‘59 7EC Champion rebuild project

MA Cantin · Jul 6, 2019

Btw, the fabric going on all the rest of the Champ will be the Oratex 6000 (thicker gauge stuff). We figured we could get away with the 600 on the tomb stones.

MA Cantin · Aug 3, 2019

Time for an update.

We’ve stripped the prop, inspected, self etching primer and flat black prop paint. We also painted the tips white. It turned out good! I installed it back on and we took the fuselage back in storage. Dad has got the gas strut for the seaplane door mod and started to figure out the installation while I was gone on a family trip last week.
We’ve received the Oratex fabric yesterday!!! Let the fun begin! It is exciting and a bit scary at the same time! (Like so many other steps of this project)
We started getting ready to install the fabric today by adding a 4X8 sheet of plywood to our wing spar table with cardboard and butcher paper on top so we can change the work surface as needed to keep the table clean. The fabric is white so it’ll be important to be clean when we work. We noticed when we did the tombstones that the drops of glue on the table would stick on the finished side especially when we were heating to set the glue. We’ll be starting with the horizontal stabs then the rest of the tail after. Here are a few pics. Its another milestone! Things are coming along!

Cheers!

JimParker256 · Aug 7, 2019

Does Oratex have an STC for the Champion line now? Or did you get a one-time approval from your FSDO? I've been holding off recovering my '65 7ECA to see if they would come through with an STC for our aircraft...

MA Cantin · Aug 7, 2019

@JimParker256 this Champ is in owner maintenance class here in Canada so we are good with the Oratex. There is an online installation manual with a list of approved aircraft. It is the 2015 version and seems to not include Champs and Citabrias. Good news is when we received the order we also got a 2019 version of the same manual and it has the STC number. Here is a photo of that page in the manual. Let me know if you would like a link to the online manual. Hope this helps!
Cheers!

JimParker256 · Aug 9, 2019

@MA Cantin
Thanks for that.

In the document you posted, I can see an EASA STC number for the 7ECA (and other 7-series). I'll check with my IA to see if he'll agree that's good enough, or if I need something else.

But if you don't mind, could you post the link to the online manual? That would be great.

MA Cantin · Aug 9, 2019

Not at all @JimParker256 ! Here it is...

https://www.oracover.de/downloads2/...anual-AirplaneMaintenanceManualSupplement.pdf

MA Cantin · Aug 19, 2019

We’ve got both stabilizer covered. We’ve got finishing tape on both sides over the re-enforcing tape and rivets. Still some tapes to do around some edges. We’re getting better with the Oratex! The best is to see the fabric shrink after the edges are glued. Here is a pic of the stab with tapes and a video of the process.

Cheers!

Bartman · Aug 19, 2019

is Oratex the pre-colored covering stuff? looks awesome!

MA Cantin · Aug 19, 2019

Thank you @Bartman! Yes it is.

MA Cantin · Dec 1, 2019

Hey folks! It’s been a while since the last update. Things are moving along with the project as we’ve just finished covering both sides of the right wing. The tail pieces and ailerons are covered as well. Dad just finished riveting the first rib. We’ve been having fun with the Oratex. It’s challenging to install around curves. Being new to every step we’re learning a lot! Sometimes I wonder how it would be to cover using a conventional system. Would it have been harder for me to learn to spray with a nice finish than to learn how to heat shrink the fabric around curves without any wrinkles? Lol! Anyway, awesome experience no matter what. Not to mention the time spent working with my Dad.
Here are a few pics of our progress.

The 2 first ones are before and after shrinking.
We put the wing in the vertical racks to shine a light behind it to find the rivet holes.

Cheers everyone!

Bartman · Dec 2, 2019

Looks great, progress just feels good! lol

How do you add trim colors? Spray or just lay on more of the oratex?

MA Cantin · Dec 3, 2019

Thanks @Bartman! We will probably go with stickers but Oratex us fully paintable. They also sell paint and rolls of different colour sticker stuff in different widths. More variety of colours with the trim than the actual Oratex but in theory, we could put more Oratex. I want to say it is vinyl but not sure what it is. Oracolour and Oratrim are the names if I remember correctly. We will probs go and see a local car wrap shop. My uncle made us a design on a vector based program so dimensions and proportions should be accurate. Hoping to find a local shop that has a plotter for the trim. We may get the install done as well. We have not went to deep into that part yet though. Lol!

MA Cantin · Dec 3, 2019

Here is his design. That is our actual panel and the rectangle represents our floor board colour. He also offered to do the upholstering on the seats and interior panels for us too!

Bartman · Dec 4, 2019

Very classy, should look beautiful.

MA Cantin · Dec 4, 2019

Thank you @Bartman! Now to see if we will get to that! Lol!

Goodyear · Dec 15, 2019

MA Cantin said:
Thanks @Bartman! We will probably go with stickers but Oratex us fully paintable. They also sell paint and rolls of different colour sticker stuff in different widths. More variety of colours with the trim than the actual Oratex but in theory, we could put more Oratex. I want to say it is vinyl but not sure what it is. Oracolour and Oratrim are the names if I remember correctly. We will probs go and see a local car wrap shop. My uncle made us a design on a vector based program so dimensions and proportions should be accurate. Hoping to find a local shop that has a plotter for the trim. We may get the install done as well. We have not went to deep into that part yet though. Lol!

How easy is it to get materials from Oratex?

MA Cantin · Dec 15, 2019

Hi @Goodyear! It took over 6 weeks to get the Oratex. Better aircraft fabric out of Alaska sell it and they ship from Germany. It came with fabric, finishing tapes and the hot melt glue.

Goodyear · Dec 15, 2019

Thanks, what are you planning to do for the throttle and trim quadrant covers? My 76 Scout has new seats, panel and electrical but the folks I bought it from stopped there. I am putting in Rainbows’ baggage door, the ACA extended baggage kit and middle and front carbon fiber floor boards (old carpet and wood are past their prime). I will have to replace the right side and rear interior panels for the baggage door so I thought I would replace all the side panels but I am left with nice wood grained plastic covers which are a bit dated. I could always paint them but I saw a Scout for sale with carbon fiber covers but I can’t find anyone who sells those parts. Any tips would be helpful.

MA Cantin · Dec 15, 2019

The throttle and trim covers are still in ok shape so we’ll probs keep the originals. You may have luck finding replacements on eBay.

MA Cantin · Jun 11, 2020

Hi folks!

It’s been a while. I took @Bartman ’s advice from another thread and go for it! Lol! Time for an update.
Both wings are covered complete with finishing tapes. We Brought the fuselage back in the garage and put it back on the rotisserie. We partially installed the headliner. Dad put some insulation behind the headliner. Then we did the fabric on the belly. We are now doing the fabric on the right side. This past weekend, we cut out the openings for the rear window and door. That was great visual progress. With that rounded rear window cut out, it was looking more like a Champ again! I did a lot of shrinking tonight. I’d say we’re about 75% done the first pass with the heat gun. It’s always awesome to watch the Oratex take it’s shape and see all the wrinkles come out! It can be tricky stuff to work with in curves but once it’s on, you’re done!
So, things are still progressing. Dad’s in there everyday plugging away at it and I usually go one night a week and a day on the weekend.

Here are a few pics.