Off season Aspen projects have begun

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,759
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
Yes, they are split. Heck of a thing to get on the bar. Ended up using a nylon wedge tool to help spread them apart and brute strength. They finally went on. I'm still working with my right hand which only has about 25% of normal strength yet, but it's improving every day(!) With two fully functional hands, would have been easier.

Note to self: Always wear nitrile gloves when working with the poly bushing lube. That stuff is very sticky, can't be wiped off, and is almost impossible to wash off. I guess that's the idea behind it though.
 

volare 1977

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2021
Messages
413
Reaction score
68
Location
maryland
Good to know. Thanks
Note to self: Always wear nitrile gloves when working with the poly bushing lube. That stuff is very sticky, can't be wiped off, and is almost impossible to wash off. I guess that's the idea behind it though.
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,759
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
Yesterday i got nowhere with the shackle bushings. Heart just wasn't in it for some reason. Today, different story. The poly bushings are in and it's all back together minus the tires. In a couple weeks I'll be back to work so then can mount the new M/T's. I hadn't realized just how much tread was worn off the rear tires. They're down to about 5/32". No idea how that could have happened in roughly 3,000-3,500 miles, lol. Front tires are mostly at 8/32" except on the inner edge where they're almost smooth. The cause of that has since been fixed with the TSB control arm bracket shims. As for the cause of the rapid wear on the rear tires, there is no solution;)
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,759
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
At long last, I made a trip down to the shop I work at this morning, and mounted the rear tires. I mean mounted the new tires on the wheels, not actually mount the tires, lol. Next weekend (or after work during the week) hope to get the fronts done also. No rush, the way the weather is going for the foreseeable future, I've got plenty of time. :(

DSC00735.JPG
 

Oldiron440

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Messages
3,048
Reaction score
739
Location
Iowa
If your mountain tires you’ve been a bachelor too long.
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,759
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
Got the Aspen out for the first time this year and went on a 5 mile test drive. With the poly shackle and sway bar bushings along with the new M/T tires, it's like driving a whole different car. Made a huge improvement. Got rid of the squishy feeling and going around curves doesn't require constant steering correction now. Happy camper (actually I HATE camping, lol).

Plus, all the rattle chasing this winter in the dash and passenger seat did the trick. Not a single squeak or rattle anymore. Makes a car nicer to drive without constant annoying rattles.
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,759
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
Got the car out early this morning and filled up with fresh fuel. Ouch, $5.09/gal. Took the long way back home and got to test the traction of the new tires. I'd guess they have double that of the BFG's. Money well spent I'd say!
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,759
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
A blast from the past. Going through boxes of photos from my parents house, ran across this one of my Aspen. Date says June 1994. It was at a show down in Cedar Creek (about 5 miles south of my house). That's the nicest woman who ever lived (my mother) in the pic so, assume my dad (the nicest man who ever lived) took it.

Faded out Sublime green that became the puke green/piss yellow color after only 2 years. That'll teach me to buy cheap a$$ paint. Acme brand, should have known, meep-meep, lol.

20221217_060014.jpg
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,759
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
Ran across another pic of my Aspen from many moons ago. This appears to be right after fixing the custom by crunch damage and doing the original 225 to 440 swap. First hood turned out to be tweaked and unuseable but I hadn't removed the SE trim and painted the one on the car in the pic yet. That one fit fine. No date stamp on the photo but it would have to be summer 1989.
That's dad's '74 Gold Duster in the background, parked along the street for some unknown reason.
20230702_172032.jpg
 
Back
Top