Final Window in Place

The final window was installed last weekend.

These were a pain in the butt.

I had to look back at my own posts to realize how I got them out!

Anyway...

Measure - Measure-  Measure

I centered the window to the area and then raised it a bit to avoid a brace on the interior.

Then to the cutting.

i did not bother with the " special" saw blades.

The cutoff wheel was the tool of choice.

One that was complete , I tied off the piece of steel that will be removed so it could be lowered safely to the ground.

I primed the opening and started with the rigging.

Now that is out of the way.

On to raising the window back into the hole.

A generous amount of sealer was applied to the area where the window will be attached.

This was a fun solo task.

All done. 

Now for the last patch and onto the sandblasting and primer.

Cupola Windows

The lower windows and spacers are all done after a 14 hr day. I don't know where the time goes while I'm here.

Maybe I am doing too much?

I feel you have to get rid of the rust and seal the areas or we will be back to the same spot again SOON!!

Some of the areas that are new have already started to have surface rust.... in a few weeks!!

Anyway... here are the last of the windows.

Now on to the top!

These are going to be a pain.

The plan was to originally use a plasma cutter to cut the opening.

That did not come to be.

The width was greater than 70" and the height over 20".

That is going to make so many parts of this tough.

I started by measuring and then measuring again and again.

I have one shot at the cut.

I can always enlarge the hole but I don't want to add hours to the task by welding patches to the opening if I muck it up.

Then... to the cutting.

I bought two very special blades.

These are designed to do this job.

Well, they did cut but not anywhere what was needed.

I was only able to cut about 8" before the blade was shot.

Theses are going back.

So, on to the grinder and a cutting wheel.

It was no fun to hold that saw in place on that steel.

Especially when it bound up and kicked back that close to my face!

The grinder was much easier to control and the safer.

The hole is done! 

I was fortunate to have a great second set of hands today.

I don't know how long this would have taken without him.

My brother was recruited to be that second set of hands.

This cut hours from my effort.

Just getting up and down off the ladder !!

After the steel was cut, we tied it off and David maned the rope.

We secured the piece being removed and then cut it free.

David lowered it safely to the ground.

We prepped the opening and on to the task that was the most fun.

Now we had to lift the refurbished window to the opening, align it, mark the existing holes on the new steel, drill , remove the window , apply sealant, move the window back over the newly drilled holes, screw in the hex head stainless screws, keep the sealant from getting all over everything, tighten the window to the steel and pray it does not tweak the window and keep it from opening, and do so balanced on a 8' wide beam.  That's all. 

Piece of cake.

I wish I had a few pics of the way we got the window in place but my hands where a bit busy.

We tied off the window and through the rope over the top of the car to my willing helper.

We lifted the window to the approx. place where needed.

We tied off the window so it would not drop below the current place.

Then we had to get the window into the exact place where it would line up with those holes that were just drilled.

We needed to be able to adjust the placement by fractions of an inch.

Not possible with the rope and it would stretch and would not give the flexibility we needed.

David found a cargo ratchet strap.

BINGO!

We attached the cargo strap to the top of the car and the base of the window.

A few clicks later , we were in business.

We lined up the holes and got to fastening the window.

So it may not be pretty , yet.

It may not have gone as I had hoped, BUT... IT'S IN!

More importantly, David and I still have all our fingers and no trips to the ER.

The car is to be blasted and primed in the next few weeks.

All the sealant that looks so messy now will be gone.

On to the next one... another day.