005 Mustang seats I picked up last month finally got the attention they deserve today. Now that I have my new shop set up to include an air conditioned work area, it made for a much more pleasant day of wrenching. Started with the passenger side by removing the 05 seat tracks. As for installing the 66 tracks, that simply consisted of drilling two new holes and using some spacers and grade 8 bolts to raise the seat to just the right level. Was able to source the hardware needed at Lowe's which made the job easy although, I did buy the last of the spacers from my neighborhood Lowes so I guess I'll take a trip cross town to another store and check their inventory. Anywho, the passenger seat went in like butter and looks good in the FB......it's seatmate with join it tomorrow at which time I can cross another item off the 'get er done" list. The next CJpony order is enroute so I'll tackle the cooling system project next.

Pictures would be great now wouldn't they??? Yeah if only I were able to upload a few on the fyi how do you load pics forum......maybe later....

Last edited by josh-kebob (10/01/2019 8:05 AM)

**Posted by josh-kebob** 9/28/2019 9:07 AM

The FB project was on hold while dealing with a double dose of family health issues. Father in law's health is taking a dive due to congestive heart failure. Went from a 5 day stint in the hospital to a skilled nursing facility...sad to see him this way. Mrs JKB made her second trek to MD Anderson for the second scheduled PET scan......happy to report results are good; the treatment is working and cancer ain't winning!!

Now back to our regular program.....
I managed to install the Bertha Butt of all radiators in the FB......accomplished the MS 24" radiator install. This was done because the previous owner started the project by opening the rad support....I simply finished it. I will say our asian lower radiator bracket maker dude, Mr Won Hung Lo must have either had, one too many the night before, or is cockeyed. His efforts at spot welding the lower rad brackets together was way off so, time was spent correcting his error. In the end, the install is complete and should keep things cool. Next, I purchased a third member with a 3:55 ratio (thanks Russ) and managed to get it installed before the family health crisis hit. One more item off the to do list. Oh, and the drivers seat mod got finished so the 2005 twins now reside where they should. Yesterday, pulled the nasty old gas tank (corky are you paying attention to this) and installed a new 22 gallon unit with all the fixin's.......

What's left???.....what isn't.... Actually I need to plumb the rear brake lines then I can bleed the system. I'm rebuilding the heater box and once that's done, I'll install the sound deadening material and return the heater box to its happy place and install the carpet. Then plumb the heater hoses, and upper/lower rad hoses. A new intake is patiently waiting its turn but soon it'll reside under the hood. It's getting closer to "gentlemen, start you engine" time.....I'll have to do that when my neighbors are at work seeing that the only installed exhaust components are the hipo manny's.......I should invite Sal over when that happens......
I'll post more updates in this pictureless environment as progress continues........
TTFN

Last edited by josh-kebob (10/01/2019 8:06 AM)

**Posted by josh-kebob** 11/04/2019 4:20 PM

The fastback had to wait until this past weekend for attention. Unfortunately, my father in law succumbed to his illness resulting in another road trip to Oklahoma for his funeral. I miss him terribly and learned a great deal from him these past 37 years..........he at least didn't suffer any pain so, I guess there's some comfort in that.

Now that I'm home, I was able to install a pair of 4.5 leaf mid-eye rear springs. That job went very well and fortunately I didn't have any issues with the front eye bolt being joined in rusted bliss to the inner eye bushing. With that job complete I could finally install the rear shocks.......never done this on a FB and although the procedure is a tad different than a coupe, one more "to do" item is crossed off the list. Plumbing the rear brake line hose and installing a new fuel hose from the fuel line to the sending unit means I'll be finished on the south end of the FB.
Starting some fab work next on the trans shifter rod/linkage which won't be a big deal. Although I planned to have the heater box rebuilt, I'll tackle that next week and focus on the rest of the instrument panel.

Like some other forum dudes, I've been searching for a set of aftermarket wheels......what a pain that can be. However, I visited a local wheel shop today and the owner is a top notch guy. Sourced the wheels I want and his prices are nearly identical to what Summit has listed. Nice to also be able to support the local guys too.

Perhaps I'll post more later as progress continues...........I will say it's really nice to now be working in temps ranging from 50-60 degrees vs the Alabama sweat box I worked in this summer............
TTFN

**Posted by josh-kebob** 11/05/2019 1:10 PM

Testing the secret MS picture posting technique......Sadie approves...........

Last edited by josh-kebob (11/05/2019 1:11 PM)

**Posted by josh-kebob** 11/05/2019 1:16 PM

Testing the picture posting technique on me ole laptop............shazaam...........it works!..

Last edited by josh-kebob (11/05/2019 1:17 PM)

**Posted by josh-kebob** 11/15/2019 4:43 PM

Cool temps today meant "wrenching time" on the FB. New parts arrived a few days ago so, in they go today.
Installed the backup lights and rear valance. Next, the focus moved to finishing the rear brakes. The new rear brake hose for a dual exhaust car went in. Had to make on rear brake line which proved rather easy....perhaps due to all the build your own brake line practice I've had. Now that the brakes are all installed, that only leaves bleeding the MC and all the lines. My semi-able bodied assistant is out of town so, that will task will have to wait. Moving to the front of the car, pulled the HiPo 'mannies and installed a pair of flange studs......previously purchased the mannies from some dude in Colorado and they didn't come with studs so, all is well now. The new exhaust manny gaskets and new manny bolts finished the job. Next was the lower radiator hose....including the the lower hose spring. The top clamp was fun to tighten but, it won't come off now. Top hose will have to wait until the new intake is installed. Tomorrow consists of rebuilding the heater box and modifying the trans shifter rod.....the list is getting shorter...

Last edited by josh-kebob (1/03/2020 10:00 AM)

**Posted by josh-kebob** 11/16/2019 4:22 PM

Well fella's......it's Saturday and the wife is outta town........know what that means?? That's right, I'm watching all the college football i want and rebuilding the heater box on the living room floor!! So, that job is finished but more await. I did manage to install the fuel hose connecting the sending unit to the fuel line....Perhaps I'll bleed brakes tomorrow....

Last edited by josh-kebob (11/17/2019 1:25 PM)

**Posted by gjz30075** 11/17/2019 10:58 AM

Is there any work that requires the oven, bathtub, or maybe the sink? Now's the time. Just sayin'..

**Posted by josh-kebob** 11/17/2019 1:24 PM

Actually, small powder coated parts in ye ole oven would work!! Too bad I don't anything that needs powder coating......

**Posted by josh-kebob** 11/18/2019 4:51 PM

Today saw the AT cooling lines be installed.....had to do a little modification to the lines and after a quick trip to NAPA, viola......all is well. Hung the brake pedal and installed the brake light switch....one less wire connection to deal with under the dash. Prepped the MC to be bleed tomorrow. Thought I had brake fluid on the shelf but that proved to be wrong. Didn't feel like making another trip to town so, it can wait another day. Last, started to get an idea of modifying the trans shifter rod.....realized I'm going to need the MIG welder but, because of my move I don't have an argon tank so, I'll solve that tomorrow as well.. Quick update but, at least progress continues......

**Posted by cman66** 11/20/2019 3:12 PM

Josh
Did your Kodak Instamatic run out film.
Pictures please
Cman
,

**Posted by josh-kebob** 11/20/2019 5:42 PM

New day, new progress report. The spousal unit returned to the homestead so I put her to work helping to bleed the brakes. Discovered a couple small leaks thanks to yours truly failing to properly tighten two connections. Once I applied the JKB torque technique, no more leaks! The FB is now sporting a fully functioning brake system....can i get an amen. Focus then turned to modifying the AT trans shift rod set up for the AOD trans. Thanks to BB's inputs and examples, I now have a shifting and stopping FB. Scratch two more items from the gotta git er done list...........
I purchased my own tank from the local weld shop which allowed me to accomplish the mods today.....and probably many more in the near future.

Oh and I'd love to post pics but not having any luck anymore with that...........

Last edited by josh-kebob (11/20/2019 7:58 PM)

**Posted by josh-kebob** 12/05/2019 6:03 PM

Turkey day is over so, this turkey got back to work. I spent two days wrestling a grizzly bear....sort of. Actually wrestled with two fenders and a hood trying to get everything lined up. Multiple "rinse and repeat" cycles before finally getting everything lined up "good enough". After two days spent on that nonsense, sparing with a grizzly seemed much more appealing and working by yourself sure can suck sometimes. Moving on, while cat napping under the car, I discovered that the previous owner for some reason cut off the tank to engine compartment fuel line leaving it about 4' short........hello CJpony parts. That part arrived today and now the FB has a new tank and new line to the engine compartment. Up next is the eddy intake, eddy carb, eddy fuel lines and eddy fuel pump. All those new eddy parts sure look sweet. Hope to have all those installed starting Monday.....heading to Atlanta tomorrow to see our daughter thus the delay and time for me to heal. However, once those parts are in, the fuel system will be complete. I may treat myself with a trip to Summit while I'm in Atlanta.........progress continues....

Last edited by josh-kebob (12/05/2019 6:05 PM)

**Posted by josh-kebob** 12/10/2019 7:05 PM

[url=https://imgbb.com/]upload a picture[/ukrl]

**Posted by josh-kebob** 12/10/2019 7:06 PM

Once the temps rise, I'll finish installing the fuel delivery system depicted in the previous post....
Only able to post pics from my phone but at least I got one new pic posted....

Last edited by josh-kebob (12/10/2019 7:08 PM)

**Posted by josh-kebob** 12/10/2019 7:23 PM

[url=https://ibb.co/DMyR37Q]

I'm having difficulty posting pics from my laptop..........tried a different approach, using this pic as a test.....seems to have worked.......for now.......[/url]

**Posted by josh-kebob** 12/10/2019 7:30 PM

[url=https://ibb.co/029vWt4]

Ok, that's two, count them, two successful attempts at posting pics from my laptop........unless the forum goes into Linda Blair mode again, I think I'll now be able to upload pics with my progress updates.......woot woot.......[/url]

**Posted by rpm** 12/10/2019 9:28 PM

Post away Josh, been waiting for some pics.

**Posted by cman66** 12/11/2019 4:05 PM

YAY Josh Good job on the photos

Cman