Restoration: Part Duex!, Got Inspired. Warmer weather helps too! Options

[Gint]

How do you remove the large stub axle nut with control arm on the ground? Did you loosen it before removal? Or can it be spun off with an impact wrench? It is torqued very tight as I recall.

If you have a lame inpact wrench (cheapie), it won't take the nut off with the suspension removed. I use a big cheater bar and loosen the nut prior to removing the suspension. This way you still have the car's weight and even the e-brake if they work. Then drop the suspension and it's all downhill.

[william harris]

That nut posed no problem at all. However the 8mm bolt (hex head) at the front end of the torsion bar cover (the one up inside the cover) was a real bear. Had to borrow a long shaft hex driver from the local Porsche dealership since none of my drives would fit. So, here's the front suspension on the ground.

[william harris]

Next, I removed the brake calipers, brake discs and tie rods. The sterring rack was removed by removal of the tie rods. The tie rods were completely shot, and the struts were useless, you could easily move the shaft up and down with almost no effort.

[william harris]

The front end of the torsion bar, after removal of the adjustment bolt and cover, had the strangest gasket I have ever seen, this really was a moldly remnant of the gasket, it was just mold and mildew in the former shape of the gasket.

[william harris]

Here's the date code on the strut housing: 30-8-73. I assume this is a build date - August 30, 1973. What do you think?

[Gint]

The front end of the torsion bar, after removal of the adjustment bolt and cover, had the strangest gasket I have ever seen, this really was a moldly remnant of the gasket, it was just mold and mildew in the former shape of the gasket.

The last time I did a front suspension and needed those "gaskets", Jason at Paragon Products was one of the few people that knew what I was asking for. He stocks them despite the fact that they don't appear in the online catalog. They are actually made of foam. Jason is one of my preferred vendors. Great guy. Give him a call.

Paragon Products web site

[Gint]

I found the old email.

If you haven't found some Mike, we have them at:

http://www.smartcart.com/Paragon/cgi/displ...item_num=914TBS

Jason P. Burkett
Paragon Products, Inc.
www.paragon-products.com
361-289-8834 Tech
800-200-9366 Order

[william harris]

Thanks Mike, I couldn't figure out what that "gasket" was made of. Wow, this board is the universe of 914 information. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[rhodyguy]

this is a great thread with perfect pictures. dropping the whole suspention in one piece. DOH!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) i hate to these type of threads get buried

[Gint]

i hate to these type of threads get buried

Kevin,

You can copy and paste the link in the notepad section of your "My Controls" page.

Another thing I like to do is email the page link ("Email this topic" link at the bottom of every thread) to myself with a descriptive title so I can store it and easily search email subjects and reference the link later.

[Brad Roberts]

The ONLY thing I would have done different:

I would have broken the struts free from the ball joints while everything was still in the car. Then lightly slid them back onto the ball joints with the pin just barely holding them on.

The reason: I use the tension of the torsion bars to help "pull" down on the ball joint while supporting the strut (normally with a floor jack under the rotor or some lug bolts) I jack the rotor up until the car starts to rise off the stands and then hammer down on the control arm (they will not dent easily). This give me the torsion bar tension/weight of the car and my hammer going against the ball joint. I dont use pickle forks. Their is a nice flat spot right next to the sway bar tabs that you can hit down on without damaging anything.

I have to use this method on cars with new ball joints. The pickle forks ALWAYS ruin the rubber boot.....and I dont want to replace them twice.


B

[thesey914]

The pickle forks ALWAYS ruin the rubber boot

Amen! And its a real PITA if there's nothing wrong with the balljoint.
I have *tried* your method Brad but there isn't much room to swing a BFH under there between the arch and the strut.
I hang my head in shame -I resorted to the fork and wrecked the balljoint (took some major twatting with a big hammer even then (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) )

[Brad Roberts]

Turn the strut away from the car (turn the wheel to the left if working on the drivers side strut) It doesnt always work.. but 9 times out of 10 mine comes loose for me. Much much easier trying to break it free while it is attached to the car than trying to do it off the car. Same goes with the big nut on the stub axle in the rear. Easier to break it free when it is still on the car. I even knock the rear bearings out while the control arms are still on the car.. it holds it better than a vice can.


B

[william harris]

Thanks Brad: Yeah I'm still trying to break the lower ball joints loose from the struts, got the tapered wedge bolts out with no real problem, just can't separate the two pieces, the ball joints are shot anyway, so I guess the BFH and pickle fork will be next. Suggestions for separating the control arms from the axle? Also, Brad when you get a chance I sent you a PM today. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif)

[william harris]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/calvin.gif) Well, the next step in the restoration has a connection to Jeff Taylor of Monster.com fame. Seems Jeff has a real thing for Shelby Mustangs. Started a business know as Tango Classics to store and restore his Shelby collection. The business offers media blasting with soda and the quote was very reasonable. So the car goes here next. Couple of shots of Jeff's Shelby collection.

[william harris]

That GT 350 Hertz is one of my personal favorites. To think you could go down to Hertz rent a car in 1965 and rent this car by the day. Story goes a number of rented cars went straight to the track and back. Urban myth? Another view of shop.

[william harris]

Another small shot of the collection. Also a couple of Corvettes (Jeff drives a 58 Vette as more or less his daily driver, go figure?) The bug under the tarp is his wife's 1965 VW - totally restored. They wouldn't let me take the car cover off.

[william harris]

Final shot - Ford horse power!

[seanery]

Bill, I don't think it's an urban myth. My dad was a drag racer in the 60s. He had a 64 Plymouth Belvedere factory lightweight (aluminum doors, hoods, fenders, bumpers, no heat, every other seat spring removed...) he would see those cars at the track. I guess the hot ticket was to rent one then bolt a roll bar in, race, then remove the bar and return it to Hertz. I love those cars! I saw a rare white one in Hermosa Beach when I lived there. I didn't know about the white ones till then.

[Scott S]

We had a factory paxton supercharged 1966 GT350H up until about two years ago. We sold it to our neighbor who has a pretty good collection of restored Mustangs and at least one Pantera. I was always surprised at the attention that car drew. We bought it purely as an investment, I have never been much of a muscle car guy. I didn't shed a single tear when it went away - although I still see it a ton.