Frankie the Fink

I'm about tired of looking at the cracked and crumbling rubber on these sombrero soft parts. Does anybody have JohnZ's magazine article on getting the crossmember off (I have access to a press) ?

I did some searching on here on the step-by-step but the pictures referred to in the threads were all photobucket and access is long gone

65tripleblack

Jack up a rear corner, flood the cushion area with PB Blaster, after letting it penetrate get a 5 foot pry bar in place and then let the car down onto the pry bar. Repeat for other corner.

Frankie the Fink

65tripleblack

I would think that the Shop Manual gives the steps involved. It's relatively intuitive to be sure.

Two more things:

If you decide to break loose both sides at the same time, be sure to install long bolts in the sombrero mount holes to act as safety stops which will prevent the entire assembly from abruptly hitting the floor when they break loose. The sombrero-to-frame contact points are metal-to metal, so a lot of PB Blaster will help. Multiple applications are better over course of a a few hours or so.

Be sure to fully torque the 4 spring-to-carrier bolts ONLY after full assembly and the weight of the car is fully on the spring. If you don't do this there is a risk of breaking one or more ears off the pumpkin rear cover when the spring stretches under load.

Frankie the Fink

Thanks - a forum member sent me the JohnZ article via email. This is the 'short method' that doesn't require the disassembly of the rear suspension and resetting the caster (as per the shop manual)...

rene-paul

I did my sombrero mounts a few years ago on my 63. I used the John Z article with a few mods. After removing the spring and half shafts and removing the tail pipe extensions and the muffler hanger and tying the mufflers outboard. Disconnect the camber control arms, aka, strut rods at the spindle support. Unbolt the camber control arm bracket from the carrier, store the unit. I removed the bolts that clamp the cross member to the frame and replaced them with a longer bolts. I used a long 2x4 and popped the sombrero's clear from the frame letting them rest on the longer bolts. I fabbed up a plate that bolted to the camber control bolt holes and mated to my small floor jack. Down it came no problems. Hope this helps.
BTW, One of my pet male Red Jungle Fowls that I raised from peep was under the car with me the whole time as a supervisor.
Brgds,
Rene

MOXIE62

If you get a chance snap a picture.

Chuck Gongloff

That's a ton of work for little "gain" IMHO.

Sometimes, those sombrero bushings don't "pop" off easily. Ask me how I know.

You're going to need to disassemble the entire rear end... remove the spring, strut rods, exhaust pipes, drive shaft, half shafts, etc. to get that X Member out...

Me? I'd close my eyes when I looked at the rubber. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Last time I did it was when I reinstalled my original 4.11 gears, replacing the 3.55's I had previously installed back in Maryland.

AND, I didn't change my sombreros. These are pics of when I took the 4.11's out, and put the 3.55's in back in Maryland.

I got to do it again after I moved to Florida.

Frankie the Fink

This is me not 'closing my eyes' - so you think this is alright ? I'm not so sure...if you read JohnZ's article he had a significant failure on one of these..

Chuck Gongloff

If it were me... seriously... I'd let it be.

Frankie the Fink

I haven't ordered any parts for the job yet....so I'll let it "cook" a while...

Sitting on the pier with enough Corona, cigars and Reggae music chanting, "....every little thing gwanna be awright" and my enthusiasm is quelled

BADBIRDCAGE

For Pete’s sake Frankie. For the 2,000 miles a year you will put on your car (being generous) back and forth to the cigar shop you will crack and fail long before those sombreros.

You have the right idea right now. Don a “Sombrero” sit on the pier with a good cigar and enjoy life.

Frankie the Fink

OK...but those cushions look like two bloodshot eyes every time I'm under the car...grrrr...

BADBIRDCAGE

Stay out from under the car.

Chuck Gongloff

Put on a rubber glove to keep your hands sparkly clean. Buy a tube of black RTV silicone sealer.

Using your finger.... SMEAR the RTV into the cracks. Take your time and make it smooth....

Then, forget about it for another 20 years.

Frankie the Fink

Blasphemy!

There are several purists that are now in the fetal position under their keyboards
I'm off to Ace Hadware

wmf62

One of my favorite 'tools'
Bill

65tripleblack

Silicone is too shinny (shiny?) to pass the NCRS smell test. I suggest adding carbon black too (to?) "dull it down". Think of it sorta like dulling down door jams (jambs?).

Maybe another way to cover the bloodshot eyes is with a few nice cans of spray undercoating.

Chuck Gongloff

The spray undercoating is a better idea, Joe. It would have the more correct shade of black, and would have the same "patina" as the rest of the chassis.

Roofing tar might be easier to apply, using a putty knife to work it into the nooks and crannies..

tbarb

Frank,

Chuck may know better than me but I don't like the way they look, I would pull that car into pit road and get um fixed.

Guess you can figure out what I'm watching. :-)