This weekend I removed the cruise control system and windshield washer to drop more weight. I used a Festiva one piece throttle cable to replace the dual cable setup after I took the cable junction box apart and decided that I didn't want to attempt making it work without the cruise input cable.
I pulled the boot back and shot PB Blaster in it, then snapped it back in place and hung it up to let it drain into the cable overnight.
Tonight I took a front strut off and apart to see what needed to be done to adapt the top mount to the coilover. The coilover has M14x1.4 threads compared to the stock M12 threads. The spring hats that came with the coilovers are both the wrong size, I'll have to use the pair with smaller holes and drill them to fit the M14 threads.
M12 stock top nut vs M14 coilover threads. Notice that there isn't a step in the shock shaft to match the ID of the top mount bearing.
The spring hats from the rear MK2/3 coilovers are the right size to fit up against the bearing in the stock top hat. This is important to keep the spring from getting in a bind when turning.
I used the lathe to trim back and cut a taper into the bottom of the stock nut. A nut with a tapered bottom is needed to center the shock shaft in the top hat. Stock struts have a small area on the shock shaft below the threads that matches the ID of the top hat bearing, but the coilovers don't have that and are loose in the top hat bearing. This would have worked, but it made the nut too short, so I wouldn't be able to tighten the nut. I'll pick up a M14 x 1.5 tapered lug nut at a parts store tomorrow to use instead. I was hoping the stock nut would work to retain the o-ring seal that keeps dirt out of the bearing, but I can find a plastic or rubber plug to use instead.
Another modification- I'll weld large washers off center over the bottom two knuckle mounting holes, this adds enough material to safely slot the holes horizontally for a lot of camber adjustment. Once I get all of this figured out to assemble the coilovers I'll make a detailed/condensed write up for anyone interested in making their own set.