Years ago, there were two local mechanics that would tolerate kids & they would answer our questions.

Marshal Wethli was usually the story teller for both of them, lots of his tales involved his pal 'Old Baldy', Ray Brand.

Ray owned the shop & Marshal worked with him.

There was also a 440 Superbird in town back then, known locally as 'Wing-Ding' due to a dent in one rear spoiler upright.

The young owner kept bringing it into Rite-Way Auto Shop for them to repair.

Transmission failures due do beating on the car hard, broken reverse bands & so on.

He also had developed a sure fire way to snap torsion bars, he would jump the car over cross avenues while speeding on Madison St. - downhill.

Some of the landings were harsh.

Fast forward to my 16th year, I owned a 1970 Dodge Dart & found an 8 3/4" to replace the 7 1/4" rear differential.

All was well until I discovered the yoke was too big.

Ray had one the right size. He also had a home made pinion yoke holder, he used it to remove the yoke on my donor differential & install a smaller one that would fit my drive line u-joint.

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I saw it at the time & just thought it was cool, a few different yoke hole patterns had been drilled in it so they could use it on different makes & models.

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Years go by, Ray changes locations a time or two, then retires, sells the place.

Another guy I knew bought it to use as his personal shop, he is a carpenter.

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I was helping him on a project & I noticed Ray's home made yoke holder leaning up by the rear shop door.

I said "Wow, Ray left that here?"

Vic was surprised. He asked if I knew what it was & I said "Yes, I want it!"

Photo #4/5

He said 'If you can tell me what it is for you CAN HAVE it!" "I have asked everyone else I know & no one knows."

I told him it started life as a broken torsion bar that was once in a Plymouth Superbird & it had been turned into a home made pinion yoke removal & installation tool.

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The first time I saw it used on my Dart was over 3 decades ago & today - June 1, 2018, I had my first opportunity to use it myself on my 1970 Sport Satellite.

It still works.