The weather in Bama today was WONDERFUL. 70ish and mostly sunny. I
have been inspired by the rise in gas prices to get my buy in gear.
While waiting for engine parts I decided to install the tranny mounts I
bought a couple years ago. I had to air all four tires up and push the
bug into my work shop to start the replacement. Of course I could never
have obtained this goal without the professional help of Zach my 4yr old
son. He sat in the car and yelled encouraging things to me as I pushed.
It worked!
Now with the bug in the work location, I chocked the front tires and
crawled under. I soon had all the bolts loose on the old shreaded
mounts. I thought I could just jack the tranny up and pop the old
mounts out. NOT!! Hmmm says I, I soon discovered that I needed to
remove the two LARGE bolts below the tranny that attach to the frame and
hold the cross member in place.
Someone has been busy packing dirt and grease and who knows what around
all those bolts and braces. The cross member must have had 20 pounds of
krud on it. I raked the large chunks off and gave it a bath in a 5
gallon buck of hot water and Greased Lightening. Worked great, just
needed a little elbow grease and a brush.
Now with a clean cross member and some fresh paint I started the
reassembly. I gave the 27mm bolts a drink of synthetic wheel bearing
grease (more like a really thick shake) to make sure in 40 more years
they still come out. Next, bolt the new German Rubber mounts to the
tranny with the writing and bumps to the rear as the originals were.
Not sure it matters but why not.
Lastly, jack the tranny up a little higher to help the crossmember to
get back into place. Started the 27mm bolts in and snugged up, lower
the tranny back into place on the new mounts. Installed the lower
mounting bolts for the crossmember, a few swings of the ratchet and
viola!! Now that looks good.
While under there, I scrapped a lot of krud from the frame horns and
other places that it had collected since 1968.
I keep forgetting to drag my dig cam out and document some of these
things. This is surely something that most people can do without much
help, as long as the engine is out anyway.
--
Terry B
AKA VDUBBS
Buggin in Bama
http://vdubbs64.tripod.com