E-tek Restorations - Classics, Rods and Customs: 02/09/12

February 9, 2012

After getting those control arms out, the next step was to remove the bushings. Ironically, I was just saying that a press was one tool I've never had much use for and hence, do not have. This would have been a good excuse to buy - or better make - one, but then I notices how the stand I made for the brake would do the job perfectly - and mean I wouldn't have to try and squeeze another piece of equipment into my already CROWDED shop!

They came out very easily!

Now that they're out of the way, I can do the repairs to the rear frame rails:

Here's just some of what was hiding inside. All in all it about 10X that came out....

I've ordered new bushings from RockAuto.com, Front and Rear Sway Bars with poly bushings from PST, shocks, brakes, strut rod bushings and some seals and stuff for the top-side from Dearborn, not to mention headers and dual 2 1/2" exhaust from SUMMIT.

Of course the left rear was MUCH worse than It looked. I cut off the bottom and then saw that I had to also cut at least 1/3 up each side:

Here is is with a little more cut out. I like to cut a bit at a time, in order to make templates from the original pieces. Then I remove that section and make the inner accessible to make templates for the inner pieces.

Once all the parts that are being replaced are cut out, I soaked the rest down in a Phosphoric acid solution. This will make the remaining surface and any hidden rust inert and make for a better surface to both weld to and apply a rust paint like RUST BULLET to.