I started the annual on my 170 this weekend and after following Greg's 180 project all year I couldn't help my self. I started pulling all the interior out and gutting the panel. I plan on stripping and painting the interior and doing the 1/4'' closed cell foam. I took the whole vacuum system out including the dual venturis and the ancient gyros that were about 5 lbs a piece. I plan on making a new lightweight and very simple VFR panel to replace the panel full of numerous empty holes. The exterior will get stripped and polished to keep it light with maybe a bit of red trim. Other plans include Atlee Dodge folding jump seats, extended baggage, V-brace, one piece windshield, new seat rails and who knows what else. I've opened a whole can of worms but there's no stopping now!

That orange carpet's time has come. Good for you, man!

Guess you'll have to fly around in Nosedraggers for a while!

That looks like a great project Rob! Good luck and post lots of pics for us!!

Awesome. Put in the 180hp while you're at it!

I am just about to start something similar on my 170B.

Are you going with the Selkirk tunnel cover that Greg used? I have just bought a pair of the Atlee Dodge seats and when I put them in I am going to do the flap tunnel cover, floor mat and maybe some foam at least in the rear seats/baggage area. I would like an extended baggage kit too but its spendy.

I thought hard about putting in a 172 baggage door, but I hope that with the jump seats it will be a lot easier to reach into the back without getting in the plane so I am going to hold off on that for now. And my paint is nice so its hard to cut a big hole in the side:)

I don't want to stop flying my plane though, so slowly slowly for me.

Rob,

CONGRATS!!! Pretty cool indeed. Although whatever you think you are in for, you should triple it! I started in on the 180 on Dec 20th ish just about last year. I remember saying that I would be flying to OSH. (wrong) Its so worth it though and will look awesome.

A couple of my thoughts... The extended baggage is so worth it. Im sure you will be putting that extended baggage door in (worth it.)

RE: the panel - I would install the UMA instrument lights. They are awesome. Also, With a simple VFR panel, I would think about installing a Garmin 796 in the center of the panel via Air Gizmos dock. Its really a great piece of kit. Depending on how deep your pockets are, the MVP-50 would let you toss most of the junk in your Type Data Cert and consolidate them into one small place. Super clean and very light.

All in all, take your time. Its really hard when you want to fly, but the more patient, the better the job. And again, congrats!

The disease is spreading...

Now you've done it!

I'd third the notion of the extended baggage. It is sooooo nice to get your survival gear back out of sight and keep the CG a little farther aft.

If you go there, or in any case, consider installing a 406 MHz ELT UNDER where that extended baggage floor would go. It's easy to make a bridge between fuselage ribs to provide a real stiff mount there. We made a hinged door in the baggage floor to provide access to the ELT. Gets it in a great mount and still easy to access.

Good luck.

MTV

Nice Rob! Bummed we missed you last week, but good to see Stacey and meet Aubrey. She smiled at me twice

We'll come down and see your project. Maybe help screw something up.

mtv wrote:Consider installing a 406 MHz ELT UNDER where that extended baggage floor would go.

Agreed. I noticed that also and forgot to mention. I would move the ELT from the side to under the baggage. I went with the Kannad. Great unit, and fits perfectly under the floor.

Not sure if I would bother with making a door. The Selkirk is a bit flimsy as it is and I cant imagine removing material for a door. Also, cutting a floor really isn't allowed in the STC. Moreover, it's really not needed. The floor is so easy to remove with just a couple of screws. With the remote switch, not sure why you need to get in there unless at annual, in which case the floor comes out anyway.

Side note: Although great to work with, the Seklirk floor is a bit flimsy compared to Todd Hitchcock's carbon fiber. That kit is SWEET! Tons stronger and the fit was perfect. The Selklirk took tons of trimming to get to fit right... And at only 4lbs, its is 7 lbs lighter than Joni's. No STC for the 170, but you might get a FA. Since you will be doing that for the V Brace, you might just do them both at the same time.

Its easy to spend other peoples $$.

robw56 wrote:I started the annual on my 170 this weekend and after following Greg's 180 project all year I couldn't help my self. I started pulling all the interior out and gutting the panel. I plan on stripping and painting the interior and doing the 1/4'' closed cell foam. I took the whole vacuum system out including the dual venturis and the ancient gyros that were about 5 lbs a piece. I plan on making a new lightweight and very simple VFR panel to replace the panel full of numerous empty holes. The exterior will get stripped and polished to keep it light with maybe a bit of red trim. Other plans include Atlee Dodge folding jump seats, extended baggage, V-brace, one piece windshield, new seat rails and who knows what else. I've opened a whole can of worms but there's no stopping now!

Years ago, I completely upgraded the instrument panel in a 1954 170B. I went through the process of plotting the contours, support points and laying out a six pack configuration on a panel. I likely still have the AutoCAD .dxf file that I sent to the waterjet cutter for the panel. You can move the cut outs around and reconfigure it using this drawing. PM me if you are interested in the file. It would be helpful for visualizing the layout in the computer if nothing else.

Whoohoo! I will be following this close as I have many of the same mods planned for my 180.

Greg has some good advice. Also with your family, I think getting an extended baggage in there sooner than later should be high on the list.

Matt, you should be following behind here shortly!!!

Rob,
Great to see you tackling this. I'll be paying attention.
Do you have a U-style control yoke already? If not, I'd bump it up the list. So nice having a center stack for the radios.
Baggage door: I guess I just don't know what I'm missing there. I'm perfectly happy without one, and I figure I hump more cargo in and out of the back than most weekend warriors. Gotta keep limber somehow.
+2 on the extended baggage and 406 ELT, however you do those. Check around your local area, there may be a shop that does custom extended baggages on FAs. I mention that because it is really nice to have a truly flush and level floor, and those require additional pulleys to re-route some of the control cables.
Cargo tie-down base plates- the same attachment style as the Atlee Dodge seat rails, but little, round single-point versions. Throw a few of those into the floor and rear bulkhead of the extended baggage while you're in there.
Cheers,
-DP

Screw the MVP. There is a new CGR-30 that is smaller and fits right into a nice standard hole. And it's price tag is about $1000 less than the MVP. And finally it's a primary guage. Although his 170 doesn't have a lot of engine guages as it is, like fuel...it's on the wing. Which is awesome!
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/in/ ... -05345.php

piperpainter wrote:Screw the MVP. There is a new CGR-30 that is smaller and fits right into a nice standard hole. And it's price tag is about $1000 less than the MVP. And finally it's a primary guage. Although his 170 doesn't have a lot of engine guages as it is, like fuel...it's on the wing. Which is awesome!
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/in/ ... -05345.php

Was thinking the same thing. I recently checked one out in person, because I was worried that the display would be too small. But with the bright colors it really is vivid and easy to read. Only reason I didn't comment previously was because there's a lot with it that doesn't apply to a stock O-300 170B. BTW I think the trick to either of these would be re-tailoring your scan.

-DP

piperpainter wrote: like fuel...it's on the wing. Which is awesome!

I always loved those wing root gauges, but they are accurate to within +/- 15 gallons. When they stop bouncing from stop to stop, you'd better start thinking about landing.

Rob, go for a fuel flow solution.

Thanks for all the replies and support everyone! You're all giving me a lot to think about. For some motivation I just went and looked through Greg's old C-170 project. Check it out if you haven't seen it before: http://www.cessna170.org/forums/viewtop ... f=5&t=9267 During my lunch today I went to the hangar and ripped out the headliner, flap tunnel carpet, a few more trim pieces, an old ADF, VOR, and LORAN cables and a few other things. I'm officially to the "Oh my god what was I thinking stage", I think it will be well worth the effort though.

Hey Rob
I am working with Wipaire to get the 170 added ton the stc that is in place for the windshield wire brace kit for the 180. I think that is a much better setup than the V-brace. I hope to have it in mine this week and the info to Wipaire shortly after that so they can amend the plans and submit it for approval.
X2 on the 180 hp/CSP. Atleast start scrounging parts for it if you haven't already.
Good luck
Gary

Thanks for the info Gary. Post some pics once you get that in. Whats the price on the wire brace? I called Atlee Dodge last week to ask them about the V-brace STC for a 170, they said it should be done in January... we'll see.