Gordon you've gone on about these brackets several times before, but never ever do I recall having heard about the three levels of torch heat you applied. The insanity of that. The sweat of it.
I love that story. It so well illustrates the frustration and triumph inherent in owning these cars (for most of us; @MusbJim excepted). That a simple thing that hardly anyone would notice took all those hours, at risk to life and limb!
I want everyone to describe in this level of detail the steps it takes to deal with the needs and wants associated with these vehicles. It's a timely reminder that, IRL, there are material things. Things that won't bend. Things that will break. Things that can't be fixed by choosing from a drop-down menu in your web browser, or even by rebooting your computer.
The people who post here understand, but I think there are whole generations of people who really don't.