Homebrewed CPR Tool 13mm steel hex through Impact Socket and Old Spark Plug 19mm Hex
3/4" Breaker and Homebrewed Tool on 617. Note the 4' moment arm on the tool!
A 3/4" socket adapter is used to assist the massive torque required to remove the old block plug.
The CPR Tool in the Block
300D - Manifolds + Starter Removed in Prep
Propane Heat, 1/2 Hour -- No Love!
Homebrewed CPR
Fusion Welding, Shortened OAL
I've spec'd a slightly tighter coil to bring the spring rate up around 10%. Since the original shocks added spring rate through the gas accumulators, it should be close to stock ride.
Stock TD springs on the right. New KC custom wounds on the left.
Top adapters are cut from old audi struts. Drilled and tapped to accept the bilstein top studs and MB carrier bushings.
400mm springs and a stiffer coil result in 3 inch rise at the rear fender lip.
Positive camber and a pretty aggresive axle angle results from the extra spring height.
The custom springs were trimmed 1-1/2", bringing rear camber back to neutral.
Hardmount secure job box for cargo and tools.
The final ride height. Rockers are dead level. This is a turbo chassis converted to N/A, so the front ride height is 1" higher than spec.
Flywheel side. Mounting pattern for adapter.
Existing 722 bellhousing depth.
Rear subframe, showing a-arm connection and hub. You can see the axles at the bottom of the photo. the rubber bushings wear, and allow the entire rear end to sag. They're designed for 100K miles of service, an inexpensive strategy for progressive renewal of suspension characteristics.
This is the support stud for the rear subframe. The rubber bushing has been welded to the stud by rust invasion. We were lucky that the rubber bushing broke; else the stud would not have been removable without major surgery!
Avery feels a little relieved that the job of removing the subframe is now completed.
The rear subframe carries the entirety of the rear suspension; hubs, axles, differential, springs and shocks all mount.
The stud that welded itself in, compared to the other side. The subframe arm is badly rusted, seen at the top right.
The left rear shock is leaking, an unexpected unpleasant surprise. The rubber boot hid the leak from view until it was removed from the car.
The left rear spring is broken in two places, apparently attacked by rust!
The driveshaft center support has sheared loose.
Ovalling of center support.
The subframe was treated with Loctite Extend; then primed with Rustoleum metal primer, sanded, and finished with two rolled coats of Zylonite urethane. Zylonite is a favored coating by graffiti artists -- tough stuff.
New Flexxboot's and fresh lubricant added to the half shafts. The trailing arm spring pads are treated with Loctite Extend. Paint won't hold up under the stress of the springs movement against the arm, so none is used.
The LS half-shaft CV was destroyed. A used OEM right side axle was lubed, re-booted and substituted. The left side axles fail more often than rights.
The differental mounting studs were removed and re-installed with loctite. New 12x1.5mm nylok nuts and spring washers were added. Two of the studs backed out during dis-assembly due to failure old spring washers.
New trailing arm pivot bushings were installed on both sides. Bushing spacing was set by test fitting and adjusting the bushing insertion depth to the spans between pivots on both sides. This ensures good stress-free movement of the trailing arm, and long bushing life.
New inboard trailing arm bushings. The pads underneath the rubber guards <rusty ring at left of picture> for the brake cable will be treated with Extend and sealed when the subframe is touched up, after installation.
Old subframe mounting bushings were burned out. New OEM bushings pressed into place by Frank at Auto Service.
An adapter for pressing W123 front ball joints has a machined lip that fits the flat region around the ball joint stud. The rubber shield has been removed for installation.
A 1-1/2" x 3/4" socket is used as a drive button against the heel of the upright.
Engine adapter for 722.1 and 717 4 speed transmission. Note the counterbore that accepts a raised lip on the 717 bellhousing.
722.117. Note distinct "split line" at the bellhousing, a separate piece.
722.3. One piece construction of the case.
The new counterbore is 10mm dp. x 56mm. The welded ring that was originally attached to the tube has been removed. The ring on the spider still remains.
The short "spigot" tube will provide an easy way to square the spider, minimizing runout. The spider can be shifted to the axis of the tube with light hammer blows.
Checking the fit of the EMT tube against the 56mm counterbore.
Prior to tack welding the tube will be chucked in a lathe where squareness of the spider will be fine tuned.
A piece of the old tube is cut and cleaned to test the fit of the pilot. Its very snug, and will need to be pressed or heat shrunk in assembly, due to slight oval shape of the tube.
Proper fitment between radiator and cowl. 1982 TD, Behr radiator.
An aftermarket radiator. Slight mismatch between mounting rails and punched holes in cowl.
The mismatch is 3/4".
