We started the day replacing the tie rods through the north piece of angle steel, on the left, and bringing them out through the outer sill. We then positioned the wooden blocks between the inner sills so that the mortises fit into the tenons and began to clamp the inner sills together. Dale and John M. are working to get everything to fit.
Most of the original blocks could be reused, but some new ones had to be fabricated as well. The two angle steels are in position ready to be moved toward the center against the wooden inner sills and bolted together with long bolts passing through the black pipes. One of the pipes is seen just above the clamp in the photo. The pipes butt against the steel to maintain proper distance between them.
A "speedbump" was encountered, however, We could not begin to bolt the steel together because the body-bolster truss-blocks have not yet been replaced, and as can be seen here they are not in good condition. The blocks are in the process of being fabricated.
So, on to other things. The plywood used for temporary flooring was removed, and the blocks between the outer and intermediate sills were repositioned as needed. Washers and lock nuts were placed on all the horizontal tie rods but not tensioned as yet.
Meanwhile, Lenny was fabricating brackets for the blocks between the intermediate and inner sills. The tenons had been cut at the inner ends to remove the blocks to accommodate the angle steel. The brackets will be welded to the angle and will support the blocks against it.
The brackets were made from angle steel, and cut and bent as shown in this photo. Tom S. did the design and started fabricating them before he met up with a knife. The tenons were preserved on the outer end as can be seen on the block below.
Bob (right) and Dale started working on cutting grooves in the framing to accommodate more steel framing that will be placed into the ends of the car. More on this later.
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