Re: Henry's 55 Constellation

Posted by HH56 On 2008/9/18 18:10:46

For my 2 cents, media blasting would be a better option because there are so many things you are not going to be able to remove without unloading the bars or making some kind of non accidentally moving long term chain holder for the front--the entire front suspension for starters. It's a given or Murphy's law that something important or expensive left on will be damaged by the chemicals.

Some judicious masking to keep media out of bearings and other areas plus a soft media and some grunt labor to take car of what the blaster can't do and I think you would have a very presentable car and one that you or it isn't damaged by trying to remove something improperly or having it destroyed by dipping.

You're still going to have to get the tension of the short bars off the compensator gear & motor assy so that it can be removed however. I would not want to send that to the blaster.

Normally, as the book shows, neutral no load will be with the ends around 1/2 inch toward center of car. As the car sits now, I believe the bars will want to try and spread apart at the ends so instead of pointing toward center, each will probably be several degrees the other way.

One possible way to take the tension off is to run the motor a bit at a time and stopping every little bit to feel the transverse links. You should be able to feel when the tension has relaxed because the bars will be able to twist a bit in sockets. At that point, a lot can be removed probably even including the short bars. If you run all the way to limit switch and still tension, then maybe place a block of wood between frame and lever link to stop any further movement. At that point work the motor so the gearbox and transverse links are unloaded & can be removed--just be careful not to force against the wood. The short bars and wood will have to stay in place though.