The thick tapered shim in place. Note the two vacant rivet holes in the angled portion of the bottom arch of the side frame: When the truck was taken apart early in the restoration process, this bend was fractured, and a patch of 1/2 inch thick flat bar steel was riveted in place to about half-way support it. The blowout patch has been discarded, and the fracture repaired with a 100% penetration weld. About all that is known about the large gap is that the weld is not the cause.

Photo by Bill Liebman