Well... slowly putting back together. I made a tough decision and I purchased a new lower control a-arm. The one on line had to much rust pitting and I could not do it. I ended up with the one on Camaro Central that had the bushings and ball joint together. As time goes by and I find another lower control a-arm, then I'll get it. It's tough too, since it's an early model 68. It turns out that there is a difference in the design between the lower control arms, even in the 68's. .... I'm just waiting for my parts so I can finish up the suspension. Not much else to report. Have more next time.

 

Well I learned a hard lesson this week. If anyone knows any different, but all the reproduction lower control arms for the 67-69 is a bunch of BS. If any of you are looking for a reproduction, don't get it. All the web sites sell the same product and turns out that the lower control arm only fits the 67 and 69. It does not work on the 68's due to the location of the holes for the bumper. Unless you want to drill out your own holes, don't bother. Oh, and comes with a crappy ball joint and there are no welded square nuts for the shock mounting. The holes are not even threaded, so you have to use a bolt and nut to fasten the lower section of the shock. So when the web site says that this new lower control arm replaces GM Part # 3960359 perfectly, it does not. Good luck since I just bought the only used original on line (that I could find) for an early model 68'. Done... my rant for the day.

 

Boy, I hope Ricky is the exception to the rule... I know they waited several weeks to get lower control arms, and maybe this is why. They just said at the time that they were on backorder. I think I posted a pic of the new sub-frame with upper arms and disc brakes installed, but no springs, shocks and lower arms. In any event, please let me know what to look out for as I drive off into the sunset, equipped with whatever after-market they found and made work. I do bear in mind that these guys are "creators in metal", and if there were issues, they undoubtedly muttered to themselves and just fixed them. I will talk to them about this, but in my case, there was no choice.

So what was it about the ball joints that was crappy? Can you be specific, so I know what to watch for?

By the way, I hope you saw that I answered your request for an upload of my task list. Makes you choke a bit when you really think about it all. Boys and their toys...

 

1 st Gen.... I'm trying to restore to original parts, so I'm being picky on my parts. I've include a pic of your subframe and engine with a note. Hard to see, but the lower control arms you have are for a '69. The '69 has the bumper at the front of the lower arm (can't see in this pic... and look back at the image of my previous post again) The two holes for the bumper on the lower control arm for a '68 are at the back of the arm as I point out. I don't see the bumper or the holes in this pick, so......? Maybe for you it does not matter, but does for me.



As for the ball joint, the back casing that contains the grease is a cheap metal and is small compared to the diameter of the entire joint. Ones I've installed have a thick protective casing. I would think one hit from something in the road would damage the casing. Below is a pick of the cheap ball joint. Well... I think it is. If you have one, I would inquiry about the quality.

 

OK, understood. I'll crawl under the car next time I'm down, just to see what's what. HOWEVER, I'm not in the luxury position you occupy, of "originality". If that were my criteria, Ricky would be in the process of becoming Chinese steel, complete with massive amounts of rust. To date, he has a restoration sub-frame, control arms, rear ring & pinion & differential, new rear quarter panels, new left rear inner fender, new front fenders & grill, new body pan, new fuel tank and lines, many new 396 parts, my Muncie (already had it), new Hurst shifter, new flywheel/clutch/pressure plate, new front disc brakes, new master brake cylinder, rebuilt power steering gear, new heater assembly, new front bumper & brackets (he came to me with no front bumper), and I'm reasonably sure that is an incomplete list. Your insistence on originality is wonderful, and I really truly approve. That is just not a path that was open to me. So, the market has supplied me with inferior control arms. Too bad for me, but I'm reasonably sure I'll still smile as I pilot this elegant toy down the road in rude, crude style. In fact, I'm smiling now, as I imagine that time to come.

By the way, were you successful in viewing my task list? And if so, did it help?

 

Yeah, that control arm will be just fine for your car. I was going to use it, but it would be one of those things stuck in the back of my head . Then later on wished that I had installed the GM part. So stuck with my gut and now waiting for the other part.

I did print out... Thank you. I've go a lot of notes and need to through and organize, but defiantly adds to my list.

Thank you very much.

 

One word would be my guess.........China?

 

I am braving the rebuild of my steering gear box. Actually going well. Got the gear box fully dismantled and cleaned, removed the bearing races from the bearing adjuster and cast body and now waiting on the rebuild kit in the mail. If any one is interested, it's a Manual 525 Saginaw gear box with cast #5671942. This one was built in November of 1967. I found a good web link that give a step by step. https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/hp...ng-box-rebuild The rebuild kit I got is the RK550 from Midwest Steering. This kit has the brass pitman shaft bushing with groove that matches original and no cutting the bushing for this kit as described in the tutorial link. Lots of loose bearings, so keep close track of them all.

 

Done... rebuilt. One issue though, the pitman arm sleeve that came with the rebuilt kit had the wrong inside diameter. It fit great in the cast, but once I put the pitman arm gear in, was to big. My frustration went through the roof and was not happy. Looked on line and could not find any information on the inner diameter of the sleeve on other kits. Thus I put the old sleeve back in (good thing I took great care in removing, always got to have a backup). Still work out great, nice and smooth with no play.... Banged up the pain a little working on it, so will need a little touch up... other wise very happy.

 

I finished the assembly of the sub-frame suspension & steering and working on torque specs for all the nuts & bolts. As I was working on the end links for the sway bar, they just seem way to tight. The assembly manual calls out 15-20lbs. As you can see, its smashing the top bushing a lot. Also the bolt seems to long. Does anyone know if this is correct? (ignore the blue tape, that's just my way of marking locations the have already been torqued)