In Over My Head Restoration, No More Excuses - Just Start Cutting... Options

[BeatNavy]

Ok, here goes. I picked up this '75 last April in lower Maryland. It was advertised as a 2.0, it has a 2.0 badge on the back, and it looked pretty good from a distance (or with beer goggles).

[BeatNavy]

Happy New Year everyone. It’s been a while since I started this. This project started off like a herd of turtles. Life got in the way (preparing for the holidays, trips out of town, etc.). I also struggled for a while to figure out how to adapt the rotisserie for the ’75 bumper setup, but I managed to weld a bracket on that fits to the bumper shocks just before Christmas. Now I can REALLY get myself in trouble. BTW, even without need to flip the car just yet that rotisserie rocks as I’m able to move the car around the tub. Now that the holidays are actually here and gone I have chunks of time on the weekend to work on the car (in between son’s wrestling tournaments).

Consistent with recommendations, I felt it best to unload the suspension and other unneeded “stuff” both to lighten the car on the rotisserie and also just get it out of the way. I took off the front hubs, and I still need to remove the rest of the front suspension. But I focused on the rear for now.

My first challenge was getting that axel nut off without engine/tranny or brakes in car. The wheel kept turning under the torque, but with enough PB Blaster, heat from a propane torch, some blocking leverage, and my son sitting on the car to give it extra weight, I managed to break those free.



Anyway, after removing the drive axels with a gear puller and banging out the hubs, it was time to take out the rest of the trialing arm. Here’s a picture of the bolts connecting the arm to the body. There were two shims there (don’t know what size), and I know from reading here that these are important to rear wheel alignment. I imagine I did not do correctly whatever I’m supposed to do to make alignment easier upon install.

Stupid question #1: is it the number (or total size) of shims present and/or the positioning of the shims that determines the alignment?



Here is the trailing arm removed. Stupid Question #2: what brand of shock is that? It’s been painted over.




Anyway, now the car has no rear suspension. Much lighter!