Pat 12 gets a nose job

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Phil

Love the way you over drilled the bolt holes to prevent having to tear down the whole cab assembly to access the panel.

I remember the headache I had trying to remember the sequence that needs to be followed in the cab re-assembly.

If you need any additional info let me know. I have not seen, at least in Eastern salted Canada, a cab11 or 12 that did not have these panels rusted to bits........ a bad design to start with but then they were not suppose to last 75+ years.

Been working reskinning the back lower portion of my roof....not progressing very fast. I had to redo the curved angle iron as I did not like how it did not follow the exact profile of the roof. The first was done with multi cuts bent and welded...... but everytime I weld the cuts the heat buildup changes the profile........ so I cut out the flat curved portion.....carefully bent the angle to shape than plasma cut and fitted a separate piece of suitable flat stock.

Now facing a catch 22....... once the cab is installed I can no longer drive it into the sea container. unless I intend to stay in the cab....... there is not sufficient clearance for me to exit. Without the roof I climb over the back and walked out. So now I must cut a suitable hole in the side of the container that will allow me to swing out the suicide door wide enough for me to exit.

Plans are to cut the almost square hole....... than build a 2x2 thin wall tubing frame..... fabricate a door also of 2x2 and use the cut out container skin to finish the door. so I need to concentrate my efforts on the container while slowly progressing on the roof........... the butt weld on the roof skin will be a very time consuming operation of tack and hammer and grind and tack hammer and grind until done.

Will try to remember to take photos for posting.

Cheers