Thanks for the recs, gentlemen all! All back together this morning. Before and after below. JC, if you look in, I used a length of 3/8" dowel to block the bolt to the rear in the bar, which, as you know, also pushes the lever into the "up" position such that the slot in the trigger guard will engage and drawing the linear strikers to the rear making the hammer notches (for want of better words) accessible to the sears as the front of the trigger plate goes in. Dissassembly with a broken return spring is a special case of it not being necessary to follow the Manufrance catalog takendown instructions. With the lever return operating and under considerable downward pressure, takedown and buildup both require that the bolt be blocked to the rear. Any chunk of pine or hardwood, plywood, perhaps even a small metallic cartridge case of the correct length would serve the purpose of the tool supplied by Manufrance.
jack
