1968 Citabria 7ECA Rescue/Rebuild Thread

[Norm]

Progress on the 7eca build has been slow due to change of jobs and a big move across country. I've settled into my new hangar space and picked up where I left off. The fuselage has been inspected by a well known tube and fabric welder. He was quite pleased with its condition and gave it a clean bill of health. I purchased a crankshaft and unfortunately it arrived with a corroded front journal, luckily the seller refunded my purchase price. I am going crazy with this engine and the constant setbacks, I've got $13 000 cdn spent on it to date and all I have to show for it is a bunch of parts in a box.

Photo is arriving at our new home in Nova Scotia after travelling 4000kms across country.

 

[Norm]

Next step will be to prepare the fuselage tubes for paint. I would be very eager to read about peoples experiences preparing tubing and the spring steel gear legs. I want to use a good two part epoxy and paint for the tubing, I am leaning towards Stewarts system STC simply due to the fact the paint and glue won't kill me.

Methods of preparation:
-soda blast
-media blast (walnut, glass bead etc)
-sand blast
-dustless blasting

Certified Finishing Process's:
-Stewarts
-Oratex
-Hipec
-Air-tech
-Poly Fiber
Others??

 

[Big Ed]

Just going thru that process myself. Advice:

Be careful in selecting your media blast vendor. The first one I used was overly aggressive and damaged some of the thin gauge sheet metal window channels and tabs. I wound up switching to a new guy. I recommend finding a small owner/operator who does the work himself, rather than a high volume team.

Most production blasters use sand for cost and time. I talked to 5 or 6 companies here and they all use sand. You may have a hard time finding a vendor willing to do a structure that large with soda or other media. Metal erosion is controlled by using a fine grain silica sand and by controlling the pressure and distance to the structure. Again, if you find a good vendor who takes pride in his work, he will talk you though this process.

I am getting mine mine powder coated. Pricey, but that is how the factory does it now. If done properly using the correct powder (urethane), it is more durable than epoxy primer.

Recommend you look at the factory covering system. @Bartman has posted it somewhere on this website. It's basically Ceconite fabric with 3M glue and Delfleet urethane paint.

 

[Bartman]

Stewart uses Ceconite also and the Stewart fabric adhesive is widely believed to be rebranded 3M 30NF which is the factory glue you were referring to. Stewart water-borne paint is its own thing, and it can be a challenge to spray but we have a sub forum dedicated to Stewart Systems and a few of us have experience with it and can try to answer questions. Stewarts Systems is very helpful if you call them, fwiw.

 

[Norm]

Things have been progressing slowly on the Citabria as all my resources have been focused on building a new home and workshop. I found some time this weekend to remove the wing covering. It was a pleasant surprise to find only superficial corrosion and minimal damage from the previous owners little "up ender". If time and money allows the wings should be ready for recover in the spring.

The wings were factory new in 1996, replacing the previous wood spar wings due to cracks. My metal spar wings have part # 3-1691 front strut attach fittings installed. I'm unclear on the AD, the service letters I've read say part # 3-1692 are the proper fitting for the 7ECA and 3-1691 on the 8KCAB?? As I understand it they have to be removed every 1000hrs TIS for NDT, is this correct? Thanks

"(b) Replace the wing front strut attach fittings with P/N 3-1691 (Model 8KCAB) or P/N 3-1692 (Models 8GCBC, 7ECA, 7GCAA, 7GCBC, and 7KCAB) wing front strut attach fittings, as applicable. Accomplishment of these actions is required in accordance with the instructions in American Champion SL 414, Revision A, dated June 25, 1996; or American Champion SL 415, Revision A, dated June 25, 1996, as applicable."

 

[Norm]

Things have been progressing slowly on the Citabria as all my resources have been focused on building a new home and workshop. I found some time this weekend to remove the wing covering. It was a pleasant surprise to find only superficial corrosion and minimal damage from the previous owners little "up ender". If time and money allows the wings should be ready for recover in the spring.

The wings were factory new in 1996, replacing the previous wood spar wings due to cracks. My metal spar wings have part # 3-1691 front strut attach fittings installed. I'm unclear on the AD, the service letters I've read say part # 3-1692 are the proper fitting for the 7ECA and 3-1691 on the 8KCAB?? As I understand it they have to be removed every 1000hrs TIS for NDT, is this correct? Thanks

"(b) Replace the wing front strut attach fittings with P/N 3-1691 (Model 8KCAB) or P/N 3-1692 (Models 8GCBC, 7ECA, 7GCAA, 7GCBC, and 7KCAB) wing front strut attach fittings, as applicable. Accomplishment of these actions is required in accordance with the instructions in American Champion SL 414, Revision A, dated June 25, 1996; or American Champion SL 415, Revision A, dated June 25, 1996, as applicable."

 

[Big Ed]

Interesting. The Decathlon fitting would be much stronger, so perhaps 1691 is an acceptable substitute for 1692, assuming it fits correctly. Does SL 414 or 415 provide any additional insight? If not, a call to Dale or Chad at the factory will probably clear up the mystery.

 

[Norm]

Preliminary reports on wing status have been scaled back, as my aircraft maintenance engineer (Canada) buddy says they have a little “wow” in them. Sure enough, they need a bit more work than originally estimated, but are they worth saving…absolutely!

 

[Kmcaero]

I see from your latest wing pictures that ACA had run the wing tip lighting electrical wire in the leading edge D cell. Do you have any pictures of how they pass through the nose ribs on the way out to the tip? I want to run a conduit for my wiring and thinking of a riveted bracket off the ribs with a clamp or a grommet hole through the nose ribs. Thanks!
I hope your wings are coming along.

Todd

 

[Bob Turner]

Conduits add weight. Most just string the wires and tape them to the ribs with friction tape.

 

[Norm]

I see from your latest wing pictures that ACA had run the wing tip lighting electrical wire in the leading edge D cell. Do you have any pictures of how they pass through the nose ribs on the way out to the tip? I want to run a conduit for my wiring and thinking of a riveted bracket off the ribs with a clamp or a grommet hole through the nose ribs. Thanks!
I hope your wings are coming along.

Todd

I haven't been out to the hangar in a while. I'll try to remember to grab some pics next time I check in on the plane.

 

[Kmcaero]

Thank you very much Norm, much appreciated.

 

[Norm]

I see from your latest wing pictures that ACA had run the wing tip lighting electrical wire in the leading edge D cell. Do you have any pictures of how they pass through the nose ribs on the way out to the tip? I want to run a conduit for my wiring and thinking of a riveted bracket off the ribs with a clamp or a grommet hole through the nose ribs. Thanks!
I hope your wings are coming along.

Todd

As promised here are the photos of how ACA ran the wires to the wingtip strobes and nav lights in my wings.

 

[Kmcaero]

As promised here are the photos of how ACA ran the wires to the wingtip strobes and nav lights in my wings.

Thank you for the pictures Norm, they are very helpful.

Todd

 

[Norm]

Might anyone know the registration or have some more photos of this aircraft? I thought I had my mind made up on my paint schemefor my 7eca rebuild but I am really liking the simple white and use of green stripping on this machine.

 

[Slipinonfinal]

Chad is use to it and I thought Rainbow Ron in Moses lake sold formers but I could be wrong. Bob prob knows. Brian in Alaska.

 

[Slipinonfinal]

Well should have read this post to the end. Nix my last comment you have come a good ways. Bravo!

 

[Mrskaw]

Currently working on PPL but thinking to eventually rebuild. Thank you for your thread Norm. I’m in Alaska, Kenai area.

 

[Norm]

Not to much to report on my Citabria project these days. The 7ECA is on hold while I work at building a small home/workshop to house myself and the project. Also been picking away at a 2000' grass strip whenever time, money and weather allows.
Anyone here with Piper Colt time? I needed something to fly while waiting on the Citabria so I picked up a Colt after a local pilot lost his medical and passed on a fair deal. I haven't flown it yet and am wondering how the stack up.

 

[Canuck 7GCBC]

Hello Norm! I just stumbled onto your post (3 years old now) while surfing around for some parts for my 7GCBC rebuild project. There are a few minor parts I can’t seem to find. I just finished a Colt, and in the next few days we should get the test flight done! I don’t come to this site often, but periodically I think of it and come to see what’s new. Strange that you and I have nearly the same 2 airplanes!