PNW Flyer wrote:Looks great.
How long from engine receipt at shop to receipt in this photo? Mine was just opened up by the shop yesterday.

They got my engine first week of January - and that photo was taken today. So about 20 weeks... not sure how much of an effect Covid 19 had on the time line. They told me originally it would be April - but in my research on that shop the only really negative feedback I was able to find was that they missed timelines so I just added 1 month to my expectations...so I was prepared for it to be this month. Plus I needed time to sell one of my kidneys to pay for this dang thing!

Looks great, keep up the pics. My 470 took 7 months to get 6 cylinders, new cam, new crank. 5 months for a full pponk sounds nice...

Testing fitting the new firewall - awesome to see how some of the details we have been prepping are starting to come together.

Who made the firewall and how many $$$$$$. It sure looks pretty and not from Cessna.

180Marty wrote:Who made the firewall and how many $$$$$$. It sure looks pretty and not from Cessna.

It's a NOS Cessna firewall - the pattern was added by the shop at Bushliner.

Good to see that things are coming together for you!
BTW I just replaced the starter adapter on my 180-- what a frigging job!
I'm looking at the recess in your new firewall-- does that line up with the starter adapter?
If so, it would sure make that job a lot easier.

hotrod180 wrote:Good to see that things are coming together for you!
BTW I just replaced the starter adapter on my 180-- what a frigging job!
I'm looking at the recess in your new firewall-- does that line up with the starter adapter?
If so, it would sure make that job a lot easier.

Thanks, the light at the end of the dark tunnel is getting brighter! That recessed area gives a little more clearance to the alternator - it’s a 185 firewall (why 185? It was cheaper) Hopefully that adapter didn’t leave any munge in your engine.

Working on the fit of the carbon fiber panels - final cuts, clean up and then paint:

Who makes those panels? Look nice.

MTV

mtv wrote:Who makes those panels? Look nice.

MTV

They are carbon fiber - shocking how light they are. It’s one of the first sets from Aerospace Industries. Will put some leather across that inset with an elastic top to make a nice pocket.
http://www.aerospace-industries.com/

Will put some leather across that inset with an elastic top to make a nice pocket.

Very cool!!!!!! Your doorposts forward is truly going to be first class.

Another small detail item - finally got the control wheel emblems done.

still grinding away on the progress - did the inspection for the proposed AD on the tail cone https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/may/18/faa-plans-to-issue-cessna-tail-cone-ad and while back there added the (BCP Member) Aeropod inspection panels:



I already had the one on the bottom for inspecting/access to the jackscrew.

Thanks for the great information, Corefile and others. Really makes me think what condition my 1959 Cessna 175 with 220 Franklin is in, especially it having lived outdoors here in New England and having been a trainer. I'm sure you have a lot of folks wondering about their birds too, which is good. My last annual was expensive due to the inspector finding things he did not like. But I'm an optimist, and I'm sure there is nothing more amiss with my bird. Yeah, right. Thanks again.

Well...finally hung the Pponk (or I guess XP470) today.

Whew! That is pretty!

Pure sex right there.

Looks like it's starting to come together, Paul!
I'm curious as to what the vertical orange channel / hat section is on the LH side of the firewall?

hotrod180 wrote:Looks like it's starting to come together, Paul!
I'm curious as to what the vertical orange channel / hat section is on the LH side of the firewall?

Its so I don't put the rudder pedals through the firewall on a sketchy strip

It's a doubler for the parking brake and a doubler for the cowl flap pass through. The right cowl flap has a small one, it picks up strength from the heatbox too.

At least that is my understanding.

hotrod180 wrote:Good to see that things are coming together for you!
BTW I just replaced the starter adapter on my 180-- what a frigging job!
I'm looking at the recess in your new firewall-- does that line up with the starter adapter?
If so, it would sure make that job a lot easier.

There are times and tasks with these airplanes where an engine hoist can make the job soooo much easier.....un-ass the engine a bit, do the job, then re-attach when done.

MTV