Ken,
If you're into spending some time on repairing you pad, you can have a
beautiful result. First remove the plastic covering, being very careful
not to further damage the foam. After cleaning out the loose material
fill the cracks and dents with expanding foam. I have seen a product for
this somewhere, but I used the type sold as home insulation. A little
goes a long way here as this stuff triples in volume when dry. Once set,
cut away the excess and carefully sand the foam, matching the original
contours.
When your satisfied with the shape, paint the surface with primer to
seal. Then cover with automobile grade vinyl. I used two part epoxy to
glue the vinyl down, as the contours around the ash tray need a strong
adhesive.
If this sounds like a lot of work, It was. It took about a week to
finish. It made a pretty good winter project, though.
On your other question, I also replaced the pinion seal on my diff. I
followed the Haynes manual, and if I remember right, It instructed to
use a prick punch to mark the location of the nut prior to removal. Then
after replacing the seal, tighten the nut to it's original position.
Since I haven't begun driving the car yet (still at the body shop), I
can't say if it worked out OK.
Kevin Besig
'75 Spitfire FM21688U
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