Dug Nichols

@BarneyT I remember seeing this car for sale. I have family in AZ and was contemplating checking it out. So curious to know how it's sorting out! Also, those wheels are super cool! Drool..

I have the IE system on one of my cars and like it a lot. I'm not running headers on that car though, so can't speak to this aspect. But it is a 2" and flows nicely and is not much louder than stock. https://www.iemotorsport.com/product/stainless-steel-exhaust-system-2002-early-style/

I have to use some force on the driveshaft to get it to sit perfectly straight (and getting the center mount to snug up to the mount tabs without washers). Like, laying on my back and pushing up with one hand moderately to heavy force. IIRC I shimmed the center bearing down a bit to keep from having to put pressure on the new guibo. Guibo looks super super solid. No sign of stress at all.

I was thinking this too, but the clunking started getting noticeable well before I did the motor mounts... I’m pretty sure the center bearing is a Rein.

Oh fabulous hive-mind, I'm seeking your input. Five years ago I upgraded to a 245 five speed. In the process I put in a brand new center bearing, on a new driveshaft I ordered to length I'd measured (and re-measured xxxx). At the time of doing the job: - I had to move the diff to it's rear-most position to accommodate the DS - Additionally I put 6 washers per side on the center bearing mount, between the body mounts and the bearing, essentially lowering the center bearing from the body. IIRC I did this at the time b/c it seemed this was giving me a straight alignment on the driveshaft from trans to diff This summer, with approx an additional 8k miles on the car since this job, I started noticing a clunk/clunk/clunk under my butt when starting off the line in first. I've also noticed a fair amount of movement with the motor esp when cold and running a bit rough. So a few weeks ago I replaced my motor mounts, noting that the passenger side mount was pretty much completely shot (and now I have a vibration hum between 2200 - 2500 rpm from the air cleaner now bumping up against the hood... but that's a different issue and for another time). I was thinking that the motor mounts being worn was contributing to excessive movement of the driveshaft at the output and this was somehow causing the clunk/clunk/clunk sound. The clunk has gotten worse. I got under the car this evening again, and inspected the center bearing (which obviously I should've done when I did the motor mounts... yeah, i know). Well, the center bearing rubber is toast (see pix), and the drive shaft is clearly sagging at the ujoint. I jacked up the rear and loosened the diff bolts to see if I had more room to move it rearward and take up the slack, but confirmed that I'm maxxed out to the rear. This sure seems to me like I need to shorten my driveshaft by about 1/4" (and replace the center bearing), as it seems that I just must have mis-measured originally and need it a bit shorter to fit without shimming the center bearing support. I'm looking for validation or crit of this plan. Thanks! Dug

I did both motor mounts on my Mintgrun this weekend. As a hack-mechanic (not nearly as inclined as the famed) that prefers to do everything I can on my car, I of course embarked on the mission me-self in the driveway. I researched a bunch about the procedure here in the holy bible of the FAQ, and found some good tidbits, and generally got comfortable with doing the job. Got into it, and of course, met some stumbles on the way which required some patience, thought, and re-go's. Overall, a pretty straightforward job, but one that is a classic figure-it-out-as-you-go and learn, having not done it before. Lesson One, Driver Side: Headline: Way easier to support engine, loosen the nut to subframe first, then jack up the motor (with a 2x4 supporting as much of the oil pan as you can), then tackle the bolt/nut to engine. I figured this out after I'd wrestled with the motor nut on the way out -- access is a PITA. It's easy access from the top and entire job done from there. Made easier for access after I removed the charcoal filter which had long-since been disconnected, but generally in the way. The nut connecting to the subframe was relatively straightforward, using a 17mm open end/box wrench worked well. It's pretty much right there. I struggled for a while figuring out how to get anything on the back nut that attaches the motor mount to the engine -- it was a struggler for a while. I eventually got the same 17mm wrench to work, in really slow movements working the open end a 1/4 turn at a time, back and forth with the wrench (flipping it over) each time. Finally got it loose and went back to jacking up the engine (with a 2x4 spread across as much of the oil pan I could hit), and as I did this I realized that I was an idiot, not having a good mental picture of what to expect, and that, duh, should've just gotten the outside/subframe nut loose and then jacked the engine up to get better advantage on the engine-side nut for the mount. Once I figured this out, putting the new mount in, and then securing it first at the engine, and then lowering the engine back down, and securing both, was a snap. Lesson Two: Passenger Side: Headline: it's a Hex 6mm in the rear, and it took a significant amount of upward force (jack with 2x4 spread on oil pan) to gain clearance to remove/replace mount. This side has more parts to it. Nose-end the underneath nut/bolt combo was really easy once I got the engine oil/road gunk cleaned off to see what I'm dealing with (my car is a driver, and with some oil leak issues...). I mainly gut stuck on the rear of the motor mount where there's a 6mm bolt which is accessed through a hole in the subframe member. I had read, here, about this, but in the process maybe failed to internalize... I was trying to work the nut on the top of it, and almost stripped it. Once I figured this out, the rest of the procedure was relatively straightforward and a classic take-it-apart-put-it-back-together process. There's a front and back nut/bolt thing. And a brace that goes over the top, and a nut on the top of the motor mount. The one thing that surprised me was how MUCH force I needed to apply (again, 2x4 on jack spreading across length of oil pan). Finally got the engine up enough to remove the old motor mount, and then putting in the new one realized just how badly my old one was compressed/soft, and I needed jack the engine up even more. It was slightly concerning as the groaning and sounds of the entire car maybe playing with the jack stands started happening. Put the new mount in, and it fit, but needed some encouragement to get all the way into the position where the bolt and holder would seat. Rather than keep straining the oil pan, I grabbed a rubber mallet and gently, oh so gently, tapped. And it fell into place. From there, it was very straight-forward put it back together. Hope this is helpful to any others looking to DIY this job. :)

Good call on the interior of the can. Still way more green than grey to my eye, but agreed on the grey-green and different perceptions. There’s an adapter available and widely used, $40 on Ireland Engineering, search “Stock air cleaner adapter for Weber carbs”. Then use a Dremel and cutting wheel and cut the protruding down part of the air cleaner flush / close to flush. See my closeup pic

@Buckeye good eye! This car came with the fuel return valve in the box along with the solex & air cleaner, having been bypassed at some point (my guess is when the weber was put on). This was my initial hookup I did last night to see if it worked still -- it doesn't. I do find that when the car's warm it hesitates to start a little bit, but not to a point where I'm motivated enough to spend $100 on a replacement. I'll be cleaning up the hoses. @Stevenc22 the green hue is admittedly not coming through very well in these photos. It's definitely a very different color than the grey ones I've seen (this is my 5th '02) and it's not faded black. I'm hesitant to match the color, b/c it's so odd. And tempted to paint it grey to match most '73 cars' air cleaners.. (cc @John_in_VA and @BarneyT who's previously asked to see some pics)

Has anyone ever seen an original equipment air cleaner in Green? Here's mine -- stock '73 car that I bought from original owner. He'd put a weber on it with the small Redline box filter and had kept the air cleaner, snorkel, etc parts along with the solex in a box. Given the condition it makes me think it's the original, and hasn't been re-painted (no signs of other colors underneath / repaint happening at any time). My understanding is the air cleaners came in Grey and Black. But I've never seen one Green.

?will take pic tomorrow in the daylight!

@RichenFamous I think the first photo is playing some eye tricks with the angle of the photo and the curb and retaining wall of the house in the background. I've got a 1 1/4" drop when measuring ground to beltline back and front. TBH I wish I would've started with 1 1/2 up front and then gone from there... Probably would've netted out at maybe 2 max. Also, I didn't change anything else in the front suspension other than move the spacers to the top (it was CRAZY high up front before I did that) -- original struts, original pads.

Got my '73 Sahara back this past weekend after a sojourn for some body work in a few spots, and I put the stock air cleaner back on her over the Weber 32/36 (the air cleaner and all parts came in a box along with the original Solex from the original owner). Interestingly, it appears to be the original paint (and rust) on the air cleaner and it's a shade of green, not grey or black. Hmmm. I'm not sure if I'm going to restore / repaint it or not -- this car is a very original car and it's a slippery slope when going through it and cleaning up, vs leaving the originality in tact. Speaking of which, I also cut the springs down which definitely is a departure from originality, but she was riding SO HIGH in front (as stock US cars do) I just couldn't take it. This occupied my M, T, W evenings this week. :)

Newly cut. Stock springs cut 2 1/3 up front and 1 in back. Stock struts, Bilstein HD in the back. Stock rims and 185/70s. I’m thinking a bit too much rake, and the back could drop a 1/2 coil. Opinions?

I spent today doing a full clean/organize of the garage (very overdue), getting ready to tightly fit for two 02’s in again. Impetus being getting back Carolina, the ‘73 Sahara, AND, be able to fit table saws (ongoing house remodel work) and everything else... I’m burying the lead... whoops. So, in finding long lost stuff in the process sent some boxes into the house. Later tonight, coming home after an outing in Otto the Mintgrun, came inside to find contents of one said box included an antenna ball from a band. Remember antenna balls? And that they were a thing?? My spouse, Miss Kitty, worked in a record store in the 90’s and amongst a many awesome LP’s we have also had this band’s schwag in a stash... Name that band

Wait, whaaaat??? OH man, I can't believe I've had it wrong all this time...

LOVE this patina and your plan to sand out the rough and satin clear it!

Mike, you got it almost right. The CA '76 cars used a 3.90 diff to give them extra acceleration power due to the robbing of HP from the extra CA emissions required, helping make them comparable on the street performance-wise. The 49 state '76 cars had a 3.64. The five speed with a 3.64 is approximately same RPM in top gear/highway cruising as a 3.90 four speed.

@esty I didn't see anything magical about your suggested search terms that actually pulled up a bmw 2002 with black e30 rims. which is why I posted here to the hive mind. good point @Gordon on the black on black...

Anyone have these on their car? I'm considering a set for my '73 Sahara but failing to find any pictures of what they'd look like.

I put them on my car -- direct replacement of the stock springs and I love the ride height and handling improvement. For safety purposes you'll want to wire the springs to the seats, as these are definitely shorter springs and at full stretch don't fill the travel space if the suspension is completely unsprung.