Thanks for all the advice, folks. Lots of good advice out there, and different opinions. Bottom line: I have to decide what is safe for me. Probably leaning towards using a jack (with the casters well chocked) to drop the lower arm for the other side disassembly. I like the idea of banding the springs for the install, too. Might check into that.
So...next question: any way to get the old bushings out of and new ones in to the arms without a press? There's a good alignment shop near here that I'm probably going to take them to, but just wanted to check to see if there was some other method. Doesn't look like it from the research I've done so far....
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1976 Silver/Firethorn. L48, 4spd. Original 2 bolt, vortec heads, 9.4:1 CR, Speed Pro Cam: 224/224@0.050, 112 LSA, Eagle Steel Crank.