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What do I do next? I'm stuck :(

IowaRV9Dreamer

Well Known Member
I want to get back / finish my 9A project but I'm kind of stuck. All of the major construction is done. The pictures tell the story:

Wings and tail have been attached, controls rigged.
100_0882.jpg


Fuselage, canopy and all structure done and on its gear.
100_1007.jpg


Finished all of the tip ribs - at least as far as I'm going to before paint prep:
100_0930.jpg


100_0928.jpg


Wing tips installed with hinge:
100_1040.jpg


All avionics and wiring installed and tested:
100_0900.jpg



I'm trying to figure out what to do next. I have a partially overhauled O-320. It has been disassembled and case, crank, cam, steel gears, lifters, etc have been overhauled. To finish it I'd need to buy bearings, gaskets, oil pump, vernatherm, and 4 cylinders. Plus ignition, fuel, and exhaust system. I also have a prop and spinner.

If all of that is too expen$ive to do now, is there something else I could do? I thought of just loosely assembling the bottom end, even with the old bearings, to allow me to move forward on the cowl. Is it worth it? Or would I pretty much need a fuel servo or carb soon?

I also thought that I could work on the gear fairings (but I hate fiberglass and aren't too excited about it).

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
You could jack it up, level it, and start working on your wheel pants. Not particularly fun but you won't feel rushed like you might later. They'll keep you busy for awhile. :)
 
What to do

For starters you could remove the blue plastic ..... I would get the engine hung as you suggested and work on the cowl . Finish all your fiberglass including wheel pants . No sense moving to a hangar when you can keep it at home for free until you get the engine ,prop , baffles finished .
Can you paint ? I am painting mine now , before first flight . Might consider the cost savings of doing it yourself , lots of labor with minimal material cost ( in airplane $$ )
Tom
 
+1 for wheel pants and gear legs. Takes more time than you think, and you can be one of the few that can put them all on immediately after you are satisfied with wheels/brakes in Phase 1 rather than having to build them when you would rather fly. There are plently of old RVs that still don't have intersection fairings on them.
 
Cowl

Assemble the case and crank and do the cowl.
With out the calendars you will have an easer time drilling the side hinges.
Then do wheel pants and farrings.
You will have the thing finished except the engine over haul.
 
Yours looks exactly like my 7A. However I am one step ahead in that I just finished my pants and fairings. Took about 4 weeks to get to the final "ready for paint" stage. And you are right that it is a painful task, but when its done, you will be happy that you won't have to do it when you a close to, or after, first flight. I plan to have mine painted before I fly it so it had to be done anyway.

My next step is engine, spinner, cowl, and baffles. Then to the paint shop and final assembly.

I delayed the engine till last because the plane becomes too long to fit in the garage unless I turn it on an angle. That means my wifes car now gets to stay outside for a while. She is not happy about that, but I tried to minimize the time she had to deal with it.

Good Luck. Almost there!
 
I did exactly as Jay suggested. I built the engine less cylinders since I was
waiting on the $ to buy them. Did the cowl and lots of the basic wiring and plumbing to the engine. Made the cowl much easier.

enginehang3.jpg
 
Paint?

If you decide to start painting and need a fresh air respirator, I have one. Used abt 20 hrs, 1/2 price.
 
I did exactly as Jay suggested. I built the engine less cylinders since I was
waiting on the $ to buy them. Did the cowl and lots of the basic wiring and plumbing to the engine. Made the cowl much easier.

enginehang3.jpg
Don and Jay - that is what I was thinking off. I was thinking of temporarily building the bottom end, but it looks like you built it up for real and then put cylinders on it.

Where did you get those cool covers?

And to the rest of you guys - you are evil! You've convinced me that I should get the wheel pants and fairings done! :(
 
Don and Jay - that is what I was thinking off. I was thinking of temporarily building the bottom end, but it looks like you built it up for real and then put cylinders on it.

Where did you get those cool covers?

And to the rest of you guys - you are evil! You've convinced me that I should get the wheel pants and fairings done! :(

Yes, I built it up for keeps. I already had all the parts back from the machine shop, so I just bought bearings, gaskets, etc. and put it together. The cylinder covers came from Aircraft Spruce.
 
where is the emp fairing, that alone took me a month. Im at the same spot, waiting for engine funds.....anyone want to buy a 442?
 
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