The last items are the fuel...
The last items are the fuel and vapor lines from the engine bay. Unbolt the clamps and they can usually be angled out, or leave them for later when everything else is clear.
Axle-Otomy
I wasn't there when the guys at Chrysler's Lynch Road assembly plant were hanging rear axle assemblies under Mopars going down the line, but it's a pretty good bet that they weren't spearing them between the leaf springs and the frame. More likely, the rear suspension, axle, and brakes were pre-assembled and the whole unit bolted in as the car rolled by. Once the ancillary connections are freed-up, pulling the entire assembly is a one shot deal, requiring only a floor jack to drag the whole mess out.
The Wheel Deal
One of the problems with full disassembly is that hulking unit body left lying around. What do you do, drop it on a stack of old tires? Got a forklift handy for moving it across the shop or onto the trailer to various shops? Keeping it mobile is one of the reasons most home rebuilders are reluctant to dismantle beyond the rolling chassis. The trick is to wheel-up that bulky body for the utmost in mobility. We designed a set of bolt-on brackets and wheels which made maneuvering the bare body a snap.
Un-Motor-Vated
Probably the most satisfying part of the whole job was dropping the engine. What's that, you say, don't you mean pulling the engine? No, it's dropping. The factory pre-assembled the drivetrain to the K-member and bolted the works under the car in one hit. Reversing that procedure saves mega time pulling the engine, trans, suspension, and steering out in one piece from under the chassis. Here's how we get it done with just the basic shop tools.
The frames are sturdy 11/44-inch steel plate. The tube sections are 2-inch and 251/416-inch heavy wall chrome moly. At the top left is the rear wheel, a fixed caster with a socket section, and a set screw to lock it to the riser section (top center). The mounting bracket (top right) is made of a steel plate with studs matching the spring hanger holes in the body. The mounting bracket is finished with a tube section socket and a set screw to accept the riser.
At the bottom is the front wheel assembly, made as a swivel caster by angling the tube 45 degrees. The mounting bracket is made of 11/44-inch plate to bolt to the front bumper mount holes, and has a tube section welded on to accept the riser. Set screw nuts are welded to the socket sections to lock off the risers as required. The socket sections of the front and rear mounting brackets have a stop (made from a short length of the riser tubing) welded to the top inside the I.D. to prevent the possibility of the riser tube sliding through. The socket section of the front caster also has a stop welded inside, to give the riser a square surface to slide against as the caster swivels (see photo).
First jack the rear up, and...
First jack the rear up, and support the body with jackstands under the frame rails. Rear removal begins with the parking brake cables. Unhook them from the main cables by looping the ball ends out of the connectors and then pulling the clips that anchor them to the body (arrow).
Roll a floorjack under the...
Roll a floorjack under the rear and jack it slightly to unload the suspension of the weight of the axle with the body still resting securely on the jackstands. Unbolt the rear shackles.
Next, the brake hose to the...
Next, the brake hose to the rear is disconnected and unclipped.
The driveshaft is unbolted...
The driveshaft is unbolted from the rear's input yoke and slipped out of the tranny.
The shocks are unbolted from...
The shocks are unbolted from the rear crossmember, holding the nut through the access hole in the trunk. Dig the vintage set of Hi-Jacker air shocks on this ride. Once unbolted at the top, swing the shocks down, clear of the crossmember.
The shackles will usually...
The shackles will usually need to be pried out a little at a time, top and bottom, with a crowbar. The jack needs to be set so there is no weight on the shackle.
With the back half unhooked,...
With the back half unhooked, move up to the front and unbolt the front spring hanger. Hose down the nuts with WD-40.
To keep the disassembled body...
To keep the disassembled body mobile we designed and welded a set of brackets and wheels to mount to the 'Cudas' shell. In the rear, we made brackets which bolt on to the spring hanger mount, which in turn connect to a fixed caster. In the front, our mounting point is the bumper bolt holes in the front frame longitudinals. With some sleight-of-hand with chop saw and arc welder we ended up with.these custom brackets and casters. The wheels are 10-inch diameter pneumatic tires, which are a big advantage over solid caster wheels for rolling over uneven surfaces or onto a trailer.
Drop the jack and the whole...
Drop the jack and the whole assembly rolls out.