RobertP
Member
I'm located in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
I have been working on a '78 Diplomat since 1992 (purchased new in 1978) when I started what eventually became a sympathetic restoration; - mechanical work, body, paint, re-assembly. The project moved with us 4 times between 1997 and 2017, finally landing on my four post lift with the intent of getting back at it again. Ya I know, 30+ years is a long time to have something pulled apart. It's all organized, inventoried and documented now. I started gathering parts to complete the vehicle in 1989. Today I have all the parts needed to put it back together the way it looked the day it was bought. Bright work, mouldings, door gaskets, front trim, etc.
The project was placed on hold several times (no kidding!) because 'Life' got in the way while I was planning to finish it. I do most certainly have a plan. However, I do not want to take the next step of removing the K-member and front suspension on my own. Plan is to replace all the bushings in the front end, and later replace all the bushings in the rear suspension. All this would be done with the engine suspended between the fender aprons. I've played this whole move in my head a number of times and I know exactly how I will pull the K-member.
As I said, Life has a habit of getting in the way and at 77 it might not go back together as a rolling, driving chassis without some initial help.
So that's what I need, a couple of experienced, mechanical guys - a band of brothers and a Saturday / Sunday (before it gets too cold to work with the garage open) for 4 hours to lower the K-member so that I can strip, clean, and paint it, along with the suspension pieces. Then I can raise the member back into the body, and re-install the suspension piece by piece. Removal probably won't take 4 hours because I will loosen the body mounts to make sure it will release from the body before removal.
There is one hitch in this call for help; - anyone willing to help should ideally be living in Canada now. With the current tensions between Canada and the US, anyone crossing the border could easily be blocked from entering Canada.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
Robert
I have been working on a '78 Diplomat since 1992 (purchased new in 1978) when I started what eventually became a sympathetic restoration; - mechanical work, body, paint, re-assembly. The project moved with us 4 times between 1997 and 2017, finally landing on my four post lift with the intent of getting back at it again. Ya I know, 30+ years is a long time to have something pulled apart. It's all organized, inventoried and documented now. I started gathering parts to complete the vehicle in 1989. Today I have all the parts needed to put it back together the way it looked the day it was bought. Bright work, mouldings, door gaskets, front trim, etc.
The project was placed on hold several times (no kidding!) because 'Life' got in the way while I was planning to finish it. I do most certainly have a plan. However, I do not want to take the next step of removing the K-member and front suspension on my own. Plan is to replace all the bushings in the front end, and later replace all the bushings in the rear suspension. All this would be done with the engine suspended between the fender aprons. I've played this whole move in my head a number of times and I know exactly how I will pull the K-member.
As I said, Life has a habit of getting in the way and at 77 it might not go back together as a rolling, driving chassis without some initial help.
So that's what I need, a couple of experienced, mechanical guys - a band of brothers and a Saturday / Sunday (before it gets too cold to work with the garage open) for 4 hours to lower the K-member so that I can strip, clean, and paint it, along with the suspension pieces. Then I can raise the member back into the body, and re-install the suspension piece by piece. Removal probably won't take 4 hours because I will loosen the body mounts to make sure it will release from the body before removal.
There is one hitch in this call for help; - anyone willing to help should ideally be living in Canada now. With the current tensions between Canada and the US, anyone crossing the border could easily be blocked from entering Canada.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
Robert
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