154: Saturday 21st August 2010

I had to make one more cut before I could assemble the base of the rear battery rack, but first I was out to the shops to buy some welding rods. I took the old hold down strap and cut it down to fit the width. I then welded the rack together and tried it in the trunk. It seems to fit well and did not need to be raised as the spare wheel cannot sit in it's well any more. I then measured up for an outrigger for the bottom left fixing point as the corner of the rack was in mid air above the spare wheel well.
----
In the photo below (taken from the side) you can see the outrigger added. I made this from angle iron and welded it in as many places as possible as it will be providing support and not just positioning the batteries. I drilled holes in the bracket at the top to fit the existing fixing from the last bracket, then fitted the bolts and drilled holes for the bottom end so I had marks to fit riv nuts to the body. I installed these then the whole bracket was secure.

----
The next step was to make the brackets for the hold downs to go across the top. I had given the last of my threaded stud to one of my neighbours so he could fit a chrome bull bar on the front of his van, so I had to shave the heads off four 8mm bolts and weld them to the brackets made from flat steel bar. In the photo below you can see the hold down brackets added. We were going to a torchlight parade in Southend so I had to pack up and get ready to go out. I could have used another hour just to get some paint on ready for tomorrow so I could go straight to fitting the batteries, but it was not to be. First job tomorrow painting, then to make up the 2 hold down straps.