Thanks for the kind words guys, I like my maule panel. After flying behind it for 300 hours, I don't really have anything to change about it. So back to the 170...

Haven't had a lot of visual progress the past few days as I've been waiting on parts and doing the tedious tasks like routing oil/fuel pressure lines from firewall to panel. Might as well camp in here now...



While waiting on wiring and the new radio, I went ahead and worked out the radio stack and various closeout panels. I don't like swiss cheese radio mounting rails so I put some new rails in for the radio and txp to mount to. Made the small panel below transponder for intercom and avionics bus breakers. This keeps all avionics bus stuff over in that stack, so the avionics switch will send power from the main bus on right side of plane over to the radio stack. Behind the avionics breakers/intercom, I made a shelf for the encoder as well as an avionics ground bus. I don't like ground wires going all over the place, so this will keep them tidy and make everything modular. Will do a similar main ground bus on the right side. I also made the main bus breaker closeout on the right side and that little piece of aluminum up top for USB ports which covers a couple old instrument holes. Now all that stuff is at the powdercoater - they were running a load of black today ad fit me in for free since it was just a few small aluminum parts.





Got the metal for the main upper panel to started on it. Done exept for the 660 hole, need to verfiy it's positioning before cutting. Also there's one instrument mount hole missing which was intentional. No, I did not cut 1/16" alum with those shears. I'm not that strong.



These are my favorite tools for knocking out quick panels by hand. The ATS instrument hole punch and it's accompanying mount hole locator thing makes these a breeze. Cut through this 1/16" thick aluminum like butter. The Whitney punch is also incredible, makes using a drill feel silly if the punch can reach where you need a hole. And for some reason this blue sharpie is the best sharpie of all time. I don't know, don't ask questions, it just is. I would prefer to design these in CAD and have them waterjet or laser cut, but I can do this by hand in about an hour. It just gets old remaking them when I mess it up.

ASA, what is the "make & model" of the combined engine gauge on the far left ?

Mapleflt wrote:ASA, what is the "make & model" of the combined engine gauge on the far left ?

I don't actually know, the sticker is mostly worn away, but I'm a big fan of it.
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Got a lot of the parts in that I was waiting for so back to chipping away. Things without pictures include mounting the oil cooler with its spacers, installing new fuel pump.

Cut a rectangular hole


Got those little pieces back from powder, not bad for less than 24 hour turnaround and free of charge. Started filling them with their respective contents.Fun fact about PM501 intercoms - their "faceplate" is actually just a decal that the company sends with the unit. So transferring it to a different panel is nearly impossible. So I just made labels for the knobs. I'd prefer a faceplate but it doesn't look terrible.


Test fit all the aforementioned metal bits in the panel. Little preview of what's to come. Obviously the area 660 is the rectangle hole and the empty 2' hole right of center will be combo egt/cht. GTR205 radio above txp. Customer wanted the vertical card compass in the panel rather than glareshield. Absolutely surrounded by electronics - radio, txp, av30, 660. Slim chance it gives meaningful information there.


Got a little work done on the intercom harness tonight

You have skills ASA, building a wiring harness has always been a mystery to me.

Spent the morning mauling, and when I got back I had been visited by Santa. All the good stuff. Garmin GTR205, Atlee battery box, battery, aera 660 mount/cable, steve's gascolator.



Pulled out the radio install kit and finished the intercom/radio harness. Will install rear seat jacks after routing the cables through the plane.


Got the radio rack mounted


Upper panel is back off now for pitot static routing and I'll make the flanges for the Aera 660 dock before sending the panel off for powdercoat.

Lots of time past two days laying on my back installing the harnesses, routing pitot/static lines, making RG400, terminating everything at the correct length, etc. But the entire panel is wired!



Not much for visual progress since successful wire routing is out of sight, but here it is anyway. Everything that's there is hooked up. That loose wire at copilot's pedals is the alternator field, haven't decided which way I'm going to route that yet.



Upper panel is coated and ready to get installed, however I'm waiting on 2 push-to-connect fitings for the P/S system so I'll probably wait on those. Seems easier to work on that stuff without the upper panel installed. I have mixed feelings on the push-to-connect fittings/lines.



The yoke coating had cracks so I peeled it all off and found some beautiful corrosion on one of them. Planning to get them powdercoated once I clean them up unless someone has another suggestion? I like the thick plastic type coating that was on them because it smooths out imperfections but not sure what that is. Thought about jst asking the powdercoaters to lay it on thick or something? Tips?

The traditionalist in me would tell me to source so original 170B yokes, clean them up and added restore the Cessna logo. I found a "textured" paint in a rattle can at the local DIY store. I sealed with a clear coat and it seems to have stood up well over time.

Mapleflt wrote:The traditionalist in me would tell me to source so original 170B yokes, clean them up and added restore the Cessna logo. I found a "textured" paint in a rattle can at the local DIY store. I sealed with a clear coat and it seems to have stood up well over time.

I'm surprised rattle can holds up on a high wear item like the yoke but that's great.

Making incremental progress day by day. Customer is delaying some expenses by buying the AV30 and 660 closer to the plane being done since I told him I didn't really need them to keep moving forward. AV30 is a simple connection so no big deal. Still waiting on the EGT/CHT gauge to arrive, should be tomorrow. Engine controls are ready but waiting on the new decorative faceplate thing that 170's had.

This is the product, in addition I sprayed a clear coat over it as well.

Performix Plasti Dip® Multi-Purpose Rubber Coating Aerosol Spray

Guess it’s not just a panel project after all

The heart a 170 was meant to have, it will be a thing of beauty with your midas touch ASA.

Looking great ASA! Always enjoyable seeing your work.

Looking great, Asa... thoughts on the idea of a field approval to remove the fuel pumps in the Avcon conversion? This always struck me as weird that they are required in a high wing airplane.

soyAnarchisto wrote:Looking great, Asa... thoughts on the idea of a field approval to remove the fuel pumps in the Avcon conversion? This always struck me as weird that they are required in a high wing airplane.

Thanks!

Removing the fuel pumps doesn't seem worth the effort to me. Replacing all those fuel lines with 0.5" as previously mentioned seems like a pain in the ass. The paperwork seems like a pain in the ass too. Funny thing is that the electric pump is a definite restriction. The inlet/outlet on it are 1/8" NPT, whereas the rest of the fuel system in 1/4", so having that pump there and not running is degrading the system. But whatever, I don't care that much if it works.

asa wrote:

soyAnarchisto wrote:Looking great, Asa... thoughts on the idea of a field approval to remove the fuel pumps in the Avcon conversion? This always struck me as weird that they are required in a high wing airplane.

Thanks!

Removing the fuel pumps doesn't seem worth the effort to me. Replacing all those fuel lines with 0.5" as previously mentioned seems like a pain in the ass. The paperwork seems like a pain in the ass too. Funny thing is that the electric pump is a definite restriction. The inlet/outlet on it are 1/8" NPT, whereas the rest of the fuel system in 1/4", so having that pump there and not running is degrading the system. But whatever, I don't care that much if it works.

That is totally accurate. I had more than sufficient flow for the O-360 before the fuel pump but marginal after it (with the pump off). Just one of those aviation anomalies. But it does work.

Ummm, how are you going to close the garage door after you hang the engine?

I removed the fuel pump in my 0-360 installation via the STC, the fuel flow test was a solid pass. I can't imagine ever getting to 17 degrees nose up as per the "on condition" requirements of the test procedure.

asa wrote:

soyAnarchisto wrote:Looking great, Asa... thoughts on the idea of a field approval to remove the fuel pumps in the Avcon conversion? This always struck me as weird that they are required in a high wing airplane.

Thanks! Removing the fuel pumps doesn't seem worth the effort to me. Replacing all those fuel lines with 0.5" as previously mentioned seems like a pain in the ass. The paperwork seems like a pain in the ass too. Funny thing is that the electric pump is a definite restriction. The inlet/outlet on it are 1/8" NPT, whereas the rest of the fuel system in 1/4", so having that pump there and not running is degrading the system. But whatever, I don't care that much if it works.

My last airplane (C150/150TD) had the "Texas Taildragger" Lycoming STC (now held by DelAir), which included a fuel pump.
Very similar to the Avcon conversions.
Been quite a while, but as I recall, the fuel lines were plumbed "in parallel", with the fuel going through the pump when it was on,
otherwise bypassing it.
Versus being plumbed "in series", with the fuel going through the pump even when it was switched off.

G44 wrote:Ummm, how are you going to close the garage door after you hang the engine?

Good question. We decided the best way was cutting the prop flange off the crank, as well as shortening the engine mount 2.5”. Gave us about 3” clearance from the garage door.

I'm gone now but before leaving I focused on firewall forward and worked on getting the engine hooked up. Made new fuel/oil lines, mounted the carb, etc etc. Will resume progress eventually, as it's still in my garage...