68R/T
I got drunk and swallowed my teeth, now
It's all about hooking the rods in the correct slot.
A12 - time to get busy
- Thread starter b-body-bob
- Start date
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I know that. The question is how do I wind them up without killing myself. I've seen home-made tools so I'm planning to try to copy that.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I've been searching on this ever since the car came back without the rods installed. Surprisingly there's not a lot of info. Probably because why would you take them out?
I made a version of this with 3/4" square tube that seems like it's going to work. Battery dead so no photos.
Mine doesn't have the curved part on it but I don't think it actually needs it either. My welding is pretty miserable though. Better said, my eyesight is pretty miserable. I can burn in a perfect bead in the wrong place 9 times out of 10.
I need to be inside the trunk to use it so that's on hold for a few.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
This is what I made to wind the bars
12" long, 3/4 square tube. I wish it was longer, but that's what I had.
The slot goes around the rod, then you rotate it around and the cross bar picks up the end of the bar so it can be wound to where it needs to be.
FWIW I was able to get the rods in the first slot by hand. It won't hold the trunk up there so I've gotta go tighter.
Also, if you put the little square plastic things on the end of the rod, and then the rod pops out while you've got it wound up, that plastic thing will absolutely disappear. So now I'm short one of those
With the rod in the first hole and positioned so it doesn't just pop out, the other end hits the hinge. I don't know what that was about, but it was dinner time so it can wait.
12" long, 3/4 square tube. I wish it was longer, but that's what I had.
The slot goes around the rod, then you rotate it around and the cross bar picks up the end of the bar so it can be wound to where it needs to be.
FWIW I was able to get the rods in the first slot by hand. It won't hold the trunk up there so I've gotta go tighter.
Also, if you put the little square plastic things on the end of the rod, and then the rod pops out while you've got it wound up, that plastic thing will absolutely disappear. So now I'm short one of those
With the rod in the first hole and positioned so it doesn't just pop out, the other end hits the hinge. I don't know what that was about, but it was dinner time so it can wait.
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RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Fun fun fun!!!
b-body-bob
Well-known member
Here's what I'm up against
When the trunk comes down, the rod moves back, and runs right into that piece that meets the wheel well.
I'm not sure what's going on. At one point I had to move it over that direction to get the rod to latch in on the other end. I'm still messing with it. It can't be anything that complicated.
When the trunk comes down, the rod moves back, and runs right into that piece that meets the wheel well.
I'm not sure what's going on. At one point I had to move it over that direction to get the rod to latch in on the other end. I'm still messing with it. It can't be anything that complicated.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
Well, I've got one in hole 2, the other in hole 1, and the hood stays open by itself now but it won't close because the rods still hit the hinge bracket.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I'm thinking the same thing but the dumb things were in there before, why not now?
The fun part is you have to take the bars back out to try anything different so it's back in the
The fun part is you have to take the bars back out to try anything different so it's back in the
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I might have the explanation.
There were pieces that filled in between the bottom of the hinge and the wheel well. Not the original ones, but some I got with a mini tub kit. These were similar but different than what was original, to allow for the 3" extra tub width. They aren't installed. Instead they pushed the hinge over to the tub for welding, and right in the way of the spring.
Right now my plan is to take about half the stick out off the end of the spring with a grinder.
There were pieces that filled in between the bottom of the hinge and the wheel well. Not the original ones, but some I got with a mini tub kit. These were similar but different than what was original, to allow for the 3" extra tub width. They aren't installed. Instead they pushed the hinge over to the tub for welding, and right in the way of the spring.
Right now my plan is to take about half the stick out off the end of the spring with a grinder.
68R/T
I got drunk and swallowed my teeth, now
That would be my plan.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
Got it.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
It's no consolation but I pried the socket out of the parking lamp housing and I still can't get the bulb to go in.
I don't know if I'm going to be able to hack anything worthwhile together or not. The trick's going to be getting the socket in the housing and grounded. If it wasn't for that I could just RTV any old socket in there.
I might end up having to do that anyway, and soldering a ground to the sockets.
I don't know if I'm going to be able to hack anything worthwhile together or not. The trick's going to be getting the socket in the housing and grounded. If it wasn't for that I could just RTV any old socket in there.
I might end up having to do that anyway, and soldering a ground to the sockets.