Electric Car Department

Sometimes you work for weeks and wonder what progress you have to show for it.  Sometimes all that prep work comes together quickly and shows gratifying results.  Such is the way of restoration work.

First Rear Marker

The crew got busy early with Rod Turner on the ladder and Eric Lorenz working from the ground.  New threaded inserts had to be installed to allow the marker lights to be installed - we hoped.

Right Marker

Eric was up on a ladder most of the day, here wrestling the right rear marker into place.

New Step

Meanwhile Alex Randow was working to mount several other items.  This one is a fold up step to access the roof, here mounted on the side behind the exit doors.  There are only three of these to scale the height, and not much to balance upon if you were the unlucky guy that had to climb up there.

On the Roof

This is another of the items installed by Alex.  Once up all the steps you were considered lucky to grab this rung and haul yourself upright.  Woe be to you if it was rainy or snowy.

Rear End

Now to see what the opening paragraph was all about.  Here is the rear end of the car with most of all the accessories and parts installed.  Rear windows, retriever bracket and retriever, two rear marker lights, two rear stop lights, and the three rear bumpers.  It looks like a complete car!!

Installation

The weather has turned much colder so work in the Barn means hats and coats.  But a lot of the parts are going back on the car!  Alex Randow seems to be enjoying a private joke, smiling broadly, as he runs a tap into the threaded holes in the side band mounting pads.  This serves to clean them out - removing any paint accumulated inside these.

Strike Up the Band

Alex, Eric Lorenz, and Lorne Tweed worked to mount each band.  These are low on the car sides, and served as rub bands while negotiating the street traffic in Cleveland.  There are a lot of machine screws to drive to complete the installation.

Left Side

All bands are mounted on the left side.  The final finish coat of paint will be applied after they are in place and when the weather warms up, or we can move the car to a warmer shop.  More parts, including the retriever ring and retriever now appear on the car.

Windows

Yes the inevitable "W" word.  Lorne Tweed was cleaning and prepping more of the sash for the side windows.  Will it never end?

WOW!  Lots to see and report on this project!

Truck Repairs

Gerry Dettloff works to weld up some of the surfaces on the truck pedestals.  With the truck totally dismantled for painting, repairs are being made along the way to renew worn areas and breathe new life into the truck.

Pedestal Liners

Several of the pedestal liners were worn, cracked or missing.  These should be replaced with new, and we feel we can fabricate new ones to suit.  The problem is with sourcing the manganese steel plate used for these wear parts.  So, if anyone has a shop willing to part with a few square feet, it would save us the prospect of having to buy an entire sheet, a very expensive sheet at that.

New Tires

We said things were moving fast on this project, and were not kidding.  Here is your FIRST LOOK at the new tires, now delivered to the machine shop for mounting.

Old Wheels

Also in the shop, here are two of the old wheel and axle sets, with the old tread turned down and ready for the new tires.  The new tires get heated to a substantial temperature to expand their diameter, are placed on the wheel hubs, and then shrink and grip as they cool.  This is a technique and proven process that has been used in the rail industry for over a century.