Body bolsters are a lot of work, and they are heavy...very heavy actually. Once they were completed they have to be fitted between the sides of the car body. After the fitting and after all the holes were marked, the bolsters were removed and the drilling of the holes commenced. There are six 3/4 inch mounting holes per bolster which attached the bolsters to the sides of the car body. Once drilled the bolsters are once again fitted, nuts and bolts installed then removed. The bolsters had to be removed once more so I could install the upper center plate. This job is easier to do with the bolster resting upside-down on a couple of saw horses.
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| Oak blocks are used to mount the center plate to the car bolster. |
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| The centre plate is installed to the car bolster, now the bolster is ready to install to the car body. |
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| Body or Upper Bolster installed |
The wooden block is basically a giant washer. I imagine it would also dampen the sound and vibration between the trucks and car body.
Before the final tightening, Rhéaume checked to see if the car body was "square". This is something I would not have thought of...but Rhéaume's years of experience working in a body shop straightening buses showed. A chalk line down one side, a tug with a come-a-long here, then a chalk line down the opposite side, more pulling by the come-a-long results in one square car body.
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| Rear body bolster installed. Mike looks on as I take some critical measurements! Photo: Bruce Dudley |
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