Weld, Weld, Weld

Ever let the fancy roam
Pleasure never is at home.
John Keats

Good Friday turned out to be really good for the project! Dino managed to find some spare time and brought over the MiG welder today. We have clamped the two halves together so that they line up perfectly and all of the measurements match up and check out.

We started off by running a row of spot-welds along the roofline and then filling in the gaps. The odd-looking framework in the picture is the support for the sleeper-stretchers that fit beneath the pop-top (now removed for ease of access).

Next was the interior join along the ceiling, joining the two existing bracing bars together.

 

Here I am in the process of cleaning up the right-hand side join ready for welding. I used a sanding disc on the trusty Black & Decker grinder, followed by a rotary wire brush attached to a cordless drill.

The right-hand side has been welded and I am busy with grinding and dressing the welds to prepare for the eventual body filler.

 It's probably overkill but we are adding extra 100mm bracing plates around the inner sides and ceiling for additional strength. They will eventually be trimmed to match the rest of the interior, possibly with plywood of some type. Pictured is Dino, one of the most jovial and hard-working people that I know. He is also a master welder, despite his modest insistence that good tools alone are responsible for good work. I owe Dino a huge debt of thanks for the many hours that he has already put into the project.

Thanks for stopping by
CooP