Disassembly

2/5/10

And were off to the races!

I started with the battery and washer fluid access doors.

I made sure to measure where the rubber bumpers went since they don't mount with screws, just an adhesive backing. there's supposed to be three on each side, but there's only one on the right side.

You can see what I had to contend with, but surprisingly the bolts came out rather easily after I heated them with my propane torch. I had to use a 5/16" wrench, since the rust ate away some of the surface of the bolts, and an 8mm would have been too big. I had to use vice-grips on only one of the bolts, because it was rusted round.

I removed the hood next, I used the prop rod on the left side so it wouldn't fall when I took out the two bolts on that side, then held the hood up and took the other two bolts out of the right side. Then put the bolts back in the hinges so I don't lose them.

I made that look easy huh? It was... Just 4 14mm nuts, and viola! I used my 14mm swivel, and my air ratchet. 

Remove the 4 (2 on each) 12mm bolts that hold the horns on, then the 6 (3 on each) 14mm bolts for the bumper brackets. The welds on one of my nuts came loose so I just used a 17mm wrench on the back side and my impact on the other. 

I removed the hood spring by taking off the 6 (3 on each side) 12mm bolts that hold it on, then lifted it out as a unit.

Remove the signal trim pieces first (4 phillips), then remove 6 more phillips, three on each side of the grill, 2 of them can't be gotten to until you have removed the signal trim. I found a bent and broken flange on my grill. And broke my first bolt! Woo Hoo!

Mine didn't have wiper arms, so I didnt' have to remove them before removing the 4 phillips screws that hold the cowl. Then it's just a little pressure with the fingers and it comes right up. There are some tabs that hold it in place under the windshield, check for breakage.

This should be pretty self explanitory, remove the 2 phillips screws, and prize off. Don't forget to keep track of the clips! Notice how much dirt gets in these. Found the connector behind the horn bracket for the side markers and headlamps.

I had to drill the rivets out with a 1/8" drill bit. I broke one of my bits, damn it! She looks a lot sexier without all those edges. Now she's all curves.

And this is my parts bucket, where I put things as they come off. I also have a parts pile, where I put the things that aren't going back on, like the bumpers, and side trim pieces.

2/6/10

Today it's off with the fenders!

Ok, so the pics aren't uploading right... again. So I'll give an overview.

I started by removing the lower grill and roll pan I think I have a pic of this. The 2 pieces between the lower fenders that connect them to each other. 5 bolts and 3 phillips screws.

Then I took all the bolts out along the top of the fenders. One bolt at the top behind the door. 2 on the very bottom right in front of the door, and one inside the fenders on the inner fender splash shields, that was attached to the fender. Then gave it a wiggle and it came loose. About 16 bolts per fender.

Then removed the headlight assembly by removing 4 phillips screws. Then removed the lower fender panel 4 or 5 bolts, I forget exactly. Then three nuts that hold the headlight "cone" to the fender.

And here's the end result.

2/8/10

Today I took off the rear bumper, and bumper trim, and tail light assemblies.

There are 2 more fasteners on the bottom of the rear interior trim piece that I didn't get a picture of, because ther weren't on my car. They are near the floor board on each side.

I started by removing the interior trim along the back which consisted of  8 plastic rivets, you have to push the center of the rivets through first before you pull out the body of the rivet. Then I removed the 6 plastic rivets holding the taillight assemblies to the outter part of the body (gold arrows) and two screws that hold the top of the license plate frame.

I removed the 7 nuts holding the assembly to the body, saving the three washers and one plastic spacer that went on a couple of the studs. I disconnected the wiring (green arrow) and removed the assembly.

The rubber gasket stuck to the body so I used my scraper to gently "wiggle" it off and save it since it's in such good shape.

I then removed the 2 screws holding the license plate on, disconnected the license plate light and removed two more plastic push rivets, to get the plate bracket off.

I just used my hammer to break out the old plastic on the bumper trim, so I could gain access to the bolts.

The bumper was "not hard" to remove, a couple of 14mm nuts on each side, but one of them broke loose on the back side and just started spinning on me. So I cut a hole in the bumper to gain access to the bolt, and couldn't get on it with my vise grips, so I just tore the damned thing off with sheer manliness!

Once the bumper was off, it gave me easy access to the bumper trim pieces, which were all 12mm. I removed the tow hooks, trim center piece, and outter bumper plastics. Now all that's left is to remove the fuel tank so I can get the bumper mounts off. Fun, Fun!

2/9/10

After procrastinating for a few hours (didn't want to go out in that cold shop) I finally went out and fired up the heater, and put the car on jackstands. I removed the fuel door and the bolts holding the filler tube in place. Then got myself a rough idea of what I had to do to get the tank out.

On jackstands! I suppose I should get used to this view.

Found some rust in an interesting spot... wonder how I'm gonna git in there?

I'm really not looking forward to this... Can I call a mulligan?

2/11/10

Ok finally dropped the tank... most of the way. I have to get in there and find a way to disconnect a couple of hoses, so it'll come out completely. Right now it's just hanging.

I noticed a drain plug on the bottom of the tank... Nice! Though the stuff that came out wasn't so nice. I suppose I can use it to light off some brush piles we got laying around here at least.

And if the picture uploader was workin right, you'd see some pics of the tank hangin down, but alas, it's not.

2/14/10

Ok, got to the interior, pulled the doors, seatbelts, panels, antenna, seats, bumper brackets, and got the fuel tank the rest of the way out.

The doors were pretty simple, 5 12mm bolts and they came off, just left the hinges on the car for now.

The seats were easy to remove also, just 4 12mm bolts. I found a wallet under the drivers seat, No cash thought, darn.

Next were the seatbelts, four screws, that hold the plastic covers on (2 on each) and a total of 3 bolts for the shoulder harness, and one for the reciever end.

More plastic reatainers, and a couple of screws to remove the panels, and a plastic prybar to pop off the lower panel. Behind the passengers rear panel there is somekind of evap tank or something. that's why it's so bulged out.

The tank was easy enough, just had to remove 3 10mm bolts, and 4 hoses. Then removed the hoses from the filler neck, and the hoseclamps and jumped on the tank a few times to get it to drop the rest of the way out. Then I got the bumper brackets off.

There were 3 acorn nuts inside the car, and 2 or 3 bolts under the car that held on the bumper brackets, once they were out, it was a matter of wiggling them out throught the holes.

Had to have a shot of my bro. getting angry at a bolt!