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Right side suspension came apart pretty well. I peeled the epoxy off the RH strut tower to see how rusted it is since we need this for our other frame.
It is very rusty but...I think the metal thickness is still good. After we severe it from the frame we will clean it all up in the blasting booth then further assess the condition.20220126_201247.jpgAttachment 6796720220126_201257.jpg
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The LH suspension did NOT want to come apart. Both bolts are seized in place bad. They have been soaked in Kroil, heated, hit with a hammer, cranked on in both directions with my 1/2" impact. They are stuck.
The top one is stuck inside the metal pipe that goes through the tower. It isn't moving at all.
The bottom, from what I can tell, is stuck on the inside of the LCA bushing.
I see no good or easy way of getting these bolts out.
Luckily I don't actually need any of these parts right now. My new frame had all the same stuff on it in decent shape. It still bugs me though. I would really like to finish stripping the frame down if nothing else just to make it easier to move around.20220128_145648.jpg20220128_145643.jpg20220128_150302.jpg20220128_150245.jpg
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We haven't decided yet what approach to take on the suspension yet. Do we try to stay all stock except for new shocks? New shocks and springs?
Instead of trying to doctor up the bent up LCAs go with some nice billet aluminum LCAs?
Adjustable coil overs?
These things individually don't seem TOO bad cost wise but then if you go for the gusto and replace everything with modern, adjustable replacements it gets expensive. Screenshot_20220128-151933_DuckDuckGo.jpg
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Worked on the car for half the day while the worst snowstorm in years was going on outside.
The wife worked on trying to get the left front suspension and spindle apart while I tried to figure out how to make a jig to use on the other frame.
Here is the plan-
1. Make a jig that locates the parts that are bent on my other frame (right strut tower, left rear frame extension) and also just to make sure that the overall frame is not bent.
2. Remove the right front strut tower from both frames.
3. Remove the left rear frame extention from both frames
4. Installed the unbent parts from the rusted frame onto the non-rusted frame using the jig to locate the parts in the correct places.
5. Also use the jig to make sure the non-rusted frame is not bent anywhere else.20220129_083903.jpg20220129_092026.jpg20220129_103202.jpg20220129_110305.jpg
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I showed my wife how to use the MIG welder and let her give it a try. I was going to try to hit a bunch of the locating holes in the frame but what we are doing it really isn't necessary.
The jig isn't anything fancy or nice. It just needs to do its job then it will get chopped up probably.
20220129_111950.jpg20220129_123504.jpg20220129_131101.jpg20220129_135358.jpg20220129_135416.jpg
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Before closing up for the night I wanted to show the wife why we were making the jig and how it will work.
We had a hard time getting it off the frame. I used short 9/16" bolts on the front cross member to drop into the locating holes. This was a bad idea because when we welded the pipes from the bolt heads to the framework of the jig I think the warped from the heat. So the bolts were jammed hard up against the edge of the holes in the crossmember.
I had to jack up on the jig with a scissor jack to get it to pop off.
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Location: Leonardtown, MD
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My VIN: 03572
Now that is cool your wife tried MIG welding. Welds look pretty good to.Originally Posted by SupercoolBill
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So, as you may guess, we had a hard time getting the jig to go onto that part of the other frame.
I'll have to take some measurements and maybe heat up this locating bolts and move them slightly.
We did get it on there though.
The rear part of the jig wanted to sit off to one side by about 1"
I am not sure if this definitely means that the rust free frame is off buy 1" from front to the back or something else. You can push the jig sideways at the rear and "make it fit" but it doesn't naturally fit right.
I'll probably put the jig back on the old frame again and see how it sits on there now that it has be removed and moved. Maybe something moved after I pried it up off the old frame.20220129_141423.jpg20220129_141502.jpg
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Yeah she's a keeper.
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I have realized that I posted this restoration in the wrong place on the forum. Does anyone know do I contact someone that can move it to the proper location?
Without loosing all of my hard work!!!
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Dave M vin 03572