I worked from 8 am to 8 pm today, and when I got home i decided to work on the car but made no progress... I attempted 2 things: Removing 1 brake line and locating the top bolts of the rear shocks.

I removed the carpet in my trunk and still cannot find the bolts. I sprayed a bunch of wd 40 and used whatever tool I had in the garage and still could not loosen this brake line. Any tips?

 

Yeah, two. If the flare nut isn't already wrecked, get a flare nut wrench and loosen the flare nut, holding the brake hose end fitting with a Vise-Grip. Any tool other than a flare nut wrench will just ruin your brake line.

As for the shocks, they are no where near the trunk mat. See the two oval holes on the top of the axle hump? Remove the rubber plugs, you'll see the shock hardware. Don't forget the rubber plugs when you're done, they keep exhaust fumes out of the car.

 

+1 on that. and yes for accessing the top of the rear shocks you'll have to remove the rear seat.

 

and if one of the flare nuts is wrecked?

 

If the flare nut is wrecked and you can't get a flare nut wrench on it you can clamp some vice grips on it, carefully, to get it broken loose. Another trick it to tighten the flare nut slightly to break it loose and then loosen it. I know it sounds stupid but it works.

 

as of now, one of my flare nuts is ROUND because i stipped it, i went to town on it and ruined it... do i have options

 

Makes total sense! The Taylor/Wilson book failed to mention the rubber plugs. "You'd think the Ford engineers tried to hide the top shock mounts. If you remove the rear seat back from the convertible, rear floor from the fastback, or floor mat from the trunk of the coupe, you'll find these mounts"
Maybe it'll be easier to remove the brake lines once i get the shocks out of the way...

 

Your best option on the rounded flare nut now is vice grips.

 

If the flare nut is wrecked you are screwed, the steel line must be replaced.

At least you'll be rid of the air shocks when you are through. They ruin your cornering, and usually destroy the crossmember. If you think what your doing now is painful and expensive, try fixing that.

Oh, and mulch that book you are using and get the Factory Service Manual.

 

Brake lines arent rocket science, but tubing flare tools used to be. I bend and flare the brake lines on my cars, double flare everything. If you dont know how, its a good thing to learn.