Quick update on the job progress:
- I borrowed a heavy duty pitman arm puller from the local indie, a nice snap-on unit. It still took an 18" strong-bar and an extra 14" length of pipe to get the damn thing off! It's a tapered spline joint, probably never been removed since the factory.
- With that out of the way, I had some room to tackle those 2 bolts attaching the drivers side exhaust manifold to the exhaust pipe, the $$ one with the stainless steel/asbestos wrapped covering. Royal PIA, no socket I had or combination of extensions/flex-ends would let me grab those bolt heads. I used a die grinder and small cutting wheels and carbide burrs to cut off the heads, fearing that the bolts might be into the manifold casting (rather than nuts) and I wanted to end up with studs to grab later to turn out. I think there are capture/cage nuts on the other side, they can barely be seen. One bolt/stud turned out by hand, the other I'll wait until the box is out to remove it.
- My 'intermission' project will be to fabricate a couple of stainless patches in the exhaust cover, and weld them in. Lots of fluids have found there way into the asbestos lining through the holes, especially PS fluid, which accounts for much of the smoking after a hot run. Where can I find some asbestos in this day and age?
Next up will be to remove the cover plate at the base of the steering column and tackle the coupler allen bolts. I'm wondering if the coupler can come off with the gearbox if the upper bolt is loosened?

Edit/Added today Mar.12: Picture of the exhaust pipe missing cover material. I dropped into the woodstove outlet and they gave me a handfull of some asbestos-like packing used in their stoves, guaranteed not to burn. Next up will be forming some stainless to the curvatures and mig-welding the patches into place.

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1986 560SL
2002 Toyota Camry
1993 Lexus