Top 5 worst A-body repairs/restoration jobs

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skep419

skep419

5.9 Magnum 4 speed afficionado
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Things that aren't that fun to get to,repair, etc.
Currently working on a power steering box that I botched and it got me thinking.

1. Dash removal
2. Rear window regulators
3. proportioning valve with the engine in.
4. steering box with the engine in.
5. headliner

Let's see your lists.
 
Last edited:
From your list I have only done the steering box. What a detailed job that was.
Remove front seat, Remove steering column. Under hood was disconnect headers, remove P/S pump, Battery and Tray. Than you can disconnect the steering box from pitman arm. Now those 3 bolts to remove the steering box than lift from the rear and roll over the top of the K member and remove. Now do everything in reverse order and your done. How easy does that seem?

Of course in the middle of all of this you cam clean and paint the drivers side of your engine compartment and sound deaden and insulate your interior because all that other work wasn't enough. But wait this is a hobby and we enjoy working on our Mopars.
Removing the dash scares the crap out of me.
 
Those are pretty rough. I prob wouldn’t do my oil pan gasket for my small block again without pulling the engine out. Removing the metal bushings from the upper and lower control arms can be a pain also.
 
For me was headers. These are the dynomax ceramic coated typical low hanging type. Never before had my dad and I installed any in a body. My dad did install a set on a 67 plymouth fury for a customer. That car had a 383 magnum. He said that those went in without much drama. My dart sport 360 was a pain! It came to the point where my dad asked if the headers I ordered were made to fit the dart! We were trying to put in from top!! There's no way. Finally after pulling engine up sky high pointing up like a rocket they finally went in.
 
After actually reading the instructions to the dougs d453 headers they weren't so bad to install. Taller jack stands would definitely help. Lower control arm bushings and stuck torsion bars could probably make the top 10.
 
Ugh , that damned left header on a power steering car or worse yet changing the steering gear . My top two worst . Once broke a stud flush while raising the engine to install that left header , then broke a drill in it which started chaos for the wallet.
 
skep419 said:
Things that aren't that fun to get to,repair, etc.
Currently working on a power steering box that I botched and it got me thinking.

1. Dash removal
2. Rear window regulators
3. proportioning valve with the engine in.
4. steering box with the engine in.
5. headliner

Let's see your lists.
Click to expand...
Is the dash that bad? I'm pretty sure i'll be removing my dash when I go to rewire my car and I figure it can't be as bad as any late model car i've done.
 
black954 said:
Is the dash that bad? I'm pretty sure i'll be removing my dash when I go to rewire my car and I figure it can't be as bad as any late model car i've done.
Click to expand...

can't get at the bolts without removing the windshield. (although I've heard its possible. once out you can cut the bolts down and flip the clips to bolt it from the bottom)
 
skep419 said:
can't get at the bolts without removing the windshield. (although I've heard its possible. once out you can cut the bolts down and flip the clips to bolt it from the bottom)
Click to expand...
Damn, I didn't know that! looks like my dash is staying in LOL
 
After removing the rear window regualtors it took me many days to get it all lined up again and seal.
 
dano said:
After removing the rear window regualtors it took me many days to get it all lined up again and seal.
Click to expand...

And your arms come out looking like this
main-qimg-f7e3d315f6d6b973bc7b045e467b38f9.jpg
 
Replacing both the upper and lower cowl which means the windshield has gotta come out which means the dash also has to come out as well as the A pillar trim and the steering column. It’s a fun and time consuming job!
 
1. Installing Cheap headers with the steering linkage ran through the primaries.
2. Wiring anything, add on or non, that touches the OEM wiring in any way.
3. reaching into the box of knives up under the dash for anything, as pointed out above.
4. Steering column and steering shaft adjustment/install.
5. Master cyl, brake lines, prop valve, anything there in the steering column to firewall area where they jammed everything they could from the factory.
 
Replacing power steering box, getting it out was bad, getting new one in, I would get it finagled around, didn't quite have enough oomph to get it up in place and hold it and get bolts started. Starter, have to finagle it around, then stand it on end and drop it out, but be sure to have your hand between the starter and concrete, so it smashes finger. Replacing blinker indicators in dash.
 
I stripped my dash to install a replacement dash pad in my 68 Monaco 500, worst job I have ever done. The car came with a cracked dash pad but a replacement was included.

Inside pad.JPG


Dash stripped.JPG


New Pad.JPG


Dash striiped windshield.JPG


Dash padinstalled.JPG
 
skep419 said:
Things that aren't that fun to get to,repair, etc.
Currently working on a power steering box that I botched and it got me thinking.

1. Dash removal
2. Rear window regulators
3. proportioning valve with the engine in.
4. steering box with the engine in.
5. headliner

Let's see your lists.
Click to expand...
Just remember, you will learn a couple things when you do a lot of this stuff. You will either learn how to do the job correctly and fix the problem or you will learn your limitations and figure out that some things are better left for the experts.
 
Front frame rail replacement is tedious and labor intensive.
Other peoples botched metal surprises are never fun.
I am not looking forward to reinstalling the rear windows/regulators.
I had a bear of a time trying to get the upper steering column back together. I lost the square nuts from mine, went to a buddies, he had the same issue with his and gave it to me. I figured it out and got a bonus column, but boy howdy was I aggravated
 
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