Hi Dennis and List Members,

 

Dennis wrote: "if you zoom in close to the nearest frame, the deck holes are already present"

 

As are holes in the stake pockets and other locations.

 

Dennis further wrote: "I would assume they were cast in"

 

If they were cast in, that would indicate that the mold material would be trapped against the car body casting and also in the holes themselves. I suspect there would be a high rate of mold failures where the holes are supposed to end up being, no?

 

I would suggest the possibility that the casting was poured without any special accomodation for the holes, and when removed from the mold the holes were drilled at the foundry prior to shipping. The foundry could have a set of pre-made jigs to properly locate the drill and therefore the holes, speeding the process when a large number of castings need to be drilled identically

 

Claus Schlund