Where do I get a new EXTENDED panel for my RV-6 panel rebuild?
 

Hi there,

Does anyone know where I can buy an extended RV6 panel that I can use for my panel rebuild? The stock one is about 2 inches too short for what I want. I know folks have found these, but as of yet, I have not been able too.

Any info greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Hugh.

It's a flat panel...
 

RV-6 panels were shipped with only the lower flange bent.

Buy a piece of 6061-T6 locally and have a metal shop put in the lower flange.

Use the old panel to get an exact size/shape of the curve, or just go with the plans dimensions and hope the original builder was accurate...:)

affordable panels
 

I think affordable panels has one...well they did for my 7...I'm pretty sure Fabian can help you out....

take care

Van's bent one up for a local guy and didn't charge him much over the regular price. Call them.

Van's already makes one a couple inches taller. Look under RV-6 panels in the online catalog and choose the once that has the suffix "OVSZ" or something like that. Call Van's if you can't find it on their website. It costs about $50.

The top profile is uncut, but all you need to do is use your original panel to trace the top outline.

Hope this helps.

Vans Aircraft
 

F603 OVSZ, for tip up
F6103 OVSZ, for slider

I have one in my plane. I believe it was about 2 inches bigger.

The oversize instrument panel for the -6 series is 2.2" longer than the stock panel and although not generally known, Van's has em.

You might check with ShowPlanes.

They made the extended panel in my 10.

Extended panels for the -6 are ane ENTIRELY different story than the panels for the 7,8,9 or 10. All of those planes had a pre-shaped panel - and the panels along with the canopy deck rail mounting areas are quite different..

Most (not all) of the 6's shipped exactly as Gil described...a big piece of metal with the bottom flange bent...we (the builder), then taped a sharpie to the end of a yardstick, traced the shape and cut it with whatever we had.

As others have stated, about the only 100% accurate way to get a truly good fit on a -6 panel is to use the old one as a template. We do many, many of these and that's what we do. Of course we start out with new flat sheet stock, then put the bend wherever it needs to be for the customers new height, but only after we've traced the curve and cut it out. Naturally it's way cheaper for you to do this yourself than pay us to do it! :)

It's dirt simple to do yourself, if you have access to a brake and a bandsaw, the aluminum should be cheap. Just get yourself a 2'x4' chunk of .063" aluminum, cut out what you need and bend it - then you're done and you have a perfectly fitting panel!

My 2 cents as usual.

Cheers,
Stein

And note that...
 

...Vans calls out for 6061-T6 in the plans - which should be cheaper and easier to get locally than the higher grade (more $$$) 2024-T3 used for the other sheets in the RV-6s.