Disassembly Question

[LeftAngle]

I think I'm down to the last 4 items I need to remove before I can pull the body off the frame.  The forward 2 bolts into the frame, the emergency brake, the brake cylinder and the speedometer cable.  The bolts and emergency brake will require brute strength, but the brake cylinder and speedometer cable will take a little more finesse.  The cylinder will require a custom made pan to collect the fluid before it hits any fiberglass (ruining the customizing going on) and the speedometer cable appears to require the loosening/removal of a bolt... That's the one that puzzles me, since there's more than one bolt sticking out of the thing.  The manual describes its removal thusly "Disconnect the speedometer drive cable at the gearbox."

That helps me a lot.  Knowing me, I stand a 50/50 chance of breaking things I have no knowledge about.  I assume the drive is held in place with a set screw mounted on the side of the gearbox (the arrow on my photo), and the entire gear mechanism lifts free of the transfer case.  Is this correct?

Thanks,
Bruce

[BDA]

In case you haven't figured it out yet:

I'm not sure exactly what your picture shows. IIRC, on my TCS, the speedo cable is held in by a roll pin. I think all you do is push it out and pull the cable out of the "housing" where it goes into the tranny. You appear to have an S2 and it may be different from from mine, but I wouldn't expect it to be.

Just a warning - the only way I could get the emergency brake cable out was to bend the shoe ( in the frame where the cable goes to the individual brakes) to let go of the cable which is pretty stout stuff. I believe I used a chisel to spread it apart. It didn't make any sense to me but I couldn't see any other way to do it. When I put it back together, I wrapped the show with some tie-wraps to keep the cable from coming out. I don't need to know how it's actually done anymore, but if you find the "official" method, I'd like to hear it! 

[LeftAngle]

 It doesn't appear to be a pin holding it in, but a bolt with a lock nut threaded onto it coming out of the tranny just below the point the cable's gear housing fits into the gearbox.  The only other bolts in the area are one holding the gear housing together and another that seems it may entrap the cable end inside the gear housing.  I doubt that's the one the manual is referring to.  I won't be back to the car until later on in the week, at which time I'll fiddle with the bolt I think it is.  I just don't want to loosen it and hear the reverse mechanism fall off inside ( ).

As far as the parking brake goes, I've read that it's a bear to get the bell-crank back in place, but I'm not beyond cutting the fiberglass over the ends where the cables attach and build or print an oval plug to cover it all up once it's back together again.  I hope to get the body off after mom's day... My space at my club's garage mahal will be empty by then and I can truck the frame back there to work on it.  I'm excited to be getting my car back (or at least a part of it).

[BDA]

I don't remember the bell crank being a problem - but it has been a long time. I certainly didn't have to cut any fiberglass out, but then maybe the TCS is a bit more hospitable in that area than the S2.

Let us know how it goes with the speedo cable!

[LeftAngle]

Well, it turns out the bolt I was referring to was, in fact the setscrew holding the housing in place (where the arrow is pointing in my photo).  Nothing fell off inside when I unloosened it, but it was a bit of work to get it free.  All is well at that end of the car.

The emergency brake cable was also relatively easy to take off, but I can see how it might be a task to get it back together again, but that'll be another story.  I've worked it out with my fiberglass guru and have decided to leave the body on for a few days so he can correctly form the fenders around the tires so they look "proper".  We'll probably make use of an engine hoist to work the body off the frame, so I won't have to make panic calls to my friends to help with the lift.  There's enough of us there to guide while the hoist takes the majority of the weight.  This is one of the coolest features he's come up with.  You have to remember, this car will be for show... Not so much go.  So be kind

[BDA]

Glad it worked out for you and you're making good progress. I like your fender vents! I can't wait to see it when you get it painted!

Good luck and keep up the good work!