Re: IML: Getting '65 ready for the Nats/ Wowy Zowy & Ouch!

[RandalPark@xxxxxxx]

Hmmmm, this really does sound like back yard mechanics. Guess that we all are forced into that from time to time, but welding the center bearing support bracket? 

A couple of things caught my attention. 

First, the shocks will not be enough to solve the problem with the sagging rear end. If this is to be fixed right, the car should have new rear leaf springs. It also sounds like the shocks are not the correct ones for the car. They can be special ordered. Rear shocks are easier to find the front ones. Rear leafs are not that difficult to come by and can always be made up at a spring shop.

The drive shafts should be able to be disassembled without loosening up the rear axle. I think that the shop manual explains that to do this, simply drop the rear of the drive line at the differential. I have done this at least twice, but not on my '65. I realize that it may have different u-joints than previous models, but should come apart the same way. 

What has been done to the center bearing in the interest of making a "long trip" would concern me more than anything else about this so far. The center bearing support bracket is not impossible to get and should run around $100.00. The only one that is really difficult to find is the one for convertible models, which is special and unique.

I have found that if I am going to fix something, the only way to fix is correctly, or not at all. I think our male brains often refuse to admit defeat even when it only means waiting a couple of days for a new part. I think that the biggest clue about something not going right here would have been the rag catching on fire in the pants pocket.

Finally, any doubts about the brakes, even if it is only on one side of the car, means that a complete brake job should be done.

Paul

 In a message dated 7/26/2004 8:59:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time, William Parker <parkerw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

>Well I'm having a lot of fun, sort of. ?We decided it was
>time to give the Imperial its turn to go to the Nats. ?Ever
>since buying it on eBay in '99 I've just driven it, doing
>the necessary things to keep it going such as new battery &
>tires, and not really looking too closely underneath. ?I
>picked up a bunch of parts over the last week such as hoses,
>belts, timing chain and gear, gaskets, etc, and got her up
>on the lift Saturday to get started. ?The first thing I
>wanted to do was install the new "Sensa-trac" rear shocks,
>with spring assist. ?The tail drags even with no load, and I
>want to be able to haul parts back and forth, and eventually
>make use of the heavy trailer hitch installed by a prior
>owner to tow our pop up. ?Ran into a problem immediately, in
>that one of the lower shock mounting studs had the threaded
>part broken off; it had been drilled out and tapped for a
>1/4X20 bolt which with a fender washer had held everything
>together. ?I pulled a mounting plate from a '62 Fury parts
>car and cleaned it up and painted it, and put it on. ?Next,
>the shocks proved to be about 2 inches short of reaching
>when the springs were fully unloaded. ?It was a simple
>matter to raised the rear end enough to get them mounted up
>but I don't like having the travel limited like that, so I'm
>going to double check with NAPA today to make sure they got
>me the right parts for an Imperial, if so I guess I'll
>assume that they've been found to work OK. ?
>
>Then I went probing at the driveshafts. ?The center carrier
>had the rubber holding on only about 1/2 of its
>circumference, which I hated to trust for a 600 mile round
>trip on the interstate. ?I pulled everything apart (needed
>to unbolt both the shock plates and pry the rear backwards
>off the pins an inch or so, much harder to do with those
>Imperial upper torque arms in place). ?I'm not sure where to
>go to get a replacement center bearing carrier on short
>notice, so for now, I welded strap around it, permanently
>and solidly joining the two halves and making the rubber
>redundant. ?I hope I'm not going to have unbearable
>vibration doing this, I guess I'll find out later. ?On the
>good side, a previous owner apparently had the U joints
>replaced, all were tight and a couple obviously fairly new. 
>The center bearing seemed smooth and well lubed also. ?In
>this whole procedure the only casualty was the shop rag in
>my pocket which I set on fire from dripping flaming rubber
>while welding on the carrier. 
>
>Next I checked the rear brakes. ?Both bleeders broke loose
>OK after a 24 hour soaking with Kroil. ?The driver's side
>has nearly new shoes, while the pass side has old, cracked,
>and worn ones. ?Argh! ?How could someone do that! ?The shoes
>come as an axle set for goodness sakes. ?After adjustment,
>they are making even contact so I may leave them until
>returning unless I find extra time. ?
>
>The front brakes will need some attention. ?ONe hose has
>been replaced with a too-short one, and to compensate, the
>mechanic or previous owner just removed the hard line clip
>from the bracket and let the assembly float in the bracket. 
>The other hose is cracked, so I'll check today and see if
>new ones can be had in time.
>
>Maybe soon I'll finally get to work on the timing set, I
>don't want to make a long trip with a nylon gear ready to
>shread or a chain ready to snap.
>
>Some good news, the underside of the body is very solid,
>with only one small area of inner trunk extension trying to
>rust through, so I guess I could have looked underneath much
>earlier and allayed my fears of rustout.
>
>
>Bill Parker, South Central Indiana
>'56 Chrysler Windsor; '60 Chrysler Saratoga; '62 Plymouth
>Max Wedge; '64 Dart Convertible (Kathi's car); '65 Imperial;
>'65 Barracuda \6 (Kathi's other car);'68 Barracuda Fastback
>340-S; '69 Barracuda Fastback now 360 (20 y.o. son's car);
>'72 Cuda 340
>
>
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