| 04-05-2012 |
It turns out that I had such a difficult time getting the sway bar to fit because I was sent the wrong one. They're going to send me a shipping label so I can send the old one back and get the correct one.
I think it's getting about time to haul another load of empty shipping boxes to the attic.
The gas tank came in. I still have the top straps but somewhere in all the parts I have lost the bottom straps. I moved almost all the extra parts out of the garage and went and checked in the barn where we stored April's extra parts but still can't seem to locate them so I had to order some more. I need to figure out how to install the fuel pump and then I can mock up all my fuel lines.
I took the hood apart because it is very cumbersome and difficult to store as a single piece. Here's April pretending that it's super hard to get apart.
It did take both of us holding it and some wood, a hammer and some semi-careful tapping to separate the center section from the two parts of the hood.
I got the parts in to put all new brake parts on the rear axle. I started taking the differential cover off because it seemed as though I would have to pull the axles to get the studs off but partway through taking the bolts out of the rear diff. cover I decided to keep playing around with it and found one particular angle if you held them just right and moved the axle around they would barely slip out and slip the new ones in.
I saved this old control arm shaft from when I had the front suspension on my Caprice rebuilt. It looked as though it would come in handy and it has for many different tool applications. I didn't get to rebuild the front of the Caprice because I ended up getting pneumonia for 6 months as well as the Flu and kidney stones and they also found 3 spots on my lung. 2010 was a rough year for health and feeling well.
The studs didn't go 100% all the way in but my breaker bar with cheater bar on it was bending to the point I was afraid it was going to snap so I called it good enough.
I remember when I first started working on cars drum brakes used to intimidate me, what with their then-seemingly endless moving parts and springs. Now I realize they're not scary at all, just super frustrating, and in reality, there isn't that much too them. This spring was the only thing that really gave me a hard time, but once I figured out the combination of what it needed to go on it only took a few minutes. I suspect the other side will be much easier now that I know how to do it.
Here's the rear driver's side, with all new brakes. I've got the steel braided brake hoses on their way. When they get here, and I get the front ones put on, I can install my mock up brake lines.
