I'm Floored

Progress, real progress! The floor is in! As expected, the finishing seems to go a whole lot faster than the prep. I ended up using flux core to weld in the stringers, seam sealed the edges of Friday, then welded in the floor on Saturday. Everything went very well. There are a few fitment issues that I need to address, but I don't think that it will be noticeable once the bed liner is on and the seat installed. I also drained the radiator and started in on the Borgeson install by removing the old steering linkage. Need to get the rag joint end off the steering box. Haven't looked at it hard enough to see how it comes off, so any inside knowledge appreciated before I bust a few knuckles doing that part.

Once the borgeson is in, the radiator buttoned back up and the mounts tightened, it will be a roller. I'll just have the bottom of the quarter panel and rear dog leg to finish up. I'm getting ansty to drive it again.

Don't let the look of the trans hump and rest of the floor fool you, what you see is the combination of the original terra cotta brown color and the residual glue from the carpet. That will be wire brushed off and bed lined along with the rest of the floor.

details, details

This morning I ground down some rough edges, seam sealed the stringers and some other miscellaneous spots, drilled the floor for the front mount bolt, got everything lined up and ready to weld. Time to get some food and then get back at it.

All Strung Out

So I took the Mig gas cylinder with me to work, fully intending to run over to Robert's at lunch. At quarter to 5, I realize that I hadn't done it. Hmmm, can I get to Caton Ave. from Ellicott City in 15 minutes in rush hour traffic? Not likely. So, on to Plan B - revert the welder to flux core.

So, that's what I did last night - and got the stringers welded in. Went very well, actually. Got 'em in and gave all the remaining bare metal a coat of POR-15. The plan for today is to get the floor in place.

...gotta eat first, though.

String 'er up

Last night I got the floor stringers sized up and lined up. The rear stringer was much too short, so I have to make a creative bend in the inner leg to span the gap. It'll work. Too bad I didn't remember the old addage measuer twice, cut once, 'cuz I cut one of the intermediate stringers too short. It fits, but had to unbend the tabs on one end and will have to butt weld it on that side. Oh well, it'll work just fine.

Now all I need is some gas for the Mig, so I can weld the buggers in.

Mount up!

Progress at last... Yesterday I got the wedge and front mount welded in (see previous post about welding skills). Today, I ground down the weld a bit to see how bad I did and it looks solid if not pretty. But... dummy me forgot to close off the gas when I was done and, you guessed it, my whole bottle of gas leaked down. Doh! I needed to put a few tack welds to bind the inner to the outer a bit better, so just did it without the gas. Spit, spat, sputter, but it worked for the little bit I needed. I'll have to put the flux core back in until I get the gas refilled.

Its getting close! and it's now sitting on four wheels with no jack stands under the body.

Not this one, that one

So I haven't done squat on the Scout since Pinelands. I did manage to put in a new pinion seal in the 200 last weekend. Good thing too. It was leaking progressively worse and marking the street like an incontinent dog. Anyway, the whole deal took about an hour. The old seal popped out with a screw driver lickety split and the new one went in no problemo. The oil in the diff is a milky sand color. eeeeeewwwwwww. Gonna have to open up the cover and thoroughly drain and flush that bad boy. Gotta remember to do that before I try driving in 4 again.

On the previous weekend I took a load of brush to the dump with it and just for kicks stopped on the scale on my way out. The lady's response when I asked was "That thing'll cost you a fortune, it's a damned International." I think that she was referring to cost if I was commercial. Anyway, she checks it... 6360#! That's with about 400# of sand bags in the back, but still. Hooooaaaaah. That's one heavy truck. 'Heavy D' is a very appropriate name!