30 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

I'd remove any burrs from the end that needs to slip through the circlip.  Maybe even smooth the end of the axle down and reshape it a bit so that it slips through the circlip easier. Add some grease.  Once the end gets started it should slide easily until the grooves align and the clip drops in.  The axle end is probably jamming the circlip against the back of the groove instead of expanding it.

I did try that. I used a 2" Rolok brilo pad and smoothed the end a little bit and made sure there were no lips. I used grease too. Still no luck...

I'm not sure I can get the clip out of the diff. It's pretty far in there. Maybe 4-5"s. I had thought about getting it out and seeing if the axle would go in then, but again, not sure I can get it out.

22 minutes ago, Patcon said:

I used a 2" Rolok brilo pad and smoothed the end a little bit

I was thinking more like the grinding wheel that you used on the CV end.  There's room.  Grind away, I say.

I know on one side or the other I had to use a hammer and give the axle a sharp rap to get the circlip up onto the splines.

2 hours ago, Zed Head said:

I was thinking more like the grinding wheel that you used on the CV end.  There's room.  Grind away, I say.

The end of the shaft is very conical. I'm thinking there's some other issue

So yesterday I was home early and Shelley ran me off to the shop to make some progress. So I worked on the drivers axle some more...

Here is the end of the axle. Very tapered and no burrs.

So I unbolted the top of the strut and layed it down out of the way.

 

I put the adapter plate on and beat on it some to dome the grease cap out some to give me a little more room

I put a some grease on the snap ring in the differential and tried to work it around some. The I took the 3# dead blow hammer and I got it to seat.

The bolts that go in from the stub axle side just barely fit

 

I got it all in and aligned. I does sort of bind at full droop, but if you lift the hub a couple of inches it has some play in it. I am not sure if the tulip on the inboard end is reversible. At this point I'm moving on. I will double check once the car is down on it's wheels and revisit it if it becomes a problem.

 

I have a question about the lower quarter windows seals. How do they go on? I can't find any images of them installed.

These small square seals? 

Edited March 30, 20241 yr by Terrapin Z
another pic added

Yes! So I guess the second picture is probably the more correct where it laps up onto the window frame?

Agreed, that pic was from Hybrids. The first was a JDM site selling the seal. It does not look like the cutaway part is as tall on the replacement piece. 

Placing it over the gap seems like it would be more useful, than starting at the gap. 

I worked on the second quarter window some today. This is the remnants of one of the corner seals.

The old glass seal was crispy

I also got the proper bolts into the axle adapters

The stub axle side is 17mm 10.9's and the differential side are 22mm 10.9s. You can see in this picture the difference in length

I have the quarter windows most of the way done today.

 

 

 I used this BAT auction car for a lot of reference pictures. Lots of detailed pictures. 

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-datsun-240z-124/

Went to the shop last night and worked on qtr windows some

Old

Old glass seal was toast

New upper qtr seal

They are ready for the car now