Ok,

	I mamaged to get the rocker panel piece that goes under the cargo
doors put in, and boy was it interesting.

	This is an engineers kind  of job, and the solution was not immediately
obvious!

	One problem is how to weld the floor to the rocker panels, and the 
second was why doesn't the $&*(^& panel line up right!

	The piece itself, which came from Wolfsbug West, didn't fit all that 
great.  On the bottom of it, where you have that little rail, it was
too short, and like the other panel I did, the curvature was just a little
off.

	My solution was to clamp it to the inner rocker at the bottom, best as I
could to get it as high as I could, so I wouldn't have a funky gap, which I
still ended up with (the clamp had slipped 1/16" and i hadn't noticed.

	I tack welded the bottom of the rail, at 4" increments all the way 
across.

	I then used these big, deep clamps I had ($4 each at Home Base - some
of the best money I've ever spent!) against the inner and outer rocker,
to get the outer under the lip of the cargo floor.  I had to take the
vise grips and bend up the latch reviever to get the rocker to clear, 
though. 

	I then used smaller clamps to clamp the cargo floor to the rocker
panel, and then when I got it where it looked like it should be, I
welded the crap out of it!   

	Then the challenging part!  I got the rearward 1/2 done, but the front
was still kinda funky, so I pried it out a ways and then clamped and
welded it.  Either the bus isn't even or the new piece wasn't straight,
but I'm gonna stand in my bus's corner on this one!

	Once I got the front 1/2 welded, I bent the latch reciever down and
welded it down as well.

	Putting this panel in made a huge difference in the stiffness of the
door area - it doesn't sag when you step on it anymore, and I was able
to straighten out the ledge somewhat after I was all done.  Once I get
the carpet put in, I don't think you'll notice at all!

	I now have about 80% of the rust taken care of, and 75% of the welding.
Left to do are the battery tray and hinge carrier, which should be a 
piece of cake, except I have to pull the motor for the battery tray, and 
there are some prettly beefy welds on the hinge carrier where someone tried
to fix it before.  Those will be a joy to get through!

	I also have to weld up my back deck, where someone cut a TIII style
access hatch!

	Well, I have to get back to my school stuff, but just for 2 weeks,
'til the end of the semester.  I'm considering taking next semester off
to work on the bus....Hmmmm...Tempting! 

Thom
-- 
> Someday, everyone who has seen this .sig will be dead.
............................................................................
:    Thom Fitzpatrick                             Transamerica Info Mgmnt  :
:  Systems Administrator                          1860 Howe Ave            :
:  tfitzpatrick@tim.com                           Sacramento, CA 95825     :
:   fax (916) 921-6781                            (916) 565-3346           :
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All opinions expressed herein are mine and not necessarily those of TIMS!