Shock removal on a 1930 Model 68.

[michaelod]

I am attempting to remove the shocks on my 1930 Model 68 and am having some difficulty removing them. Specifically I am unable to remove the shock link from the lever arm? I have removed the nut on the end, but appearently this is not enough. What is the trick to removing these?

Thanks,

[Dwight Romberger]

Hi Michael,

I also had trouble removing the bolt.

I removed the cotter pin and backed the X nut halfway out of the shock link. The ball on the bolt slid out of the socket and I was able to remove the shock.

I didn't see any reson in removing the bolt from the lever, so I left it in. I am going to send it to the rebuilder that way.

By the way, that frame looks VERY clean! Are you sure that's the same car?

Dwight

Edited April 18, 2010 by Dwight Romberger
cotter "pin" not cotter "key" (see edit history)

[michaelod]

Dwight,

Thanks for that tip; it was just what I needed to remove the shocks. I put a long screwdriver in that 'X' lengthwise and reefed on it quite a bit before those caps began to loosen. With all the torque I was applying the screwdriver was right on the edge of breaking but they eventually began to free themselves up. Looks like those joints had not been lubricated since the car was new. Once I got the front shocks off I worked the lever some just to get an idea if they were still working and I got zero resistance. Not good at all. One of the fronts has quite a bit of end play in the lever as well so I sure hope they are still rebuildable. Tomorrow I will remove the rear shocks.

I am sending mine out to a guy in California who tells me that these are the very same shocks they restored for a Duesenberg. That is little comfort as he is charging Duesenberg prices to restore them; nearly $1600 for the set of four. I believe that your car basically uses the same set as mine but on a smaller scale. In any case the cost to restore either set is the same, so I imagine you will be feeling the pain as well.

The frame and chassis are making progress. I am about 80% done with the clean up and will be ready for paint probably next autumn. I am going to strip the entire car prior to any paintwork on the chassis, as I will just end up making a mess on the chassis if I paint it prior to stripping the body. I would have gone with a body off restoration, but due to storage issues and the fact that I am doing the entire job alone, it just was not practical. Given those constraints, I am trying to do the very best job I can. I actually think that it would have been easier to remove the body shell than try to work around it as I am doing.

Thanks,

[Dwight Romberger]

Hi Michael,

I am sending mine to Apple Hydraulics in NY, but the price is the similar. I remember now that after I took the shocks off, I put the nut back on, inserted the ball between the open jaws of a vice and one solid blow on the nut removed the bolt from the lever.

Just a reminder, there is a cotter pin holding the "X' nut. I soaked the nut several times over a few days with PB Blaster, but it was still difficult to remove.

Don't do what I did. I drove the car for a few miles around home without the shocks. I remember hitting a very solid bump. I am sure that is how I broke the front spring.

I am finally turning the corner and starting to reassemble. I intalled new rain drip edge today. The doors are back on and I will reinstall the rebuilt engine next week. Then I can shoot the final paint. I think if I knew then what I know now, I would have bought a restored car. The restoration process has been interesting and certainly challenged my mechanical talents, but I cannot say it has been enjoyable. I am much more talented with a circular saw and a nail gun. Plus, it looks like I will have $30-35,000 in this car when it is finished.

Keep up the good work!

Dwight

Edited April 18, 2010 by Dwight Romberger (see edit history)