So this period of monkeyfuckery started awesome, when I discovered that hzjwhatevers use a different size spring pin on the rear...which ate up half a day turning some bushings and cover plates to adapt the old pins.
From the "things that should take 5 minutes, but instead take 5 hours" folder.
At various points during this I had to get a beer and go zen the **** out and do something else. Mostly removing 3 layers of peeling red enamel from my antique drill press...which begs the question, who the **** puts 3 layers of red enamel on a drill press? My guess, it was the guy who didn't want his boss recognizing it if he ever visited his home shop.
Basically I wanted to roll the rear axle under and see how things were going to work out. It will work, but the 60 springs are a bit marginal. Ideally I'd find springs that are about 54-56"long with the pin in the middle, but I think I'll give this a go for now. If the axle being this far forward pisses me off, I'll get longer springs and maybe a 4speed 60 driveshaft to bump it back a bit more. Phase 2 maybe...
That white lump of wood is 5' long, which is about what I'm thinking the box will be. ( the black rag is masking the extra 6"which I don't want to cut off ...need it for window trim
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I need to make some new spring perches anyways as the 45 ones are too close together, so I'll make them an inch or two longer and put a few center pin holes in them so I can have some leeway later on. Ends up bumped right up to the pin. The cart is a little bit in the way at this point , because I have the driveshaft clamped in, and it's sitting on the back edge of the cart, so I don't get full movement, but I think I'm close.
Not sure if these springs are worth wasting a set of ubolts on, but I probably have some old ones I can temporarily throw on there for testing.
it's funny, I found this old pic of when I put the 5speed in moutard, using science and a specially calibrated fingernail, I'm pretty sure I'm within a half inch of the engine's for and aft position.
Anyone need some 45 stock drum brake s***? pads are pretty thick. I'll be doing ye olde disc conversion again...think this is my 3rd time doing it, but it is what it is. I seem to get into scenarios where I'm backing heavy trailers down steep ass hills with either cliffs or lakes (or both) at the bottom lately, and standing on the 61's brake pedal barely stops it. It's freakin terrifying, and I'd like to avoid that with this thing. Rear discs work waaay better in reverse. 1/4 the pedal effort to hold position.
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