WOW David, it looks like you and I are doing pretty close to the same thing to the same model Bird that was in very similar condition, and were even kinda close to the same stage of progress...OK, maybe youre a lil ahead of me I noticed you even used the same exact method to remove the coil springs---a 3' all-thread and a piece of 4x4 lol. That worked better than both spring compressors I had, and it sure cost a lot less. I almost thought I was looking at MY site.