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Time to introduce myself

kb3

kb3

Well-Known Member
Howdy all....

I have been lurking here for quite some time and only waited until now to say "Hi" due to the "it didn't happen unless there are pictures" rule. I am a member of the more money than brains club due to the fact that I am in the process of building my 14 year old son a 65 fastback. I have spent the last few years debating between rebuilding my 77 Bronco for him or just get him the Mustang he wanted. I picked up the 65 fastback shell last fall. Yes a shell with absolutely nothing else short of doors, hood and trunk lid. Every other part is gone, missing, just not here. I have been scouring ebay and craigslist looking for some of the non-repopped parts, but plan on purchasing everything new that I can. My plan is to have a modern day car in a 65 fastback body. I just got a complete TCI suspension package front and rear, with coil overs and disc brakes. I also have a 90' 5.0 and T-5 for the car so we are well on our way.

My thought process is that all teenage boys need to understand how a car operates and he will get the hands-on working knowledge of every aspect. He will also be recording the process on the internet with a blog. Something he can keep as a memoir of the process.

Please save the "no way can you afford to insure it with a teenage boy driving" comments as I have heard them all. I believe every teenage boy needs to drive a Mustang to high school!

Ok...enough for now.

This is a great website, with a great group of people. I look forward to having all my questions answered!

Ken

The 67 in my gallery is my dream car...but it really is a driver with a 20 yard paint job! Once I get done with the fastback, it is next up for the rotisserie..
 
Welcome aboard Ken, great to see another 2+2 come back to life :pbj
 
Welcome! What a great project for you and your 14 y/o son, when I was a kid I helped out at a garage after school and on weekends and bought my mustang for $250.00 at 16, drove that to High School, 32 years later, still have it!
 
I am glad that you finally took the time to say hello. So welcome to the StangFix. I for do not think that you are in any way crazy for thinking that all teenage boys need to understand how a car operates and he will get the hands-on working knowledge of every aspect.

He will also be recording the process on the internet with a blog. Something he can keep as a memoir of the process.
Good I hope that you add to the Members Build thread as well.

Please save the "no way can you afford to insure it with a teenage boy driving" comments as I have heard them all. I believe every teenage boy needs to drive a Mustang to high school!
Dude if you can afford to build a 65 Mustang with all new parts then the insurance will be nothing. Besides if he helps build it, and if he has any sense at all, he will not want to abuse it. I speak from your sons point of view as I helped restore my first Mustang with my Dad. You cannot buy better memories anywhere.
One other wild suggestion, why not have him join as well. Like kb3_jr. Just make sure that he stays out of the password protected areas. :ep fd
 
My thought process is that all teenage boys need to understand how a car operates and he will get the hands-on working knowledge of every aspect.
Click to expand...

I'm 55 years old (actually 8579 years old but I'm a good liar) and I still don't know everything about how a car operates. Learning is a life-long process!

I just wish someone would explain to me about muffler bearings...
 
"Midlife" said:
I just wish someone would explain to me about muffler bearings...
Click to expand...

In an application on SBF's, they are used to create a certain "spin" on the exhaust gases to create that pure sound that is only heard from a small block Ford no matter what the rest of the exhaust is constructed of. This is also a sound that can be identified no matter what you have consumed for the evening. This came from a very old Ford mechanic that has long since passed......
 
That's going to be one heck of a ride for a high school kid! He's a lucky boy. Hopefully, doing all the work on it will engrain a sense of care for it.

My first car was a fastback Mustang, but I never had the money to restore it. I love what you're doing for your son

Best of luck with your project, and you're in good hands here on the Fix as well as lots of Nor Cal folks to help when needed.

When it's up, post a link to your son's blog.
 
Welcome.

I don't think you'll find anyone here that has a problem with your plan.

I'm sure helping build the car will help him to realize how much effort and how special it is.

Lucky kid.
 
building a 65 fastback from just a shell? I must be crazy.


Well then there's at least two of us because I basically did the same thing.

With a resto-mod the shell is the important piece of the car. 9 times out of 10 you're going to toss that 40 year old part in the trash in favor of a new piece anyway. When I bought my '66 it was stripped to a bare metal shell and most of the car's original parts were in boxes. From memory, which is getting foggier every day, I re-used the following parts, everything else was bought new.

The rear bumper mounting brackets, all stainless steel door and window trim/moulding, the door glass and door internals, the windshield wiper motor and linkage, the steering column, the headliner bows, the ash tray and the glove box door.

What parts are you still looking for?

Shipping wouldn't be pleasant, but I have an extra rear glass if you're interested. I also have the upper air extractors as I went with the Shelby style side windows.

The plan you have for your son's car is very similar to my '66. I installed a coilover parallel 4 link rear suspension, a MII style coilover front suspension, disc brakes all around and an EFI 5.0 with T-5 that I eventually upgraded to an EFI 347. As you eluded to, the car drives/handles more like a modern vehicle than a classic. After driving my car for the first time.... I'd had a few too many beers.... my wife.... who'd never been afforded the opportunity before to drive my car..... commented that she had changed her mind and wouldn't be selling the car upon my demise as it was very easy/fun to drive.

Welcome aboard!
 
High school kid in a Mustang - ah, memories. My first car was a '67, Dad and I worked hard on fixing that car up to be a decent driver. Dad's gone now, but I still remember those times fondly.

You're giving your son lots of good memories and an apprecation of the rewards of hard work.
 
Thanks for all the kind words and the welcome!

Dave - I have no idea what parts I need, but as I go along I certainly will be asking for leads. I looked at quite a few "complete" fastbacks and I quickly realized that I would be tossing most, if not all of the old parts. So the shell seemed like a good starting point.


I only have the one kid so it is easy to spoil him slightly. Growing up in Modesto, California, cars have been my life. You all might remember a little movie called American Graffiti.....that is what Modesto was from the early 50's to the late 80's when johnny law outlawed all the fun. My son is lucky enough to have me want to relive my youth through him!
 
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