Trying to take inserts out so I can clean and paint these 3.5 inch spaced 911 struts.

The internals came out but the outside tube of the insert did not.

Am I missing something... any chance the struts "are" the shock body?

Click to view attachment

Yes, the original struts didn't have inserts. The stut housing was the shock body and to install an insert you would remove all the pieces and the oil.
We usually left a few ounces of oil in the strut to help carry heat from the insert to the strut body to be dissipated to the air.

The original shock oil is foul smelling stuff.

Jim

You got the insert out. Nowadays, Billstein says no oil in strut housing.

Thanks, I figured out that I have the Boge struts.

I was expecting self contained inserts like my other 914s in the past.

Will Bilsteins fit in these?

Yes. Billstein makes inserts to fit Boge 3 1/2. They work great. They come with a new threaded top pieces. Both inner and outer threads. You use the ones that fit your struts and drop the set you don’t need in a drawer.

Thanks, now spend some of the money I got from selling my 1.8 motor