Nothing like long, long, long, long, long overdue delays. Back for a while again folks! I hate the long breaks, but I finally got back to light duty at work after back surgery this time last year. Then back off work due to complications and of course the boy was turning 16 so we got him a truck (71 F250 with 42k miles documented if you can believe it) so had to do some work as it sat for better part of last 15 years at least. Then back to back surgery last week for two more and back home. All is progressing well (500x better than last year this time).
But, before surgery, said 16 year old son learned how to install a powdercoated subframe and control arms. I used the shop press I picked up last spring for free with some lengths of pipe, ball joint install kit and some large sockets to install the bushings and ball joints (all Moog components) no problem. Just did not get a chance to get the springs and the spindles installed. Bummer. However, when we dropped in the subframe, it was almost exactly centered. I mean crazy close to dead center. Used the manuals and with the measurements we were off 1/16" in two spots. Moved it in place with the locating holes, torqued it down and it sure looks good! Bummed beyond belief about the springs and spindles, but major progress none the less.
The AC box and the control box inside of the dash were all disassembled and cleaned with new heater core installed. I made the decision to leave the tar-like sound deadener the factory sprayed all over the bottom of the AC box alone. Too much pain to remove and gives me a cool little throwback originality to the car. Neither was installed, but they are done and boxed up waiting. More little items blasted and painted with VHT Epoxy in satin. The chassis and rollbar paint are the same as the suspension epoxy and when applied correctly over properly prepared surfaces, it has a great and very close to correct finish, albeit a little pricey per can.
I did not get a chance to clean the bottom of the floorpans before the subframe went in. The plan was to have the front suspension at least in just in case complications from the surgery arose and it needed to be moved while I was down. Upside was I did hand clean where the mounts would be (and where I could not clean later) and those areas were covered in grease, but no rust and still looked like paint under all the grease. I will just have to deal with the problems of cleaning/painting around the subframe since it was powdercoated.
That being said, I found the boy was pretty excited after the install and wants to take a crack at putting the front suspension back together to help me out for all the work we did getting his truck up and running. Guess I can hobble out and stand by to supervise while he does it in the coming couple of weeks. Hopefully with the surgeries things will heal quick and I can get more work done. Always behind, but hey, at least that means there is always something to work on?
