Motoblag's '71 Duster
Yeah, looks like the car wore green originally, then purple, then a really shoddy white paint job that's on it now. Probably because white hides terrible bodywork the best.
I plan on keeping it white. :)
Made progress on the front end. Going to do one side at a time so I have the other as reference in case I get totally confused.
Brake caliper moved out of the way:
Oh the stupid huge headers won't let the lower control arm come out far enough to release:
Loosed motor mounts, unbolted my torque strap, jacked the engine up a hair and moved that side of the headers up a bit:
Success!
Not pictured: unscrewing upper ball joint. Actually came out without too much fuss, just a big breaker bar and careful application of force.
Upper control arm bushings mangled:
And yanked out:
Strut bar was being a bear. All instructions I could find were "remove strut bar." Ended up attaching the torsion bar pulled to it and smashing it with a hammer a lot.
More evidence of PO abuse: bent bump stop metal:
Usual scraping and cleaning ensued:
Got the bumper support brackets and upper control arm sitting in Evaporust right now. Lower control arm is probably next but there's some grit in the sleeve where the torsion bar slots in. Want to hose that down with cleaner and blast it out with compressed air to get as much gunk out as possible, then into the bucket of anti-rust in prep for paint.
Wife got me a rad birthday card: pizza, sports car with fuckin' rainbow glitter exhaust, aww yeah:
Celebrating on the back patio commenced:
I'm not sure how the lower control arm pivot pin is gonna be installed. I hope to rig something up to use my vise as a press but may buckle and find someone with a press to help out. Lots of cleaning and painting left as well.
Also made my first Summit order in who knows how long. Engine stand, fender covers, engine load leveller. Getting prepped for pulling the engine when needed.
Yeah, looks like the car wore green originally, then purple, then a really shoddy white paint job that's on it now. Probably because white hides terrible bodywork the best.
I plan on keeping it white. :)
Made progress on the front end. Going to do one side at a time so I have the other as reference in case I get totally confused.
Brake caliper moved out of the way:
Oh the stupid huge headers won't let the lower control arm come out far enough to release:
Loosed motor mounts, unbolted my torque strap, jacked the engine up a hair and moved that side of the headers up a bit:
Success!
Not pictured: unscrewing upper ball joint. Actually came out without too much fuss, just a big breaker bar and careful application of force.
Upper control arm bushings mangled:
And yanked out:
Strut bar was being a bear. All instructions I could find were "remove strut bar." Ended up attaching the torsion bar pulled to it and smashing it with a hammer a lot.
More evidence of PO abuse: bent bump stop metal:
Usual scraping and cleaning ensued:
Got the bumper support brackets and upper control arm sitting in Evaporust right now. Lower control arm is probably next but there's some grit in the sleeve where the torsion bar slots in. Want to hose that down with cleaner and blast it out with compressed air to get as much gunk out as possible, then into the bucket of anti-rust in prep for paint.
Wife got me a rad birthday card: pizza, sports car with fuckin' rainbow glitter exhaust, aww yeah:
Celebrating on the back patio commenced:
I'm not sure how the lower control arm pivot pin is gonna be installed. I hope to rig something up to use my vise as a press but may buckle and find someone with a press to help out. Lots of cleaning and painting left as well.
Also made my first Summit order in who knows how long. Engine stand, fender covers, engine load leveller. Getting prepped for pulling the engine when needed.