Smiling on a Saturday

There is nothing that makes you feel more alive than the light of the morning sun. I love the sunrise, I love the feel of cold winter air on my face, I love dragging my hand down the side of Fillmore as I walk down the length of his shelter, things don't have to be complicated.

 Life is good.

Last weekend I was able to putter around a little. I was on Daddy duty as Michelle and Jeff were out of town. So I managed a couple of hours of bus time before picking Anna up from Dance. When coming home from the city , we past a wonderful sculpture outside the Bow Building in Calgary...we had to stop.

Made of 1.25" steel bar, the shaping of the face with compound bends is astounding. One of those pieces that at first glance looks so simple and "easy", but anyone with any experience with metal work can see the work and creativity that was required. The feeling you get when standing inside the sculpture looking out is hard to describe, but a sense of wonder is definitely in the air.

Life is Good

OMG!.....The wonders never cease!

Yes folks....this is my wife. And yes she IS wearing coveralls, and yes she is willingly coming to work on the bus.

This was my first thought when Michelle said she wanted to help me with something on the bus (as long as it was something where she wouldn't get too dirty). But after some reflection it made perfect sense, you see Michelle grew up in a family who has a history in farming. You know the good old salt of the earth kinda people who live within their means and pay cash for things because they don't like to be in debt.

So when Michelle gave me a card for Christmas (last year)saying she would give me 10 hours of her time to work on the bus, she knew it meant she had a promissory note out there.

So I did my best to make it a good experience. I decided that mounting the mud flaps was probably a good starting point for us to work together.

I made sure the work area was clean and as inviting as it can be.

Michelle actually surprised me and was in there like a dirty shirt.  I don't know if she was lovin' it but she never complained. You can see who was really out of sorts that his Chiquita was crawling around in the dirt with me working on 'that bus'. Yes our guard chihuahua didn't stray far from Michelle's side the entire time

We made sure that when we mounted the flaps we put releasing incisions incase some bone head backs up over them by mistake

Looks pretty Good!!

Another one bites the dust

 In a project like this there are jobs which you are constantly reminded of, but on the importance or relevance scale score low in terms of priority. Allow me to explain. The original side mirrors on the flxible were beat up, cracked glass with broken and jury rigged frames. So when taking them off...years ago now...I decided to replace them. I found a suitable mirror body and mounting system.Or so I thought.

 You can see back here in 2009 when I got Fillmore the original mirror set up is simple, clean, uncomplicated. That's exactly how I want the new ones to look. Although I did entertain some smaller sleeker designs, the reality is I wanted the mirrors to be functional too. There is nothing more nerve wracking than backing up this beast with  your kids hanging their head and bodies out the windows while screaming back-up directions at you because you can't see well enough from your mirrors alone.

 Unfortunately the mirror bracket set up that came with the mirror bodies didn't fit the bill of simple,clean and uncomplicated....

 So, I decided that this job wouldn't be a quick put together as I always hope, but rather will need some time and energy to create what I need. I liked the original set up so I thought I would start from there. The new mirror bodies are too big for this vertical bar, but I thought with some mods I could use them and keep the flavor.

 I cut and welded the original bars to allow the mirror body to be placed in between the mounting arms.

 The sun sets at an early hour in the north during the winter months, although it looks like I am doing a little midnight grinding, this is only the late hour of 5pm(ish)

 In the end I finished with my new mounting arms.

Clean, sleek, uncomplicated, and most of all functional.
Done!
That's another one off my list!

Shiney things

 Sometimes, when you just don't feel like being outside....like when it's -34C with the windchill. I like to feel like I am still making progress. So in walks the small jobs that you can do in front of the TV with a tumbler of Zacapa or Scotch

 The backing plates for the rear reflectors are finally finished. Truth be known they are in pretty rough shape, but POR-15 is wondrous.

 I rummaged through my workshop and found the old reflectors that I cleaned up ,what feels like, years ago

I replaced the foam backing and put the pieces back together. I love the way these look, they are quirky and wierd but when they are in place they add that little bit of sparkle

 Here they are mounted on the wedges that go behind the tail end of the SS fluting.
Hopefully tomorrow I ca install these and get to work on the side mirrors.....

A lazy sunday

Little things excite me. Like getting pieces back from the chrome shop! Little by little small jobs are being checked off the to do list. Each one is not a huge significance but it feels good to be constantly making forward progress. The rear reflectors on the SS panels were cleaned up and then went to Alberta Plating to be chromed, I was excited enough that I had to unwrap them right away and take a pic!

The backing plate for these I did not take to the chrome shop. They sit behind and tuck into the chromed piece so I just thought I would work on these, clean them up and paint them a black or silver. Problem was I thought I would have done this ages ago....now it is holding me up from putting these puppies back into place!








All the while work continues on the altered wheel wells. Good news is that today the clean up and welding was finished

After I ground down the welds and smoothed things out. I painted the new metal with a Tremclad rust paint.








Then it was time to put the wheels back on and reconnect the drive shaft. I was fighting the clock at this point. Michelle is out of town and I am playing head chef, bottle washer, taxi, etc etc. You know all the stuff that she does all the time and I take for granted....(mental note bring flowers home for her on Monday).

All set up and no place to go

 It's FRIDAY, it's FRIDAY!!

 I was so excited it was my day off and after a couple of commitments I was then able to get down to my own Fillmore time

 I was ready to cut and shape the new extensions to the wheel wells. But first I made a template from fiberboard. Made sure it would come in and out and fit well in the position I wanted.

 Then of course traced it onto the sheet metal I sourced from 3Fab

This was a real hold your breath moment, actually the cutting wasn't bad it was the first test fit AFTER the cutting

I spent the time to trace and cut both sides first and then thought that I would weld all at the same time. Worked like a charm. I spent a bunch of time getting things into position and then getting the welding cart into the perfect position. Then it was a bit of a challenge to get the power and wire feed setting just right as the new stuff was 3/16 and the metal I was welding to was 1/8 or 3/32. None the less I eventually got it where I was happy........

And then I ran out of welding wire!!! I was pissed, until I remembered that the spool I had my Dad bought me when he was out Christmas of 2010. I got nothing to complain about, it was due.

But it was high school dance all over again, All dressed up and no one to dance with!!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

 Growing up in Manitoba, you were able to predict weather. Or better yet you could count on the weather. If it was going to be cold, then it would be cold...for a long time. If it was going to snow it would snow. The seasons tend to follow a pattern in Manitoba...Spring-it warms up, summer- gets warmer, Fall- gets colder, it starts snowing, Winter- it continues to be cold and continues to snow.
 After 17 years in Alberta you'd think I would get used to the weather here. You know unpredictable!
Here the seasons follow no one. Spring?- might be warm, might be cold, might snow, summer?-might be cold might be warm, might snow, Fall?- might be warm might be cold,...you get the picture.
So last Wednesday it was -4C and barely snow on the ground when I went to bed. When I awoke?....18+cm of snow(that's 7+inches for our American friends) and -21C (not counting the dreaded windchill)
Needless to say when this happens it always slows things down when working on Fillmore, partly because the temp drops and everything is a little harder to work with, and partly because when there is a snow day....you must play!!!

Last Friday found me in a dental course on Root Canals(hold back your excitement people). Both Sat. and Sunday found us snowshoeing in the woods!

 Even the dog was loving it!

 Not to worry, I did manage to get to a little spark creation. Remember that when I moved the axle forward, I needed now to reposition the anterior of the wheel well.

So I cut and I created. A little welding and a little reshaping

 Not 100% done but on trail fit, we've got lots of room now

Next will be creating an extension of the well.

Stop and smell the bacon

As I embark on my, oh so familiar, trek back to the office, I ask myself....where did the time go?
 I won't be asking myself the same question 10 years from now when my kids are off to university and it's just Michelle and I, empty nesters, looking at each other.It seems like the holidays just flew by. Although I did get opportunities to work on Fillmore, I tried to make sure that I didn't get obsessed. I made sure to take time for skiing, skating, walks in the woods, and visiting with loved ones.

I mean really, looking at this with Michelle and the kids was way more fun than laying under the bus with 60 year old dirt falling in my face.

Having said that there was some work that I was able to continue with. From the inside you can see both sides of the wheel wells have been altered getting ready for the sheet metal work.

I have to make sure that once the floor inside is replaced, I don't restrict access to this....

The anterior leaf spring mounts.

Inside this little bucket are the four bolts holding the leaf springs to the frame. 

Covered with a bit of the 60 year old dirt I was referring to earlier

There are some presents that may seem small and maybe a little humorous, but nothing beats letting your loved ones know exactly how much they mean to you.

Honey....