1968 Citabria 7ECA Rescue/Rebuild Thread

[Bob Turner]

I am going to guess that if you can fly a Citabria you can fly the socks off of a Colt.

 

[Canuck 7GCBC]

I am going to guess that if you can fly a Citabria you can fly the socks off of a Colt.

HAHA. We will see. The last log book entry was 2001! It needed new skin then so finally got around to starting the refurb a couple years ago. 1100 hrs TT, so I did not want to part it out. It was too good an aircraft. I would have been money ahead big time but I could not do that to a family heirloom! It has new skin, new paint, engine redone, and new interior. 7GCBC is next....once I find the parts I need.

 

[Norm]

Still no progress to report on the Citabria. However the Colt has become a larger project than originally expected. I found corrosion inside two cylinders, door frame corrosion and various incorrectly installed hardware etc. I am hoping to have the Colt serviceable by September given the required repairs. The Colt uses the O-235-C1B engine and I am sorry to inform my fellow Citabria 7eca owners with O-235-C1 and C2C engines that good overhauled cylinders are almost impossible to find. The few serviceable cylinders I was able to locate were over $3000 each and both sold to someone else before I could make the decision to purchase. I ended up buying two parts engines the first an O-235-C1 airboat engine and a second O-235-C1B I found in a guys storage shed removed post prop strike in 1982. I am crossing my fingers between the two I get some decent cylinders etc. In Canada there is a provision in the airnautics law to de certify certain older model of GA aircraft and place them into an "owner maitenance category". I have done this with my Colt and can therefore use experimental components. There are certainly pros and cons to doing this. One pro is I was able to create my own glass cockpit. I built a harness which feeds traffic information from my Zaon PCAS to my Area 560 GPS, the GPS then transmits waypoint and nav info to my EFIS/Attitude Indicator/CDI. I built this glass cockpit for just under $2000 cdn.

 

[Canuck 7GCBC]

I know what you mean about finding parts for the 235. Fortunately I did not need anything major. I was able to get all the AD’s done. It still cost a small fortune to tear the engine down, inspect, and reassemble with good used parts. Mine is still certified and I hope to keep it that way. I have left the panel as Mr. Piper constructed it, except a new comm and transponder. The coffee grinder radio is now a museum piece!

 

[Norm]

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!

Your Citabria is looking awesome! Which parts are you in need of? I am hoping once my shop is finished later this summer to finally get back to building mine. Next step will be to sandblast and paint the fuselage.

 

[Canuck 7GCBC]

Your Citabria is looking awesome! Which parts are you in need of? I am hoping once my shop is finished later this summer to finally get back to building mine. Next step will be to sandblast and paint the fuselage.

As for parts, the 2 inch round cabin vents are proving difficult to find. I can't seem to locate a supplier. ACA no longer carries them. If anyone knows of a supplier please let me know. I thought I had found a supplier--a company called Snapvent Plastics, but it appears they have gone out of business.

 

[Agilestick]

Snap Vent production is coming.
I've emailed this UK company a couple of times and they should be available in a month's time:


Plastics 4 Performance Limited
Unit 5 Belmont Works
Egerton Road
Belmont
Bolton
BL7 8AG
United Kingdom

Tel +44 (0) 1204 811 277
[email protected]
http://www.plastics4performance.com

 

[Agilestick]

Regarding O-235-C1 cylinders.
New cylinders are available:

I appreciate you reaching out! I located part 05K29652, a Lycoming cylinder. They are priced at $3115.21 each; I currently have 9 available.

Thank you,

Candice Carnes
Internet Sales Representative

4900 S Collins Arlington, TX 76018 | www.airpowerinc.com
800-247-7693 Toll Free | 817-557-5857 Local

 

[Canuck 7GCBC]

Snap Vent production is coming.
I've emailed this UK company a couple of times and they should be available in a month's time:


Plastics 4 Performance Limited
Unit 5 Belmont Works
Egerton Road
Belmont
Bolton
BL7 8AG
United Kingdom

Tel +44 (0) 1204 811 277
[email protected]
http://www.plastics4performance.com

Thanks for the information!

 

[Cowboys Air Ranch 84ME]

There is a set of 3d printed vents for sale on Ebay as of Aug 2,2024

Item #335512199601

They are wanting $50.00. FYI

Ken "COWBOY" Winiarski
c/o Cowboys Air Ranch (84ME)
72 Citabria 7ECA N11667

 

[Norm]

Earlier in this thread I believe I mentioned the original torque control tube linking the front and rear sticks was drilled incorrectly and therefore offsetting the front and rear control sticks.
I purchased a new torque tube from American Champion ($$$). The new tube was undrilled and therefore could not accept the conical or taper type pins used to secure the bell crank to the tube. My local machine shop did not have the correct ream to make the holes. So I got stuck with a pricy part that I could not use.
I turned to eBay and bought a used toque tube from a 1966 Citabria (my plane is a 1968). The eBay shaft uses roll pins to secure the bell crank to the tube. For those of you that are gurus in 7eca lineage did early Citabria’s use roll pins or did some dumb ass drive in homemade parts to get it to work?? Thanks

The included pic shows the roll pins used to mount the bell crank.

 

[Champdriver]

Norm, I know this thread is more than a month old but I wanted to answer your question.
My '46 7AC torque tube has the tapered pins, phenolic blocks and no roll pins. I'm pretty sure mine is original and not molested by who knows who.

 

[Bob Turner]

You can still buy reamers for standard taper pins. No way the original Aeronca used anything other than standard fasteners - I think they call them Morse Taper.

Brown & Sharpe Taper Reamer #1 | Aircraft Spruce ®

Brown & Sharpe Taper Reamer #1 Taper reamers for installation of AN385 and AN386 aircraft taper pins. Straight shank, straight flute. High speed steel

www.aircraftspruce.com

 

[Norm]

It would seem my fears are correct and the part I received from eBay has been modified. Ugh, I am getting tired of always having to fix other peoples foolish homemade remedies at my expense.

 

[Norm]

The airframe has been moved into my new shop. Next step sand blast and prime.