Binders and wiggle sticks

Put on the splash shields, built up the rotor assemblies, set the bearing preloads, loaded and placed the calipers, got the new hoses installed, reinstalled the master cylinder, bench bled the sucker, placed the idler carriers, slapped in the idlers, drag link, center link, pittman arm, set up the tie rod assemblies off the original dimensions, tied the spindles to the drag link, got the wiper motor assembly installed....and installed the front engine isolators and adapter brackets.
....whew.

yup, I put them on backwards, twice....

pack your bearings the old fashion way

new preload nut and safety washer

i hate the bend radius on the hoses, but thats what mama MoPar intended, it relaxes when theres weight on the wheels

idlers drag and center

powdercoated idler horns

energy suspension red poly grease boots!

m/c bench bled

oooooooohhhh, i like you in red boots

blessed by pbr

ready for a 360

powdercoated isolator brackets

new wiper motor and hardware

Chrysalis

Started reassembly of the front suspension/ steering.

Installed line clips, steering box, built the control arm assemblies up and then put in the springs, shocks, bumpers, torque struts and spindles.

Got rugburn on my knees from all the crawling around. Its worth it.

Every threaded interface gets a judicious coating of nickel antiseize and each polyurethane surface gets a coat of silicone grease....every bolted interface gets torqued to factory specs.

eggnog and balljoints!

The balljoint press is a godsend.

soft jaws do come in handy

And they thread right back in....

subassemblies

new box located

haha! dangly parts

Fresh cadmium on the bushing flanges

antiseize the world!

fresh nickel on the torque strut caps

the upper bj dust boot was the biggest bitch to install...

and the uppers even torqued back up

censored by control

Next up.... steering links, stoppers and harnesses

Shiny Innards

step 1. Grab a beer

step 2. Start masking, drink beer

step 3. Continue masking, drink beer

step 4. Prep for paint. Feel weird from solvents, drink more beer

step 5. Huh? My ears are ringing...

Step 6. Now, while you've still got motor function, start priming....and have a beer

Step 7. Rust encapsulating underbody coating goes next, learn to embrace the nervous twitch the chemicals have given you. Use it to your advantage.

Step 8. Rest spray trigger finger. Seriously. ...'cause yer gonna need it for the firewall coming up next.

Step 9. Go back over all the spots you missed from step 4 thru 8.
Twice. Buy more beer.

Step 10. Prep chassis for sealing coat, drinking beer again....more acetone, more shakes, more hallucinations

Step 11. Admit that you have an OCD complex and there is no reason to go this overboard with chassis protection. Have another beer. Go pee.

Step 12. Steal the electric radiator heater from your marital bedroom to warm the chassis.

Step 13. Apply first coat of chassis black, channeling Van Gogh with your brushstrokes.

Step 14. Wait. Do it all again tomorrow.