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As mentioned yesterday, the refurbed, iconic JFG sign installation is underway. We stopped by earlier today to watch some of the activity and snapped some pics (click image above for a slideshow). As you can see in some of the pictures, the sign support structure looks pretty sturdy. It's in a higher position on the Kerbela Temple property that will afford better views on approach to South Knoxville.

More after the jump...

Today they were installing 21 vertical panels that make up the bottom portion that says "SPECIAL COFFEE, The Best Part of the Meal." You can see in the slideshow above how they are using a pulley and rope apparatus pulled by a van to hoist the panels into place. Some "Tennessee engineering" according to the electrical guy, whose van was used for the muscle. (I'm guessing it was a lot cheaper than renting a crane.)

The guy on the top structure was calling out instructions to the guy in the van to go forward a little, back up a bit, etc. until they got it positioned to his liking. Then both guys on the structure started bolting it in place using L-shaped bolts and steel spacers.

(You can see some original rust on the back of the panels. The sign company foreman said there had been discussion about leaving it for historical value, but a JFG official came by and said they might want to slap a coat of primer on it.)

The sign company guy, working out of Atlanta, said the big J, F, and G letters will arrive Monday and they will start installing them Tuesday. He and the electrical company guy said once the letters were installed they would begin hand installing the individual LEDs and wiring harnesses. They will also install neon lights, which will come in sections, around the lettering on the lower part of the sign.

They hope to test light it Friday. The electrical guy said he will install a special switch for the contest winner to perform the official lighting on Boomsday. He said he thinks it will be somewhere on the roof of the C&C building.