Pretty Day

The first flower on the orchid has opened up. We all can use some beauty in our lives every day, but even more so now with all the pandemonium going on. We've got daffodils blooming outside and my gardenia plant will bloom shortly as well. Likewise the magnolias look to be covered with buds. One of them has already started flowering. As long as we don't get a late frost, should be a great spring for the flowers and the flowering trees.

I got the arched piece for the cab/dash tacked on today. I'm not real pleased with the piece in front of it for the cowl. I think it could use a little curvature in the middle of it. I used my bender to form the 90 deg corners but left the middle straight. That's what it showed on the print but I'm not sure how that will blend in to the curved piece for the dash when I form the outer skin. I also tacked on a couple of pieces of flat stock to bolt the cab assembly to the frame.

I did some measuring and head scratching on mounting the engine into the frame. I made a couple of pieces that I can bolt to the engine block that will support it by laying on top of the frame rails. I've got the front one all figured out. When I bolt it up to the block all I'll have to do is set the block on the frame rails and if the ends of the tubing are even with the frame rails the engine will be centered in the frame. I can't finish the one for the rear of the block until I unbolt it from the engine stand, which means I'll have to set the front end down and keep the block hanging from the engine crane while I finalize the rear support. Once I get the block setting between the rails I'll have a much better idea of how far down in the frame I can set it. That'll allow me to get a better idea of what I need for both the cowl piece and the grill unit on the front end. I can cut some cardboard, bend some wires, run some string, etc. to better visualize the shape of things. Plus, I can start figuring out the motor mounts.

I did some more yard work yesterday, got my bike ride in and made a little progress on one of the jobs for the side hustle. I've got a bunch of small pieces to make that have to have two threaded holes in them. The layout has to be pretty accurate but I don't want to have to lay out each individual piece, so I made up a little jig for laying out the parts that should allow me to lay out each piece in a matter of just seconds. I'll find out today if it works as planned. I plan on making a few other pieces in the next couple of days as well and then I can drop them off Monday morning. I can swing by the grocery and resupply the fruit and veggies during the Senior hour, drop off the parts, hit the bank, and then come home and hit the shower - using hand sanitizer between each stop, of course. Might just throw the parts out the window of the truck and head home. It's starting to get bad around here.

Be careful everyone.