It has been a spell since our last update, so here is what has being going on in Hammond's one and only CMP haven. Not a hell of a lot. At least it looks that way to the regular viewers of this thread.
I spent most of the past two weeks away in the Maritimes re-connecting with family and friends. Not much to report on MV sightings, other than the usual 3/4 ton SMP that gains value (to the owner) each passing year. He wants $2K for the truck which year after year weighs less and less due to excessive rusting. I suspect that I will go through the same routine next summer...
Being unencumbered by employment, I get to spend additional time at the barn. This week's project was the HUP roof. The bushings for the roller arms were rusted beyond use. Removal was quite easy. After carefully grinding the ends (which were brazed to the outside edge of the hatch cover), some chisel work was required to remove the spot welds from the inside of the lip and from the support brackets. Once the weld was separated, the support brackets were bent off the tube and the tube was hammered out through the edge of the hatch cover. One of the support brackets had to be removed and was replaced with a fabbed up one which was rather easy to make now that the pan brake and metal shear are available for use at the barn.
Some of the interior metal had to be cut out due to excessive rusting. Replacement pieces were bent up and are now ready for welding. The bushings were replaced by cutting up a section of 3/4" OD -1/2" ID tube. The bushings were then drilled and are now ready for welding.
Saturday was a busy day at the barn. We had the full compliment - Bob, Grant, Guy and me had a good ole gab session. Guy showed off a load of recently acquired treasure, a part of which I now have (and is for sale-see
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=17124). Guy departed for home and we headed out for lunch. After lunch it was back to the barn for a frenzied fabrication blitz. Bob and Grant were busy making items to help them with their project trucks. I will post photos of their handiwork later today.
Sunday was quite overcast - we are on the very edge of hurricane Irene so the weather was a bit unsettled. The eastern seaboard is taking the brunt of Irene's wrath. My morning was spent trying to get my driver side door to open and close without resorting to mechanical assistance or a swift kick. Following Phil Waterman's advice, I shimmed up the bottom hinge and elongated the holes for the top hinge. This was a very long process - the door was on and off the truck more times than I wish to remember, but the minor adjustments paid off. The door now opens and closes like it should with a resounding metallic clang.
Bob and Grant played around with their inventions (see the follow on posts later). As noon approached, I had to get back home to take over domestic duties. It was great to be back to the barn.
Photos:
1 - Bushing and support bracket configuration for the HUP roof hatch cover
2 - More of the same
3 - Edge of the hatch cover and the end of the bushing
4 - Replacement support bracket