1968 Citabria 7ECA Rescue/Rebuild Thread

Norm

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So I splurged on a new tourque tube from ACA because the other vendors were on back order. It arrived without any holes drilled for the taper pins, what am I supposed to do with this??
Looking more closely at Wag and Univars product photos it doesn’t appear that either of theirs come drilled as well.
Do I need to take it to a machinist and pay them more $$$ on top of the ridiculous amount I just have ACA for it to have it drilled?
 

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Bartman

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@Norm

i have seen a technique similar to this used for matching up holes for a pre-drilled round tailwheel spring and socket.

test fit where exactly the aileron yoke needs to be in the tube so that its holes for the two aileron connections are level with the holes for the stick sockets in the tube.

then drill a small hole in the new tube for the first taper pin. the hole should be smaller than the final hole but large enough to get a grinding bit into it. use a cylindrical grinding bit or fine burr to slowly open up the tube and match the hole to the existing hole in the yoke.

then use a drill of the correct size to drill through to the other side.

NOTE: those aren't bolts holding the yoke in place, they are tapered pins and I don't know if the holes in the yoke are tapered or straight so be really careful putting a drill bit through them.

A local machine shop should also be able to do it for you but I have no idea what they would charge.

good luck!
 

Norm

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If you go back a few posts in my thread I’ve mentioned the original tourque tube stick control mounts were drilled incorrectly during production in 1968. The rear stick mounted straight but the front is offset. Once rigged correctly the front stick would have been set to the left and not center.
 

Bartman

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I remember that now. Been mostly offline the last few weeks due to being in training for work so I haven't been reading everything as much as I normally would.

Was just thinking, if you rig the plane so that one stick leans ever so slightly left and the other leans ever so slightly right, you might not notice they aren't perfectly plumb. Or just rig it so that the front one is perfect and recognize how little the rear controls are actually used except maybe in instruction?
 

Norm

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I seem to do a lot of things on this plane twice over, either I'm not happy with the finish or I mess up something and it's becoming frustrating, but I am learning a lot!

Here are the latest updates:

- I've decided to go with a low instrument panel and have obtained most everything required minus the radio stack cover panel. I'm sure I'll scrounge one up somewhere. I had painted the instrument section black, however I wasn't satisfied with the finish so I think I'm going strip it and try a light grey.

- Picked up a new headliner to replace my old mice chewed one from a forum member.

- The fuselage has been loaded on my trailer and transported to a shop for pre-cover tube inspection.

- I spent a great many hours prepping, stripping, patching my boot cowl. Pleased to report I'm more or less happy with the final result after test fitting the patched cowl to the fuselage. You may notice a small hole in one of the patches I made where I accidentally drilled a pilot hole in the wrong place but after so many iterations and time spent getting to that point I admit I caught a case of the "F**K its" and riveted it on, the sub layer of PRC and top coat of paint should fill it. I also bunged up a hole and had to go to a 5/32 oversized rivet in a row of otherwise 1/8ths, These things will propably bother me for the next 40 yrs but I had to get it finished to move on.

- The new McCauley Propeller is still missing in action but the propeller shop assures me it is on order.

- I've started getting quotes for the O-235-C2C tear down prop strike inspection.

- My most pressing priority atm is deciding on painting the fuselage tubing. I was convinced Stewarts was the best route but some knowledgeable paint guys have suggested a good automotive epoxy primer and polyurethane top coat for the 4130 tubing might be better and cheaper.

- My missing hardware showed up from Rainbow Aviation to go with the former's.

- I picked up a second hand cowl and some other bits. The cowl will need some minor repairs and I am thinking I'll take it to a local fiberglass boat guy.
 

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Norm

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Covering and final paint is still a very long ways off, but I am narrowing in on a final scheme, I'm basing it off a Scout I saw some pics of and liked. I've atached the photo of the airplane plus a working render of what I am thinking for my plane based off of the Scouts look.
 

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Hiperbiper

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Norm, are you sure the stick(s) are not simply twisted in the sockets? When I bought my new control sticks it took a little time to get them lined up...because of the curves in the sticks if it's twisted it goes off to one side or the other...
Chris
 

Norm

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Norm, are you sure the stick(s) are not simply twisted in the sockets? When I bought my new control sticks it took a little time to get them lined up...because of the curves in the sticks if it's twisted it goes off to one side or the other...
Chris
The old torque tube rolls axial and true on a level surface, however if I set the tube on the same surface resting on the socket mount bolt locations they are clearly offset and not flush. The new one from ACA is flush.
 
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Norm

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Through some online sleuthing I found my planes first owner. Unfortunately the gentleman is no longing living but his children were kind enough to pass along a few photos and the back story. Their father was a wartime pilot that purchased the plane to travel between his businesses in the late 60's/early 70's.
"My father used it to go between the locations of his business--Memphis, Gulfport, Chattanooga, and Little Rock. We also just flew it for fun. The plane was kept in a little airport on Mud Island in the Mississippi River, so takeoffs and landings were particularly scenic. You parked on the levee (just right of center) and took a little pontoon boat across. The plane was stored in the hangar you can see beside the runway."
 

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Norm

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It has been a while since my last post, the project is still progressing. The fuselage has been taken to a shop for inspection, new propeller will be picked up next week and the O-235 engine is on it's way to the shop for a tear down inspection.

I am looking into ordering new stringers from aircraft spruce, just wondering if anyone knows what kind of sealer ACA is using on their stringers from the factory? Looks like a greenish tint to whatever they are using.
 

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the factory is using satin Minwax Polyurethane. these parts aren't expensive from the factory and their parts fit perfect. i had the upper cabin parts from Rainbow and chose to buy the factory parts anyway
 

Norm

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I bought my upper greenhouse structure from the factory. I thought it might be easier to buy the stringers from aircraft spruce since they have a Canadian store, thought shipping stringers from the US might be a pain due to the length.
 

Bartman

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I bought my upper greenhouse structure from the factory. I thought it might be easier to buy the stringers from aircraft spruce since they have a Canadian store, thought shipping stringers from the US might be a pain due to the length.
you might have a point there. i'd be curious to see the quality of the AS stringers after seeing what Rainbow sent.
 

Norm

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Project update, some major unexpected setbacks occurred with the project (mainly engine related). Sent the O-235-C2C in for a quoted $5000 prop strike inspection and $20 000.00 later with a new crank and camshaft we are back underway. Unfortunately the unexpected costs have forced me to slow the pace of my restoration. Next will be to strip the old fuselage primer and re-paint.
 

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Bartman

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Sorry to hear it Norm, $20,000 is a lot of unexpected hurt to have to work into the budget.

How did you end up with the -C2C on a '68? Mine is a -C1.
 

Norm

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Apparently the C2C was an option when I thumbed through the type certificate, I have only ever seen the O-235-C1's installed. I'm not a Lycoming guru, I don't know exactly what the differences are in power ratings etc.
 

Hiperbiper

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Apparently the C2C was an option when I thumbed through the type certificate, I have only ever seen the O-235-C1's installed. I'm not a Lycoming guru, I don't know exactly what the differences are in power ratings etc.
Different (type 1) prop flange and Slick magnetos on the -C2C.
Type 2 prop flange and bendix mags on the -C1.
Everything else same same.
Chris