Coco-Rosie, where are you?!

We have a frustratingly sad piece of news!
I went back to Athens to take a photograph for Young, Foxy and Free magazine, and on the afternoon of March 12th Coco-Rosie went off exploring!! A lady in the neighborhood found her, tied her up and removed her tag to take it inside and call me, and while in progress Coco escaped again. She was found by another neighbor, not even two blocks from Scott's apartment, who called the Circle of Friends Animal Society number, they came and picked her and and amongst themselves made a unilateral decision to re-possess her, the boyfriend of her foster mother was given Coco as a birthday present because, according to the director, she was going to adopt Coco before I came along and adopted her! They have been totally unwilling to even meet and talk about the issue, will not let me see my dog, and will not relent in their assertion that "she is better off with them". I have been trying to call and make arrangements to meet with them at their usual adoption site in Athens, and I went there this past weekend, to find the Oconee County Animal Rescue there instead, who helped me get the director who won't return or answer my calls on the phone. She told me to stop harassing her. I believe we will be filing a civil suit this coming week.

Floor Joists, Scissors Jacks and Running Gear!

We are making good progress getting the trailer up on it's own jacks and wheels, and in the mean while assembling walls. It will really be something getting the cage finished, **hopefully**, including the siding, by the end of APRIL! We are coming up Sunday thru Tuesday, I have kept my job here in Cartersville, and also working full time morning shifts in Athens, getting ready for a show @ The White Tiger in Athens in May, ans creating spring clothes for the stores I sell in. I am featured in this season's issue of Young Foxy and Free magazine, and photo/image magazine. I am wearing a costume made from recycled kimono, that changes into t board game I dreamt up when I was a kid. In the image I have met my long lost friend, a pyramid of gold!

Trial fit up of the tire on the hub...there is plenty of clearance between the tire wall and the chassis frame, and only little 3" interference with the floor joist, so we will only have to make small wheel wells. "whew!"
The new axle set + brake + hub assemblies all ready to mount to the springs and chassis!
Home made floor joist cobbled together from scraps

Shackles and leaf springs in place, the chassis and floor up on it's new frog legs!

Scott working on the sub-assemblies
Measuring for the shackle brackets to be welded in place.
Scott screwing together the nose section

the angle clips that join the joists to the C-channeling
Getting started
The floor assembled!

It's amazing, after five months of scarfing, torch cutting, black-smithing and welding to create the chassis, the floor sub-structure went together in about 2 hours! We drilled and bolted the scissors jacks in place, drilled and tapped the holes for the shackles and bolted the leaf springs and shackles together! Bill made all the joists clips and the end brackets too while I was working in Athens this past week!

I ran on these axles never the less..relentless optimism

Well, finally, after a lot of work we have realized that the free axle set was not really a gift after all, unless I consider how much the gift helped to inspire and embolden me to start this project. As it turns out the spindles are too short to interface with the hubs that have the right bolt pattern to match up with the rims that I needed to carry the tires that are properly rated for the weight of the unit.. so I am going to try and sell this amazing re-furbished axle set. Really, new axles are not that expensive if all you need is the tubes welded up, so it's not a huge deal in the end.. just a major learning experience and exercise in RELENTLESS OPTIMISM!!! So, here is the deal: These would be great for a utility trailer!!
FOR SALE: $250.00
I have a 7000lb capacity each tandem axle set.
They are a beefy and clean set of axles, 3" diameter 1/4" thick tubing. The hubs are a five bolt pattern, 12"x2". I have made new brake flange plates for mounting new brakes assemblies to, all they need is to be welded in place. The existing spring seats are on 76" centers, but I needed them @ 74" so I made new spring seats to weld on as well. Both the spring seats and flanges are made with 1/4" steel stock. The spindles are 5" long, inner bearing cone dimensions are 1 3/8", outer 1 1/4", I have all inner and outer bearings, and they are in good shape, just need new grease. I have all four nuts. The total length of the set, hub outside to outside is 97".

Tires and Paint!

Before and After! What a big difference!

I went to pick up the tires and rims today, before the truck nearly croaked in desperate need for a new water pump! Also got the chassis painted this week! Looks great, eh?!