Finish Kit

Engine Mount ( 3 hrs )

Per Sect 38 - 37, Steps 2-7, and Sect 38, Steps 1-8 installed Guide Plates on Fuselage Rail.  Used silly putty instead of modeling clay - worked fine for Step 3.  Templates are helpful for alignment, too.   Per Sect 40 "Tricycle Landing Gear and Engine Mount", first reamed 6 holes in firewall with 3/8" reamer, then installed Engine Mount.  Three different bolt lengths used...and I re-checked length of top 2 since seemed fewer exposed threads than expected - especially vs the other 4.  All the bolts met length specs.    I'm confirming A-OK with Van's prior to torquing.

silly putty instead of modeling clay worked fine

 

ta dah...  guide plates ready

Finish Kit

Seals and Guide Pins ( 4 hrs )

Added "D" seal to Fwd Canopy Frame per Steps 12-15 Sect 38-34.  Trimmed tiny flanges from edges first...kinda time consuming.  Added LH & RH Side Seals (lip seal) to Canopy Rails per Steps 1-6, Sect 38-35.  Riveted on Guide Pins per Sect 38-37, Step 1 (after buffing, cleaning and Priming....followed soon after by coat of Interior paint - Rustoleum "aluminum").

D seal edges trimmed

White D seal, and black Lip Seal added

Guide pin "selfie"

Guide pin adjacent to lip seal 

beauty shot...   Fairing looking good

Finish Kit

Seals on Canopy Frame ( 3 hrs )

Completed cutting away hatched areas and deburring Wing Root Fairing Stiffeners in Sect 41-04.  Back to working on Canopy -- prepped Guide Pins and Plates per Sect 38-37.  Added foam seals per Steps 1-11 @ front of Canopy Frames per Sect 38-34.

Guide pins

Unique to use 3 layers of thin foam in corner,
along with  rectangular foam strip

Finish Kit

Shoulder Belt Cables ( 2 hrs )

Installed both Shoulder Belt Cables into Aft Fuse lugs per Sect 42-06.  Deburred and dimpled Joystick Boot Doublers per Sect 42-07.  Those essentially complete the "Miscellanea" section since I don't have the shoulder belts nor the Joystick Boots ...yet.  Jumped to Sect 41-04 separating Wing Root Fairing Stiffeners per Step 11.

Glad I have a "washer wrench" to help in these tight spots.

Finish Kit

Canopy Fairing done ( 3 hrs )

Final sanded the primer coat w/ 400 grit to a smooth finish.  Removed tape in front for feathering, then the big reveal - removed last layer of vinyl tape on aft edge of Canopy.  Very satisfying to see clean edge along windshield.  Finally.   ( I didn't cover the front of the canopy, so plastic protection sheet got overspray...)       Also torqued LH & RH Steps.  When I stopped in local Napa store to buy more Napa 7220 primer, I found they had a 5/16" socket/U-joint combo for ~$8 (much lower than some I'd seen on-line).  This worked a little better when using my torque wrench.  I had to use a mirror to see the nut while applying torque seal indicator, so kinda messy.

 

       

Finish Kit

Step installation ( 4 hrs )

Sanded on Canopy Fairing smoothing the micro-balloon/resin added for pin holes and few low areas in transition to alum surface area.  Re-sprayed 2 more coats sandable primer - getting really close to done now.   Installed LH and RH Steps per Sect 42-05 Step 1 - a bear to reach lower back nuts.  My hands are large, so really difficult to reach into mounting area.  Used my bucking bar to tap bolts into place...since close tolerance fit.  Some Boelube helped.   After several failed attempts, discovered a 1/4" drive 5/16" socket on 1/4" U-joint and smallest wrench barely fit so I could tighten the nuts on Aft end (vs special ordering the recommended 5/16" socket/U-joint combo).  The sloped floor prevents inserting the bolts from Aft end which would make tightening the nuts easier.

ready for final(?) sanding...

tennis ball protecting shins while in shop !

LH Step viewed from rear.   Clean !

My hand barely fits into rear access...  small wrench worked 

Finish Kit

Flap Motor Cover ( 3 hrs )

Back on Nov 30 I used extra micro-balloon/resin to smooth over the flush rivets on Aft Tunnel Cover around Fuel Control ( where doubler/spacer was attached).   Sanded today and primed - turned out really smooth with no evidence of rivets.   Completed Flap Motor Cover Ass'ly after 1st deburring & primimg.  Used 12" Back Rivet set and Backplate on bench.  Super easy, and "cleaner"  vs Van's version with round head rivets.  Also buffed then primed LH & RH Steps per Sect 42-05, Step 1.

 

 

Steps primed (covered bolt holes, since tight fit tolerance )