Had to break out the BIG GUNS on the Esprit last night

Those bumper beam bolts weren’t going to remove themselves.

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I don’t know why I didn’t just whip on the air compressor and ugga dugga everything off. I guess its just more therapeutic this way. And I’m less likely to break things... Not that things weren’t already broken.

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Yes, that is a rust hole in the side of the frame rail where the front bumper beam attaches. The beam itself seems salvageable, unlike the core support.

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Anyways, while I was doing that I was also pulling the steering column, wiper motor and linkage, brake booster and pedal, gas pedal and cable, pretty much the last things under the dash and on the firewall and anything attaching the body to the engine.

Illustration for article titled Had to break out the BIG GUNS on the Esprit last night
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Illustration for article titled Had to break out the BIG GUNS on the Esprit last night
Illustration for article titled Had to break out the BIG GUNS on the Esprit last night
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The column varies slightly from my ‘77s, so I’ll have to either use the ‘79s steering shaft, or I hear a Jeep Grand Cherokee shaft works. 77 has a splined shaft and pinch bolt, the 79 has a stub shaft with through bolt. Probably more stout that way. Plus I want that glorious tilt action. I just need to clean it up, paint it, and dispose of that horrid steering wheel.

And of course monkeying with the core support caused the radiator to leak, so I drained that and pulled that too. Trans lines and all.

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Illustration for article titled Had to break out the BIG GUNS on the Esprit last night

Now the front end is a lot nakeder. And there’s much more room for activities.

Illustration for article titled Had to break out the BIG GUNS on the Esprit last night
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Illustration for article titled Had to break out the BIG GUNS on the Esprit last night

Like pulling the subframe so I can remove the engine and trans from it. Not much else is worth saving.

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Not saying the 301 and 3 speed auto are WORTH saving, but if anything I can make a coffee table or something...