I finished putting the entire front suspension and steering gear together on Fathers Day 2004. As can be seen in the pictures are the Hotchkis 1907F two-inch-drop springs and the ADDCO 1" solid sway bar. The shocks are cheap AC Delco pieces for now. The spindles are the originals painted with POR Metal Mask. It looks good but I would have preferred silver for a shinier finish, so I painted the steering box, center link and steering arms silver.
The picture of the sway bar bushing clamps shows how I had to modify the end that mounts towards the spring pockets on the subframe. Oh, and whoever said it was easy to install a sway bar while the frame is bare was lying! I had a hell of a time getting it past the lower control arms at full droop. I probably would have had an easier time if I had removed the upper arms bump stops in order to let the suspension droop more. FUN!!
To the right is s hot of my home made bushing press for the lower a-arm bushings. I bored a 1.25" hole in a piece of 2x4 so the bushing would fit through it, clamped everything in the vice and they pressed right in.
But truying to get the lower a-arm bushing shells in was just a BIT too much for the vice..... POW!! Snapped it in half. Always buy the strongest, largest tools you can afford the FIRST time.
August 17th, 2004
To the right you'll see a couple shots of the Camaro as it sits WITH WHEELS ON the front!! I finally dropped it off the jackstands after 5 years in August of 2004!!
Below that pic is a shot of the '73 Nova rearend after painting and re-assembly on Ausgust 26th. Still just an 8.5" 3.08 geared peg-leg. I have to say that it was the most labor intensive piece to clean, blast and paint due to massive and deep rust.. It goes in next!!
September 4th, 2004
The Camaro is now "ROLLING" on all four wheels! The parts that come with the 2407C Hotchkis springs worked and fit great. I didn't use the lower pads.... instead I used the 1/8" plates below the springs and the massively beefy 1/2" U-bolts they supply. A little tweaking on the aftermarket multileaf spring \ shock brackets and she went in like butter! Well, almost!
Now.... on to the body!
Aug. 17, 2004
Sept. 4th 2004
