1977 Super Decathlon 8KCAB Rebuild

Bruce said:
So your telling us you like life size puzzlesšŸ„øI took mine apart 2 1/2 years ago and not sure if I rember where all the parts go. I keep picking up things and think ā€œwhatā€™s thisā€ so looking forward to meeting some of you guys maybe a meet up at Airventure
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hopefully, if you get stuck, there will be enough photos here and in other threads to get you moving again. scratch building Super Decathlons from a bare frame will be easy! šŸ™‚/šŸ™ƒ
 
Controls are starting to come together.

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here's a question, proceed with finishing the controls and then the formers stringers. at that point, other than a couple of wires for the tail light, should I go ahead and do the fuselage fabric first or install the firewall/mount and do the full electric/panel before the fabric? opinions and why appreciated.

thanks!
 
I think I would run all the wires, then cover. Easer to remove a wire then have to pull new ones behind the fabric. But Iā€™m a rookie compared to what your doing. Itā€™s looking so good.
 
I checked with the factory this morning about a couple of details and asked about the fabric. They do the fabric before the forward fit-out of electrical and engine. If the interior hasn't been fitted yet, there shouldn't be an issue running wires and stuff around the cabin and there shouldn't be much in the cabin other than intercom/radio related things, right?

Here's another question, if you're an instructor sitting in the back of a Citabria/Decathlon type of airplane, do you care if the switches are all mounted to the panel instead of over the pilot's left shoulder? Any reason other than total incapacitation of the front seater that would make you say to keep them in the upper corner of the cabin? Just thinking this one out loud before I finalize my panel design and start planning what's needed for it.
 
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No opinion, but I have no problem with the wing root mounted switch panel except the last guy to do the wiring didn't leave extra length to enable flopping it inboard for repairs/additions.
 
I've always found the over-the-shoulder panel easy to work on, much easier than trying to work under the panel, between the header tank and folded over the front seat...
Also; the fewer hot wires I have routed next to a fuel tank the better I like it...

JMPO
Chris
 
At our shop the fabric is the LAST thing done. All interior installed and fitted (seats come back out, maybe some side panels, but usually not), instrument panel completely wired and installed. We mostly do cubs, so there is little room to work after the fabric is on. Citabria offers much more working room if you decide to do some of it later.

There's little else more frustrating than poking a hole or 2 installing side panels in newly installed and painted fabric.
 
I would do fabric, then wires. Without the boot cowl and interior, you have easy access to do whatever you want. The fabric doesn't really get in the way.

I personally am fine with the switch panel over the shoulder, but see no problems with relocating it to the front panel. You don't really use it for anything in flight, except maybe turning on the landing light and nav lights when it gets dark. The only really important switch in flight would be the fuel pump. That needs to be on the front panel, IMO. Can't see why a CFI would need to monkey with the other switches. You aren't giving instrument lessons, so no reason to pull a fuse.
 
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a quick.update, learned how to regresse pulley bearings and set rivnuts today.

found a local powder coating shop, the rudder pedals look spankin'!
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controls continue to see progress, just need to refresh the other bearings and get it reassembled. got the rudder cables and the rear cabin parts sorted out today.
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Cool pics!

Would you mind posting a few pics of the fittings in and out of the header tank, especially on top? I'm trying to assess how hard it will be to pull it out if I have the seam repaired on my annual in a few weeks.
 
the header tank is held in with two steel straps that have a bolt through each end to pull it tight. The top fitting that feeds the fuel to the engine extends into the tank about 7 inches so it might not come out without removing the boot cowl. I believe the other lines can be loosened and pulled out of the way.
 
Always is great to see photos, by looking at ur frame I see why the fuel line is different location than my ECA which explained why there fuel line will not work. This will be very nice when you get done.
 
Bruce said:
Always is great to see photos, by looking at ur frame I see why the fuel line is different location than my ECA which explained why there fuel line will not work. This will be very nice when you get done.
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Thanks Bruce. Sorry I didn't reply to your post about that fuel line. I can shoot a pic of that spot on the factory drawing tomorrow and post it for you. I forget what the drawing shows off the top of my head.
 
Bartman said:
the header tank is held in with two steel straps that have a bolt through each end to pull it tight. The top fitting that feeds the fuel to the engine extends into the tank about 7 inches so it might not come out without removing the boot cowl. I believe the other lines can be loosened and pulled out of the way.
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Thanks! If you can post a picture or two of the top of the header tank, showing the fittings, that would be helpful. No rush, this is not something I am going to do for at least a few weeks.
 
No problem Iā€™m slowly moving along, I hung motor and hooked all the connections including wiring back up, at some point when they relocated the fuel strainer they must have re located the shut off valve.
 
the project is in need of a new battery tray and I have plywood from my dormant Pitts project and spruce from my old 7ECA spars so I thought I'd use the old tray as a guide and make one from scratch.

and immediately, there's a problem! šŸ˜©

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with the old tray centered on the surrounding tubes, the holes and cut outs don't line up. would anyone happen to have a battery tray accessible that they could take photos of? or suggestions as to how this is supposed to fit?

I ordered a new metal battery box so this needs to get moving.

Thanks!
 
Finally got the battery tray figured out and fabricated. With an ill fitting tray that came with the project and none of the battery hold-down hardware, I was stumped as to how it was supposed to all go together. I picked up the hold-down hardware at ACA last week and saw in person how it goes so I was able to make the new tray today and verify that it fits! The slot for the hold down stud was in the wrong spot in the old tray and I didn't know that the hold-down had a 90 degree bend that mounted under the battery box! Weeks later, we're ready to get things moving again. Just needs a coat of varnish. I think they use Minwax satin polyurethane to clear coat stuff at the factory so that's what I'm using.

The plywood is from Aircraft Spruce, the spruce is from my retired 7ECA Citabria spars. She lives on. :)

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