Well after all this time I found all the parts to the new steering wheel that I bought some time ago. It is a 50’s looking billet affair that will be wrapped in the same material that we will use for the seating surfaces. It fit as expected and actually does not look too bad with the new chrome column. Kind of blingy looking for a pedestrian vehicle, but it should look okay. I also painted the stock steering shaft and installed it, but need to pick up some grade 8 bolts to replace the 5’s that I used to fit it up.
She Can Change Direction Again!
The new upper control arm bumpers came in and were installed. Now at full droop, the upper control arm cannot interfere with the steering knuckles. So if I get the old girl with all 4 off the ground I can still turn the front wheels, as if that were to be the extent of my problems at that point!
Now we do the two steps forward, one step backward dance! Next up on my to do list was to install the front shock absorbers, normally a no big deal bit of work. The shock on the passenger side installed nicely, fitting the way it should. The drivers side was a whole other story. No matter what I did I could not get the damn shock rod to fit properly into the mounting hole in the chassis. It looked like the upper shock bushing was hitting the spring, which it should not do, unless the coil spring did not slip into the upper spring pocket when I installed it. Groan, I had to remove the tie rod, lower ball joint (ripped the damn dust cover while I beat it loose) then unbolt the damn lower control arm, and sure enough the spring was not where it was supposed to be. After repositing the spring I put everything back together again and the new shock fit just like GM designed it to fit. Two more hours down the tubes back tracking to fix a screw up that should not have happened. I ordered a new dust boot from Energy Suspension, of course I could not be just one, I had to buy a whole kit for $5.29 plus $4.95 shipping. I didnt tighten the lower ball joint or tie rod since I have to take it apart again to replace the boot. Such is life.
While I was waiting for the new upper control arm bumpers to come in I ordered and received a tool to install bearing races and seals. The front wheel seals are really very flimsy and after turning a couple of them into pretzels with my trusty two by four I ordered an installer tool which worked very nicely on the cheap ass seals.
Finishing Up the Front Suspension
Okay, now I am going to start work on the dash board remodel and start installing the engine, transmission and drive shaft. I am going to have to have the dash in place when I start running the wiring and begin to hook stuff up. I really need to sit down and put some parts orders in, I am beginning to see a dim light at the end of the tunnel!
No More Back Stepping!