Hah! But wasn't I a cute little kid? The Healey was my grandfather's. He surely got me started on the path as a car guy.
Well, I gotta own this one. To recap, discovered the new driver's side step did not slide all the way into the space for it. This is something I really should have anticipated. I replaced the passenger side step a few years ago (before I got frustrated and put the whole project aside) and it fit fine. BUT, on the driver's side, I charged ahead with the new cab corner installation without anticipating what came next - fitting the step. Uh oh! The inner cab corner should be about a half an inch further in! If the step won't go in any further, it sticks out beyond outside of the cab. So, had to remove that flange from the inner cab corner. The opening for the step front to back is still tight, so I got the bottle jack out again to do a test fit with the flange gone but ... the jack crapped out on me! I could go get a new one, but ... I dunno ... maybe I'm cheap, I ordered a repair kit that'll be here in maybe three weeks. Meanwhile, I scratched my head and came up with a different method of spreading the opening. You're right. It didn't work. So I'll see if there's anything else I can do while I wait for the bottle jack parts. BTW, not sure when I bought the bottle jack, but the instruction sheet says 1995. Is it odd that I keep things like that?
Ta da! Success! To make a short story long, a neighbor wandered over to see what I was up to with the failed attempt to spread the step opening with a "door stop." Told him my bottle jack had crapped out and he said, "Why don't you use the jack in the car?" Duh. Never thought of that. (Y'all should know I'm not the brightest bulb in the neighborhood.) The wife has an '06 Acura TL she loves, but it's got a scissors jack. Not sure that would have worked given the restricted space. I have a '15 Canyon and had never had a reason to use the jack, so I thought I'd check. It's a bottle jack! Mechanical, too so no worries about leaking seals. Thank you, neighbor Pat! The step still wouldn't slide in all the way, but stuck out only by about a quarter of an inch, along the outer edge on the right side where it overlaps the cab corner. A little work with a 50 grit disc got rid of the offending metal and ... ! (Kind of annoying that the profiles of the cab corner and step don't match, but that's the way they did it in 1959.) So, I said this was a long story, right? Neighbor Max also saw the garage door open and joined us. He asked me if I might be interested in a steering wheel. Told him I had the original and he said, "It's an old one with a wood rim. I've had it for years and was cleaning out some stuff and just came across it. Thought you might want to hang it in the garage. I'll go get it." Whoa! This thing could be a hundred years old! It's a cast iron, four flat-spoke wheel with a wood rim made in four pieces, held together by mortises and tenons. There is a name stamped on one of the spokes, that may start with a "b." Very hard to tell. The pieces of the wheel have separated so I asked Pat, who is a master craftsman with wood, if he'd mind putting them back together. He wouldn't, so the wheel went across the street with him before I thought to take a picture to share with y'all! (Bulb is getting dimmer.) As soon as I see his garage door open, I'll get a pic and share it and we'll see if we can figure out where it came from.
Hmmm. Haven't seen Neighbor Pat out in his garage, so no pic yet of that old steering wheel yet. But, in the meantime, a little more trimming and tweaking on the step and it now slides ALMOST all the way in. Just a few taps with a rubber mallet and it's snug. The side edges of the step rest on a two piece stepped flange at the front and back. (Too many steps?) Well, both are supposed to be stepped, but the rear one is not. The new inner cab corner piece is flat, so I fabbed a small piece to make the flange that supports the step level. Next, fabbing a little larger replacement flange for the vertical joint with the inner cab corner at the rear of the step. BTW, not that I work quickly by any means, but things may slow down a bit. We had our first 100 degree day here in Phoenix last week. Right now it's 97.
Looks like you are moving right along. I would like to suggest that you spend $30-$40 or look around for some scrap 2 x 4s, 2 x 6s and some plywood and get those plastic buckets out from under your truck. That looks like an accident waiting to happen with the jack stands sitting on top of them. Just think of your hard work coming crashing down onto the concrete. Especially if your legs or body is under the cab.
Okay, okay. Thanks for your concern. You're not the only one who's warned me about an impending disaster. Love your solution! I'll get some casters, too. The body is tucked in the corner of the garage and that will let me move it around when needed.
Looking good Sir.Just remember the words of my Grandfather."Slow and sure,beats the hell out of quick and dead". Good luck.Have fun.Be safe. Leo
glad to see you fixing that "bucket deal"! Lost a friend under his 56 chev a few years back. that really shakes you to the core.
Those buckets got my attention right away. I'm glad you're losing them. . Plastic dosent fare well in our neck of the ,,,,non-woods.
Finally! An update and info on that antique steering wheel Neighbor Max gifted me with. The rim was in four pieces and one of the four original screws was missing, but Master Craftsman Neighbor Pat did an amazing restoration job, including replacing that original screw! There is a stamp on the 3 o'clock arm of the wheel that's virtually illegible. I tried pencil rubbings but that didn't help. I was puzzling over it again last night and tipped the wheel so the light in the garage caught it at an angle. Does that spell "Badger"??? Guess what? There was a Badger Motorcar Company in, of course, Wisconsin! Here's the link to the site: http://www.american-automobiles.com/Badger.html Still, given the condition of the stamping, I can't be sure it's from a Badger. Would love to hear what y'all think!
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