eBay Motors is building a project '67 Mustang fastback. Given themoniker, "Fastforward Fastback," the car is already in progress at RadRides by Troy in Manteno, Illinois. Legendary builder Troy Trepanier isthe owner and resident genius at Rad Rides by Troy.
The motive to build Fastforward Fastback is simple: Demonstrate thateBay Motors is the best cars and parts source available for the entireexperience of restoring an automobile. With that goal in mind, the planwas to buy the '67 fastback through an eBay Motors auction, build itwith parts purchased from eBay Motors, sell unused parts through eBayMotors, and hit the show circuit with the final product. After exposingthe car in various car shows and events, Fastforward Fastback will beoffered to the public via (what else?) an eBaymotors.com auction, withthe proceeds donated to charity.
The Rad Rides crew intends to bring their unique look to the '67 Mustangby incorporating styling cues from the '05 concept Mustang. In additionto parts purchased on eBaymotors.com, other major suppliers have steppedin to be involved in the project. Ford Racing has supplied its awesome351/360-horse crate motor complete with GT-40 aluminum heads. With a nodto supercharged Mustangs of the '60s, a Paxton supercharger will befeatured on the car. The car will be shifted by a Ford AOD trans builtby Bowler Performance Transmissions.
Fatman Fabrications has supplied one of its brand new bolt-in StrutSuspensions for ponycars. Air Ride Suspension struts will be used withthe Fatman Fabrications Strut Suspension kit to give the car the RadRides by Troy killer stance. The car will wear Nitto tires and BilletSpecialties wheels. The cockpit will be an artistic blend of old andnew, with help from Tea's Design and a Kenwood and Diamond speakerssound system.
The initial disassembly of the car revealed some repair work that hadbeen done to the 36-year-old warhorse that was not up to Rad Rides'quality standards. For that reason, Troy decided it would be easier toreplace the entire front clip with one from a fellow Mustang partsbuddy, Ed Ohrt.
Follow along as Troy and the Rad Rides by Troy crew replace the frontclip of this Mustang. The metalwork, fabricating, and welding performedon the Fastforward Fastback are second to none, and helpful for manyfacing similar restoration challenges.
eBay Motors Shopping Tips
By offering a 24-hour auction site/swap meet at the fingertips of anyonewith Internet access, eBay Motors has become increasingly popular forlocating parts that, in the past, required hours or even weeks spentscrounging through swap meets and classified ads. On any given day,there are more than 12 million items listed on eBay across 18,000categories. In addition to listing cars and car parts, the eBaymarketplace is a great source to buy and sell items across multiplecategories. But rest assured, furthering the hobby of building top-notchhot rods is a high priority at eBay.
The eBay homepage contains access to tutorials available for new users.eBay's insight on successful use of "The World's Online Marketplace"will allow you to quickly begin browsing items that are being auctioned.Whether searching for a vehicle or that elusive part for yourhigh-performance ride, the selection is incredible. There can be nodenying that eBay has become a major contributor to the expansion andquality of the hobby!
In light of previous repairs...
In light of previous repairs sometime in its 36-year history, Troydecided to cut off the front clip and replace it with a better example.
Here lies the carnage from...
Here lies the carnage from a day at Rad Rides by Troy. Though many wouldhave worked with the front clip that came with this car, Rad Ridesquickly located a replacement for better end results.
Notice the weld work that...
Notice the weld work that had been done many years ago. Rather than messwith it, Troy made the call to replace the entire front clip.
The exterior sheetmetal is...
The exterior sheetmetal is chemically stripped with Kleen Strip. Thenthe shell of the eBay Motors Fastforward Fastback is mounted on arotisserie. All interior and undercarriage metal is carefullysandblasted. Care is taken to regulate pressure so as not to warp ordamage any of the metal.
Troy uses a cutting wheel...
Troy uses a cutting wheel to remove the rest of the original frontframerail sections.
A big part of the Rad Rides...
A big part of the Rad Rides by Troy look is a clean, uncluttered enginecompartment. For that reason, hours are spent perfecting the firewall.Take one last look at those provisions for heater hoses and heater box,because they are about to go away!
The edges where the cowl meets...
The edges where the cowl meets the firewall are given special attention.Hard welds are ground down with a 24-grit, 3/16-inch-thick hard wheel.Roloc 36- and 50-grit discs are also used to get the firewall clean.
Troy has almost a sinister...
Troy has almost a sinister grin as he holds the stock piece withprovisions for heater and lines that has been removed. New metal hasbeen welded in to smooth the firewall.
To give the car the look typical...
To give the car the look typical of any street machine built at RadRides, most of the holes from the factory are welded shut. Any holesthat are needed will be made during the mockup stage of the build.
As evidenced by the buildup of Fastforward Fastback, purchasing itemsthrough eBay Motors can save hours of time. The huge selection ofvehicles being auctioned on eBay Motors gives both buyer and seller fargreater exposure than ever available in the past. Below are suggestionsbased on positive transactions we've experienced dealing specificallywith automotive parts.
Use the search window creatively to find your item.
* When you go to eBay.com, go to the search window and type in yourdesired vehicle or part.
* Try different ways of identifying the same part through a fewdifferent searches. For example, type in "1967 Mustang seatbelts," "67Mustang belts," and "1967 Ford belts."
* Browse for items by typing in "1967 Mustang," "67 Mustang," or "1967Mustang NOS." There are often hundreds of items available for your carlisted on eBay Motors at any one time.
* If you are not ready to bid on an item immediately, simply click"Watch This Item," and eBay Motors will automatically send the item toyour "My eBay" page, allowing you to watch up to 30 items at a time.
Check out the seller via the personal feedback responses.
* Does the seller have any negative feedback? Typically, give the sellerthe benefit of the doubt in having one dissatisfied customer, but anymore negatives, the risk greatly increases.
* What is the quality of his other items? Most eBay Motors sellers seemto be consistent in the quality of items they list for auction.
* Do not be bashful about e-mailing the seller any question. Remember,the seller is looking for customers! Most sellers are enthusiastic togive helpful responses.
Make sure the payment method is workable for you.
* Read the payment instructions carefully before bidding, ensuring youare able to comply to the seller's requirements for purchase.
* Consider using PayPal, a safe and secure way to pay for onlinepurchases with your credit card.
Factor in shipping when buying an item.
* Most eBay sellers charge the buyer the amount it costs them to ship anitem. Often, the seller will request your address in order to calculateexact shipping charges. Since it may be more advantageous to pick up anitem purchased (especially heavy items), e-mail the seller and see if heor she will allow it. (This author sold a set of '68 GT Mustang wheelson eBay Motors to a guy who personally picked up the items to saveshipping charges.)
* When purchasing a vehicle on eBay Motors that's in a locationdifferent from yours, e-mail the seller and inquire about his knowledgeof shipping cars to your location. Many sellers are prepared with thatspecific information.
Carefully research your item, doing comparison shopping to see if theprice is out of line.
* eBay Motors is the ultimate source for comparison shopping. Often, thesame part will be listed from two different sources, and major bargainscan be found depending on how you hit supply and demand of the item.
* If the picture of the item is of poor quality, e-mail the seller andrequest additional photos.
* When bidding on N.O.S. parts, know the approximate value of the part.Look for clues of authenticity in the photos. Original boxes aredesirable to better authenticate the item.
Read through the descriptions.
* Do not skim the description box. Though most descriptions areadequate, e-mail the seller if you have any questions about the itembefore bidding.
Utilize the parts notification service available on eBay.
* One of the greatest features eBay Motors offers is the free service ofsending an e-mail when a specific part is listed. After registering oneBay as directed on the home page (it's free), go to the My eBay pageand click "Search" on the top navigation bar. Fill in your item in thesearch window. When the results appear, click on "Save This Search" onthe bottom of the results page. The next page you come to will have an"e-mail Me" button on the right side of the results. Clicking thatbutton will result in your getting an e-mail when that specific item islisted.
Edges of the metal where the...
Edges of the metal where the cowl meets the firewall are trimmed back,and made perfectly straight.
All areas where the firewall...
All areas where the firewall mates to the front clip have been groundclean. The body now awaits the new donor front clip.
Here lies the donor front...
Here lies the donor front clip from another '67 Mustang. Minor weldingon the area where the torque boxes meet the top of the framerails wasnecessary. The welded area is then ground smooth for proper mating tothe firewall.
Troy measures all mating surfaces...
Troy measures all mating surfaces to ensure the clip will meet thefirewall squarely.
The Rad Rides crew begins...
The Rad Rides crew begins to lift the clip into place. Note the steelthat has been bolted onto the bumper bracket holes that will be weldedto the rotisserie, once the front clip is in place.
Edges are slightly "tapped"...
Edges are slightly "tapped" to give the flattest surface for welding.
At this point in the surgery,...
At this point in the surgery, the framerails have been welded to thefloor. The upper transmission support brace is also welded to the floor.Note that Troy has the transmission mount in position here to make surethe framerails are where they need to be.
To continue the theme of a...
To continue the theme of a smooth engine compartment, all holes areground and welded. The battery box has been cut out for some new metal.
The old metal for the battery...
The old metal for the battery tray is cut out and replaced.
Just two days later, the shell...
Just two days later, the shell is back from the Rad Rides paint booth,looking clean in black primer. At this point, mockup begins. The carwill receive suspension, engine installation, and body fitment while inthis position. Looking like it was snatched from the assembly line, theeBay Motors Fastforward Fastback is ready for some serioushigh-performance hardware! For further buildup stories, follow along atwww. eBaymotors.com/fastback.