Just Grinding It Out

Another evening in the garage and another step or two closer to the end of Ringo’s re-roadification. The first project on last night’s list was welding the new jacking pads onto the body. This went pretty well, although I kept looking at the pressure gages on the welding air tank regulator since the tank’s pressure reads basically zero. As long as the line’s pressure is still at 15 psi, I can keep getting quality welds - well, at least welds that are of the quality I and my Craftsman MIG welder are capable of laying down. As you can see from the photo, I’m still good-to-go. Since most of the load for these pads is born by existing metal, the welds only had to keep the new parts from falling out. That meant that a few tacks per pad were all that was required.

The second heater plenum – the one that I’d patched the rust hole and painted – went in next. It didn’t fit quite flush since there’s now some interference with one of the major floor patches I’d installed. The opening, however, lined up for the most part, so the warmed air should make it to the windshield and the feet of Ringo’s passenger.

Finally it was time to grind. With a new flexible grinding disc mounted, I made a multitude of sparks; it must’ve looked like the Fourth of July in my garage. An hour or so and two more discs later, I knocked off for the night having smoothed out about 70% of the exterior welds. One more evening of grinding, and he’ll be ready for a couple coats of epoxy primer.