Did final adjustment on bay 2 side rod extension and drilled the brackets and woodwork ready for fitting. Primed same, I added some drying agent to the primer to speed up the process as it is taking to low to dry in the relatively low temperature at the moment. I’m not totally convinced that hardwood like Iroko needs primer and certainly Weymann didn’t prime the frame before painting it but I’d like it to outlast me.
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Finished preparing the rearward entrance pillar cladding. Made a new lower section to match the curved profile of the lower side rod. This can’t be fitted until the lower frame rail is in place for the first bay so I selected a suitable piece of new timber and soaked it in preservative.
I then removed the remains of the steel gusset brackets that connect the floor to the lower removable section of the side rods from the next pillar rearwards from the door to enable replacement of the lower section and fitting of the new lower frame rail. One of the bolts through the body bearer was seized in the steel insert in the bearer so had to be drilled out, I drilled a 7/64″ pilot hole with my Proxxon mini drill then proceeded to enlarge with a bigger drill and I managed to break two bits in the process. However at this point I was able to punch the bolt out so all is ok.
Next I cleaned and primed the underneath of floor under the first bay back to the chassis frame so this can be painted silver before I fit the chassis rail.
Finally today I drilled the fixing holes in the new brackets for the lower side rod. So once the floor is painted this can all be reassembled.
Work over the last four days: painting the metal work for the steps and surface filling, silver on the chassis side and in red undercoat on the outside.
Replacement floorboards for the ones that were cut incorrectly have been cut, soaked in preservative, primed and painted grey. They are ready for fitting as soon as a couple of extra screws have been added to the steel plate floor support to fasten it to the gearbox access hole frame.
The new steel bracket for the side rode extension for the rearward door pillar has been fitted and the holes for bolting in the side rod have been checked for alignment.
The side rod extension for the rearward door pillar has been cut and sanded to shape, soaked in preservative and primed.
The forward door pillar has been cut to shape and is ready for preservative and painting.
Painted the replacement lower side rod.
Fitted the entrance floorboards and screwed them down.