For the first time since my left U-Joint self-destructed the GT6+ is running
again. I spent this weekend putting the repaired axle back on, and fixing the
handbrake.
When the Ujoint gave way, it took the rear handbrake cable with it. I
thought, "how hard can that be to replace?" Ha!
Putting the axle back on was the usual, with the hardest part getting the
vertical link reconnected to the leaf spring. I've decided that before I do
this again, I'm going to make one of the tools described in the Haynes manual
to compress the spring. I did my usual jacking up the spring, using ratchet
extensions. Got that on, and got the flange bolted to me differential output
flange, and all was going well.
Then came time to put on the handbrake cable. This was a bear! The cable is
very stiff braided cable, and it has to make a sharp bend around a guide,
with holes on each end of it. Because of the threaded ends, you can't feed it
directly to where it has to go. I finally figured out that the best way was
to pull the cable through one hole, then loop it to make a 90-degree bend,
then put it through the other hole. After that it isn't too hard to
straighten the cable out. This is all much harder than it sounds, since
access up there is quite limited by the diff and the exhaust pipe, and other
stuff. It was a challenge, and stuff was falling on me the whole time.
I removed the car's rear anti-sway bar, which is a huge 7/8", and put on new
rear shocks. The car rides much better. I'm anxious to take it out on the
road tomorrow and get a feel for it.
Now I'm going to pull the Spitfire's axles and put new Ujoints on them, just
to be sure!
Larry
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