mtv wrote:

Easy Riser wrote:

Cary wrote:Yeah, keep the pix coming, so that I'll never be tempted to tackle such a job myself!

Cary

I concur, although I would love to find a shop that could do this work for my good ole 182. I never was a fan of the old style headliners and looking at these interiors with the Selkirk foam sure makes me want to go that direction, along with the utility floor covering versus the carpet as well.

Keep the images coming. Even the wife likes this idea

Before you even THINK about hiring someone to do a project like this, just buy a new King Air....cheaper....

MTV

I had my IA install a new headliner in my airplane a few years back--I think he charged me a day's worth of labor, although I don't know how long it actually took. It made a huge difference in how the interior looked, before and after.

Cary

amacbean wrote:
Also, we made some covers for the pulleys where the aileron and flap cables go out to the wings behind the door posts. This cut down on wind drafts in the winter substantially. We made them out of 1/8" sintra (white opaque polystyrene) and painted them to match. They aren't perfect, but it looks better than not having them.

Allen, Im curious as to how you worked the Sintra. I know you can mold it above 150 degrees, but how did you get the compound curve? Did you make a mold and lay it over? Looks good!

SkyLarkin wrote:Lots of good ideas. Has anybody ever put shoulders harnesses in for the rear seat passengers?

Yes. It can be done using stock Cessna hooks that install at the forward ends of the two reinforcing straps. There is only marginal head and shoulder clearance for adults, but it is good for kids. The shoulder harnesses wind up being removable, as are the lap-belts if you have an Atlee-type arrangement. Don't count on it to withstand massive forces, but it does give a little extra margin.
-DP

Has anyone come up with a good system to keep the shoulder harnesses out of the way when they are not in use, like getting in/out of the plane? Mine just hang from the mount, and they are a pain when I'm loading unloading

slowhawk wrote:Has anyone come up with a good system to keep the shoulder harnesses out of the way when they are not in use, like getting in/out of the plane? Mine just hang from the mount, and they are a pain when I'm loading unloading

BAS harnesses come with velcro that holds them up near the air vents. Another slick option I've seen (not sure if it was custom) is a long strip of sheetmetal (approx 18" x 2") above the door opening, fastened at the bottom and open at the top and sides, for the shoulder belt webbing to slip behind. Done right, it's really clean and attractive, but it does require keeping a headliner. That installation was on a C-185 with a jump door, so keeping them well out of the way would have been of utmost importance.
-DP

Hey Slowhawk, did you weigh the interior stuff you took out? (headliner, etc.) Just curious how much that stuff weighs in total.

i have it in a pile for now, still in the removal phase. I plan on weighing all that comes out and all that goes back in

denalipilot wrote:

slowhawk wrote:Has anyone come up with a good system to keep the shoulder harnesses out of the way when they are not in use, like getting in/out of the plane? Mine just hang from the mount, and they are a pain when I'm loading unloading

BAS harnesses come with velcro that holds them up near the air vents. Another slick option I've seen (not sure if it was custom) is a long strip of sheetmetal (approx 18" x 2") above the door opening, fastened at the bottom and open at the top and sides, for the shoulder belt webbing to slip behind. Done right, it's really clean and attractive, but it does require keeping a headliner. That installation was on a C-185 with a jump door, so keeping them well out of the way would have been of utmost importance.
-DP

I have seen one like you are describing, but yes it depended on the headliner, which I am disposing of. I was hoping someone has come up with a slick system, otherwise i'll have to think of something

I hold my harnesses out of the way with my Rosen sun visors when parked.

slowhawk wrote:Has anyone come up with a good system to keep the shoulder harnesses out of the way when they are not in use, like getting in/out of the plane? Mine just hang from the mount, and they are a pain when I'm loading unloading

I fly by myself a lot, and got tired of seeing the copilot's harness swinging around. I mounted a strip of Velcro (think of a wrist-watch band) to the RH aft door post using one of the door post cover mounting screws, and use it to secure the RH harness when not in use. If I'm crawling in and out of the LH side a lot, I tie the pilot's harness off around the v-brace.

For the Sintra covers, we made an approximate pattern out of paper to cut the sintra out with. After that, we used a heat gun on low setting to warm the sintra to where it was malleable enough to bend the edges up on the ends, and then we used an old film canister (the big ones for 200' rolls of 35mm) to press against the middle to help make the curve. It's not easy, and we messed up the practice piece, but with a little bit of trial and error we made it work. A form would be a good idea, and that was our next step if freehand didn't work, but it got us close enough to not worry about it.

denalipilot wrote:

SkyLarkin wrote:Lots of good ideas. Has anybody ever put shoulders harnesses in for the rear seat passengers?

Yes. It can be done using stock Cessna hooks that install at the forward ends of the two reinforcing straps. There is only marginal head and shoulder clearance for adults, but it is good for kids. The shoulder harnesses wind up being removable, as are the lap-belts if you have an Atlee-type arrangement. Don't count on it to withstand massive forces, but it does give a little extra margin.
-DP

I think I'll try something like that, thanks for the pics.

So, some slow progress. My first test spot;



Started with the worst, I think Allen described it as the glue being applied with a butter knife, same guy must have done mine as well



The right side about half done, you can see the 1/4" thick old goop towards the front.



Left side done, left some of the old paint towards the front, i'll just repaint when the time comes.



The growing pile



Haven't weighed it yet, since stuff is still coming out, but I estimate about 30# so far. The work is tedious, but a lot like refinishing furniture. I am looking at this as a marathon, not a sprint. I can still fly it, so I work on it a little at a time. my goal is to try to get about 3 hours in during the week and 4 hours over the weekend, we'll see

slowhawk wrote:.... I am looking at this as a marathon, not a sprint. I can still fly it, so I work on it a little at a time. my goal is to try to get about 3 hours in during the week and 4 hours over the weekend, we'll see

That's the kind of project I like, and the right way to do something like this.
A sub-clause of Murphy's Law dictates that about the time you tear the airplane down enough that you can't fly it, some sort of problem or delay will come up and extend that downtime.
Looks great so far, keep up the good work.

Took a break from the MEK fumes and went flying

South end of the Kaiparowits Plateau


Lake Powell


Cool rock


Can't get the picture rotation to behave, but it was a beautiful day, nice and calm. 1000 FPM climb sustained from 6000 - 8000' gotta love cold air

So after looking at all of the amazing Cessna interior project pics, I too am about 40 hours into the process of fighting the good fight against Cessna and their liberally applied interior coating of now fossilized diarrhea. Paint remover, MEK and lots of sweating in funky contorted positions.
Currently collecting parts, not that it looks like I'll be reassembling anything for a while but I am planning ahead. Does anybody know where to get new cabin air and heat cables? My old Cessna parts book lists them as the same number as the carb heat cables, 0411090, but all I can find new from anybody are the square knobbed 0411090CH cables and nothing with round knobs. I'm thinking of just using Spruce's not PMA'd cables at $35 each. Any thoughts from you veterans?

flyingzebra wrote:.... am about 40 hours into the process of fighting the good fight against Cessna and their liberally applied interior coating of now fossilized diarrhea. ........

HEY! That's a factory secret. Now they'll have to kill you for blabbing.

IMHO a cable's a cable. As long as it's not a bicycle cable or something.
I replaced my throttle cable a year or so ago, dunno what McFarlane's special cable woulda cost but probably a few hundred bucks. Spruce's ACS A-810 cable at $80 worked great.
A specialty item like the siamesed cowl flap cable might only be available from the spendy sources, but I'd say for cabin heat & air go generic.

Does anybody know where to get the shoulder harness belt hardware that clips on to overhead hooks? Great pictures and job!

Thanks, Ron

hotrod180 wrote:IMHO a cable's a cable. As long as it's not a bicycle cable or something.
I replaced my throttle cable a year or so ago, dunno what McFarlane's special cable woulda cost but probably a few hundred bucks.

For those that care...

Heat/air may be a bit different depending on the AP, but for control cables, you for sure you cant install any cable you think will work. Sucks that the approved C180 McFarlane cable is $230, but the $80 cable from Spruce can not be used.

RE: other cables... if the cable is not knackered and you are just interested in refinishing them (plastic only,) a great trick is to use Acetone. Soak a paper towel, then lightly rub on the plastic. This will melt and refinish the knobs. Very cool trick.

If you want orig cables, you can try Skywagon City. Mack will have some used ones that are in good shape.

Good luck!

jrc111 wrote:Does anybody know where to get the shoulder harness belt hardware that clips on to overhead hooks? Great pictures and job!

Thanks, Ron

Hooker Harnesses uses a piece of hardware that looks very similar and might work. I've also seen them come up occasionally sites like Beegles eBay store, Texas Air Salvage and Flying Fish.

-DP