Master Gump Sir

I have a "yes - But" reply for you.

YES - You are correct that Bolen did NOT use the old main gear location. Duh! on my part.
BUT - The step may still be a BIT forward of stock 170s.

Googled around for several other stock 170s and the steps all appear to be closer too the center of the door.
I could only count 7 rivets from near the strut or front of door back to your step with two more down to it.
Might be at a lower floor bulkhead station.

Did what I could to count the rivets and measure the vertical location relative to the center of the door.
Looks like mine may have 9 rivets back to the step, and is just forward of the door center line.

For those who may have a finite interest in this subject google N4650C. While I was at it I stumbled on another location on KLICKR which came up by accident.
Nice young fella named Garrett Grant put it up and made some nice comments.

Seems the plane gets more compliments than i ever have.

Just Wannabe learning a bit more

Chris C

It probably is a bit different. All part of being a Frankenplane!

Just for shits and grins I climbed in and out a few times yesterday while actually thinking about climbing in (That's hard to do, the thinking about it that is)

Seat far back, left foot on the step, grab the doorframe strap with my right hand, hoist my fat ass up and swing my right leg in, in front of the seat. Plop down and scoot the seat forward.

Yeah, that step would be nicer sitting about four inches aft, and the technique is a bit off from that on a C180.

Gump

I have a stick of that streamlined 4130 if you want to fix them. Hacksaw and a TIG machine and you're in business.

gbflyer wrote:I have a stick of that streamlined 4130 if you want to fix them. Hacksaw and a TIG machine and you're in business.

Been there, good to go for another 5000 hours

Note: The metal is pretty thin, practice on a scrap. (Don't ask how I know)

GumpAir wrote:....Seat far back, left foot on the step, grab the doorframe strap with my right hand, hoist my fat ass up and swing my right leg in, in front of the seat. Plop down and scoot the seat forward.
Yeah, that step would be nicer sitting about four inches aft, and the technique is a bit off from that on a C180.
Gump

Sounds like the procedure I use.
And about what I remember doing when I had the 170 (sold in 2008).
Only difference is about 20 pounds more fat ass to hoist nowadays.

Hard to tell for sure, but it looks a little shorter than the step on my 180, and a little farther forward.
Angle looks a bit different also.

Here's a close up on my 54 180. It really wouldn't be hard to make one. Just very small streamline tubing flattened on the end and bent to the right angle under the seat track. Curve and weld a flat peice of 4130 where it is riveted to the belly skin and weld the step. There is a fore and aft angle that 3 rivets go through in the picture I just took.

Took some measurements out at the hangar today. The step is just about exactly below the fore-and-aft centerline of the door. It's about 9" down from the fuselage skin to the step. And the upper end of the step bolts through the floor and the inboard side of the LH pilot's seat rail, about 18-1/4" from the aft end of the rail.