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-7 / -7A Fuselage part differences?

The reason I ask is that I recently purchased a virgin 7A fuselage kit. I had been leaning toward a 7 but the price was too good to pass up. If I can find someone willing to swap parts, I would even throw in a left step for free. If no one is interested, I will build what I have and be just as happy.

New parts only, please.
 
The reason I ask is that I recently purchased a virgin 7A fuselage kit. I had been leaning toward a 7 but the price was too good to pass up. If I can find someone willing to swap parts, I would even throw in a left step for free. If no one is interested, I will build what I have and be just as happy.

New parts only, please.

As best as I can remember, there were more differences between the tip-up and slider than there were between tailwheel and nosewheel, at least as far as the fuselage sheet metal is concerned. The tailwheel airplane gets a tailwheel spring mount fastened into the aft fuselage and you need to create a slot for the spring to pass through, but the basic sheet metal parts back there are generic. Same thing for the A model main gear. The mounting hard points are in the spar regardless of which model you build, the A requires you to make the holes in the fuselage walls for the gear leg sockets to pass through.

If your kit includes the gear weldments, then you will need to get rid of the main gear weldments and buy the tailwheel weldment & spring. Firewall weldments are the same for both.

So build what you want. You aren't locked in either way at this point.
 
Conversion Kit

If you are at the Fuselage Kit stage and want to convert it from a -7A to a -7, order the following conversion kit from Van's:

7 FUSE UNIQUE UNIQUE PARTS SUB-17
1.000 F-7114-L FUSE GUSSET
1.000 F-7114-R FUSE GUSSET
1.000 F-782A-L COVER PLATE
1.000 F-782A-R COVER PLATE
1.000 AS3-063X2 3/4X3 1/ ALUM SHEET C-604
1.000 U FSTW-ASSY W/MOUN FULL SWIVEL W.MOUNT
1.000 U TAIL WHEEL 6" 6" RUBBER TAIL WHEEL
1.000 BAG 489 TW STRNG SPG SET (2)
1.000 BAG 496 FULL SWIVEL CONVERSN
1.000 BAG 497-1 AN4 HARDWARE

When you order your Finish Kit just specify RV-7 at that point and you will get the rest of the parts to make it a tailwheel varient.
 
Good info

Thanks for the replies.

I am just starting the wings, so I have some time to think about this. Maybe I will get lucky and find someone to swap parts with. If that doesn't happen I will buy the parts and try to find a home for the nose dragger parts.
 
7 FUSE UNIQUE UNIQUE PARTS SUB-17
1.000 F-7114-L FUSE GUSSET
1.000 F-7114-R FUSE GUSSET
1.000 F-782A-L COVER PLATE
1.000 F-782A-R COVER PLATE
1.000 AS3-063X2 3/4X3 1/ ALUM SHEET C-604
1.000 U FSTW-ASSY W/MOUN FULL SWIVEL W.MOUNT
1.000 U TAIL WHEEL 6" 6" RUBBER TAIL WHEEL
1.000 BAG 489 TW STRNG SPG SET (2)
1.000 BAG 496 FULL SWIVEL CONVERSN
1.000 BAG 497-1 AN4 HARDWARE

Have found several threads about this topic, but not directly answer on my questions :) Have seen some pictures and it looks more complicated / time consuming I first thought.

All parts listed over here costs USD 450, - from Van's Aircraft.

How much work is it to convert an untouched (as new) RV-7A QB kit to tailwheel? It was mentioned 100 working hours here, but it was a flying RV-

Must the skin be removed on the tail for mount the tailwheel kit? Are there large skin that must be replaced to seal the holes after the main wheels 7A? Complicated work to remove the wheel mounts from middle section of the fuselage?
 
How much work is it to convert an untouched (as new) RV-7A QB kit to tailwheel? It was mentioned 100 working hours here, but it was a flying RV-

If it is truly untouched, it is no extra work at all.
RV-7 QB fuselage kits are generic and can be built as a slider or tip-up canopy, and tri-gear or tail-dragger.
It just depends on which parts and plans sections you use.
It is only extra work if someone has already done a bunch of work building it in a configuration different from what you want. Even then it depends on what they did and which direction you are going.
 
Thank you for your reply! Sorry I describe so badly in English.

What I tried to say, this is a RV-7A QB kit as a customer of Van's Aircraft have at home but he has not started to build on the fuselage and now he will sell. This is an RV-7A QB kit nosewheel and I will build the fuselage to a tailwheel....
 
If I'm not mistaken, Van's converted their RV-7 factory demonstrator to an RV-7A after it was built and flying. Granted, their skill set may be a bit more sophisticated than the average builder, but it may not be that hard to do. You might give them a call and see what they have to say.
 
I converted my 7A to the 7 after flying it about 5 years.
The parts list supplied early in the thread sounds about right. Although, I would opt for the the FlyBoys lightweight tailwheel & mount assy.

As far as the fuselage, you should only have to remove the rear fuselage panel to attach the tailwheel mount. They are attached to the 2 mounting brackets that support the vertical stabilizer. I'm not sure about the quick build whether these brackets are cut short for the A model or they remain as is.
If they are cut short, you will have to replace them. If not, you need to just drill out the standard rivet and use the holes to mount the tail mount.

Forgive me if I've missed something as I don't have the part#s and I'm going from memory. Obviously, if the gear weldments are installed, they will have to be removed and you need to address the gear legs cutouts. This is where the gussets are installed. The gear weldments were a real pain to remove from a flying airplane. On mine, I had fuel/brake lines & wiring snaking through them. You should be ok since you've not installed them yet.
On the QB, you should find it easier to install the brake lines as they won't have to be routed through the cabin to the A model gear.

Send me a PM if you need anything more info. I'll be happy to help.
 
Moving from -7a QB to -7, don't need the -a parts

A while back I purchased an RV-7a QB kit: fuselage, wings, engine, prop and Finishing Kit (w/engine mount)
I am going to build it as a -7 and will be purchasing the needed parts from Van's (or if I'm lucky from someone going the other way).

Posted earlier is a list of the differences. I didn't see mention of the Engine Mount. Doesn't it need to be included in the different parts list?
How about MLG legs?

Ric W
Independence, Or
 
A while back I purchased an RV-7a QB kit: fuselage, wings, engine, prop and Finishing Kit (w/engine mount)
I am going to build it as a -7 and will be purchasing the needed parts from Van's (or if I'm lucky from someone going the other way).

Posted earlier is a list of the differences. I didn't see mention of the Engine Mount. Doesn't it need to be included in the different parts list?
How about MLG legs?

Ric W
Independence, Or

Yes. Motor mount is different. MLG? Don't think so.
 
A while back I purchased an RV-7a QB kit: fuselage, wings, engine, prop and Finishing Kit (w/engine mount)
I am going to build it as a -7 and will be purchasing the needed parts from Van's (or if I'm lucky from someone going the other way).

Posted earlier is a list of the differences. I didn't see mention of the Engine Mount. Doesn't it need to be included in the different parts list?
How about MLG legs?

Ric W
Independence, Or

The main landing gear is different. The gear legs on the 7 are longer.
Make sure your mount & legs are matched drilled & not the older mounts that were jig drilled, unless you have the matched set..
 
Last edited:
The main landing gear is different. The gear legs on the 7 are longer.
Make sure your mount & legs are matched drilled & not the older mounts that were jigged drilled, unless you have the matched set..

Here's the size difference.
 

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Nosewheel gear

If the A model main gear is installed you should leave it there so you can use it to install an antisplat easy exit bar. That is second best mod out there, only surpassed by the almost rv14 seat mod.
 
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