703 replies to this topic

[notna]

Safety glasses are a good idea Lee. I started doing this with none on, and when that first bit of paint stripper sloshed out of the tin, I was like

Question..... How do you press out the lower control arm bushes? The ball joints I can understand, but the bushes...??

Also, is it correct that the upper ball joints were riveted in, and you drill out these rivets to remove them?

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Also, just to show you some dodgy stuff that has been done over the years on this car...... This is the bent part of the K frame. It actually cracked the metal, which some bright spark put silicone over as a way of repairing it. Damn that silicone would have to be tough stuff to hold that together!!!

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Any scrap metal merchants in Sydney want this and a few guards? I don't want it hanging around.......

[76lxhatch]

Don't use a hammer to get the bushes out, you will definitely bend the arms! Dig through the scrap bin for enough pieces of steel to support everything in the press without bending, I use pieces of pipe (even exhaust pipe will do) cut to length and in half lengthways around the bushes inside the arms. To press from the inside out, use a solid piece of pipe in between the two bushes with a suitable bolt through the other end bush to act on it.

You can generally get at all of the top ball joint rivet heads with an angle grinder, quicker and easier than drilling (and its not like you need to look after the old ball joint). Again support everything nicely to punch the remains of the old rivets out so you don't bend the arm.

[notna]

Ah yea... what about the TOP control arm bushes??? How on Earth are they removed, and fitted for that matter??

[76lxhatch]

Top arm bushes you just need one piece of pipe with a section out of the length of it to wrap around the pivot and avoid bending the arm. Use the pin itself to press the bushes out - first one is a bit of a pain as the rubber moves a long way (and will sometimes pop the rubber out of the bush shell), second one remove the pin and put a decent washer on it to contact the shell before pressing it out

[notna]

Bit of heat ok?

[StephenSLR]

With the lower control arms, where the stabiliser bar pin goes through, if the hole is worn to a keyhole shape, how do you fix this?

Can weld be used to get it back to circular?

s

[76lxhatch]

notna I've heard of people burning out rubber bushes then collapsing the shell, I don't see how heat would damage anything other than the bushes which you are replacing - may make it a little easier to bend the steel arms if you use too much but you have to be careful either way so not really an issue.

StephenSLR welding it up would be my choice, ideally the steel pin isn't supposed to make contact, only the bushes are.

[rodomo]

StephenSLR welding it up would be my choice, ideally the steel pin isn't supposed to make contact, only the bushes are.

Bits and pieces like this will wear if altered from standard, eg. lowering, as the parts are working at different angles as per originally designed. If your going to weld the hole and remanufacture it, I would look at the "new" angle of the components and alter the hole to suit.

[TerrA LX]

With the lower control arms, where the stabiliser bar pin goes through, if the hole is worn to a keyhole shape, how do you fix this?

Can weld be used to get it back to circular?

s

Do ya mean the holes are flogged out on the control arms where the sway bar locates?
Weld washers and thick steel sleeves (pipe) where they will clear onto the control arm and ensure the bar stays tight.

[StephenSLR]

If you haven't done so already, don't forget a drain hole for that battery tray, otherwise the plastic battery tray won't sit in right.

s

[notna]

Seems like forever since i have done an update. Rest assured, work hasn't stopped! I've been chiseling away slowly at 2 key areas. 1 is the front end rebuild and 2 is the engine bay. The intention is to fully rebuild the front end, prep and paint the bay, install the front end so that it is back on all 4 wheels, then spin it around in my garage so that the rear is facing out. Tight space and limited room means it will be easier to do repairs to the rear in this position. I have a small sill repair to weld and 1 rear 1/4 lower section to replace.

Anyway, this is where I have been putting in my time recently....

Firstly, I did end up hammering out the old bushes. They were rooted afterall, so some swift blows with a BFH wasn't really going to make anything worse! They came out fairly easily.

Then I wire wheeled all the front end components, so they were super clean and ready for some POR chassiscoat. Here, one is prepped and the other not. You can see the difference.

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Then I sprayed them with satin black chassiscoat, and hung them out to dry.

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Once they had dried adequately, I sent them off to a mechanic to have new bushes and ball joints pressed in properly. Cost $99 for this..... but really, what is the alternative? BFH was never an option to install them all!

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They have come up really well. I'm not after concourse with all of this kind of stuff, because the type of person I am will end up never driving the car if it is more than a streetable resto. Still, they are pretty shmick.

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I have also progressed the engine bay. It was stripped back to bare metal, then etch primed. I chose to use seam sealer in the factory places, to a factory finish (ie: bloody messy). I also chose to seam seal in places where I think seams should be sealed. I used sikaflex in a caulking gun for that, and made it uber neat. You can sorta tell from the pic. After this I 2K hi-fill primed the bay. I have given it plenty, so I can wet sand it back to something very nice and flat. I want a standard appearance here.... so no smoothing, shaving, filling etc. All as it was from the factory

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Soon I will give the bay some colour and install the rebuild front end. That's what you can expect next.... I'm just not sure when

[notna]

A couple more pics for you..... we all love pics after-all.

Bay in hi-fill primer.....

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More bay in primer....

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[notna]

Been massively busy with work. Just never get a chance to bludge and browse the forum! I'll have to make more effort!

[notna]

Bought this bad boy today..... figured it was going to be years before I got the Project Papaya on the road, and I was really itching to get into a V8 again ..... it's only been 18 frocking years!!!!!!

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So I'm going to put the SL/R to the side for a lil bit until motivation returns. In the meantime, the SS will keep me smiling!

[hanra]

I hope you dont stop for to long Anton, I dont want to overtake you!

[notna]

Well I picked up the SS last Friday, and haven't got rid of the smile yet Why exactly, did it take me 17 years to get back into a V8?? Man they are addictive!@!

[notna]

Oh and for now...... this is my SL/R..... It's definitely not a quitting action, but I had to get some priorities right or else it was OR ELSE! Already had one mate say "sell it to me".... but it definitely aint for sale. I think I shall keep it for my post divorce hobby

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