So my frame is straight, level everywhere. That’s good news. Also ran the car a bit while on the stands. Makes me nervous but my stands are solid (massive truck stands actually) and it was good to get the engine working a bit. Made the car, and owner, happy.
I picked a spot at the center of a rear crossmember, where it was easy for me to clamp my tape measure.
Distance to lower flange rear bolt was 1/2” further on the left than it was on the right. So my lower cross tube on left is bent forward. The distance to the ground on lower plate from the rear bolt was 1/16” greater than the front bolt, so there’s rotation as well.
My upper flange- on the right it is equidistant from the lower plate bolts, makes sense, maintains the caster angle. The left not the same. The rear bolt distance was further - I don’t remember exactly but enough to magnify the trouble - explains why the pic with the king pin and oiler bolt only, shows them not parallel but rather pointing in opposite directions.
So do I try to repair an older repair that was either botched, or not botched but subsequently reinjured? I think no. The adventure continues, heading in the direction of cross head replacement. I’ll see what Terry Foxen says and go from there.
