After operating my 170B this summer on floats with a recently installed 0-360 I can only describe it as a marriage made in heaven, you will not be disappointed.

Some day -39A will get the transplant.....until then, I'll fly my neighbor's every once in a while....they're awesome@

Firewall scotch brighted and cleaned and F. Atlee Dodge battery rack installed.

A Steve’s Gascolator would look REAL NICE on that there firewall if you ask me.

akgreg wrote:A Steve’s Gascolator would look REAL NICE on that there firewall if you ask me.

x2.

Brian is a good friend of mine and of BCP. Plus how can you resist adding anodized goodies?

X3

Big added safety factor

Battery inserted and ground hooked up, starter relay and electrical fuel pump installed.

On my install I really didn’t like the pos battery terminal that close to the angle on the cowl so I spun it 180 degrees.

Thanks for the comment.
The wide angle distortion of the iPhone makes it look much closer than it actually is.

With battery work it is a good practice to connect the positive before the negative, and disconnect the negative before the positive.

Lots of "potential" for a shower-of-sparks as shown, assuming the other end of negative wire is connected.

Beautiful workmanship though.

c180bill wrote:...it is a good practice to connect the positive before the negative...

This is a good point... the other side of the neg is not connected yet... lots of water has to flow under the bridge before the battery gets hooked up though... we're doing a new panel on the other side.

Bigrenna wrote:

c180bill wrote:...it is a good practice to connect the positive before the negative...

This is a good point... the other side of the neg is not connected yet... lots of water has to flow under the bridge before the battery gets hooked up though... we're doing a new panel on the other side.

Yeah and your wrench on the positive is less dramatic when you ground it. Ask me how I know:)

Ive only done it once on a car before I learned to have the ground disconected before I put a wrench on the positive. I wonder how dramatic this could be with lithium battery which can supply huge amounts of current. When I flew model planes I heard a nasty story of a guy who shorted out a lithium cell pack with his wedding ring and lost the finger.

Nice, I had to relocate mine, it was on that side, but with the stoots conversion the oil cooler has to be firewall mounted there. This time I made sure the battery mount is in a position where the battery can be removed without removing the battery mount, not really a huge deal. The first time it wouldn’t entirely clear the motor mount. The Attlee Dodge mount is a little pricey, but it is a good investment!!

Huminajumina wrote:…a little pricey…:

Pricey?? Hahahaha. Considering a 180hp conversion and prop costs more than buying a second (and probably third) stock 170B, the battery and box are more like a rounding error. LOL

But yes, its a really great mod for sure.

It’s emotionally challenging for me not to be on location where and when my 170 is being built.
I’m spending all the money but don’t get to open the box, peel the shrink wrap when new parts arrive, feel the weight savings when balancing modern replacements against old stuff in my hands.
And I don’t get to admire the many details of Greg’s workmanship, some of which difficult to see and appreciate once everything is finished.

All the more important are the photos popping up every now and then in my mail account.
Here’s one of the installed engine mount. It’s the DelAir STC and we’re using the Seaplanes West bushings.
Looks gorgeous in all its powder coated glory.

A bit further along the way…

One of the things I’m really proud of is that we paid a lot of attention to detail on this build.
For example, we painted all the parts apart in custom color before the engine got assembled, fasteners were cad-plated, pushrod tubes were power coated.

I think it looks pretty darn good.

Have you gotten a chance to fly this beast yet? How did it go!?

Most importantly can I get a ride?

I've been busy daydreaming about cramming more HP into mine....

SmokeyTheBear wrote:Have you gotten a chance to fly this beast yet? How did it go!?

Most importantly can I get a ride?

I've been busy daydreaming about cramming more HP into mine....

No, haven't flown "the beast" yet...

My airplane and I are going through some pretty drastic changes right now.
And they take their time.

The 170 is getting closer and closer to the end of her transformation from a really nice 170B into the very best she can be, with a new engine, new instruments, and a new panel.

And I am in the middle of a rather challenging and stressful intercontinental move.

Whether I emerge from that as rejuvenated and empowered as my bird remains to be seen...

It's been a long time...

Super happy to be back in the saddle and reigning in the extra horses of a new engine and dialing in the new whiz-bang panel.

Wow! I bet that feels good! What kind of numbers are you getting out of it?

Looks like there were lots more cowling modifications needed than just adding the blister?