Today we installed the suspension components on the driver’s side. Turns out it was a much tougher task than we imagined in the beginning, that spring is a pretty potent piece of steel. We began by installing the lower control arm to the frame, inserting the spring between it and the frame and using a floor jack to try and compress it. The spring was so powerful we were lifting the car off the jackstands and we still had about 9″ to go before we were going to be able to connect the upper and lower control arms through the upper and lower ball joints to the spindle. 
With the engine and tranny out of the car it weighs a whole lot less. Long story short, we finally accomplished the task after much sweating, swearing and ingenuity. We ultimately used a combination of floor jacks, lumber, bumper jacks and chains only to find we inserted the spindle bolts backwards, had to take it apart and do it all over again the right way. It’s done now, and we learned a lot and should have a much easier time when we install the passenger side later in the week. When finished with this part, we tore down the other side so the parts could be sent out for cleaning.
Hours later when speaking with an old time mechanic and relating my difficulties with this part of the project, he did say it would have been much easier with the engine and tranny in the car BUT he asked why I did not just put another jackstand under the opposite rear corner and use the weight of the whole body instead of just the front end. In my best Homer Simpson imitation all I could respond was DOH.…. Anyway, it is done, I learned a hard lesson and it sure will be easier on the next side.
