What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Tail pipe tunnel

Bavafa

Well Known Member
Just wondering folks who have painted their 14, if they have painted the tail pipe area/tunnel or leaving it unpainted. I am wondering if the heat will affect the paint. Mine is going to be a base/clear type paint. Would paint also adhere well to the stainless steel part. To make things more complicated for myself, I have extended some of the aluminum sheet to this area which was used for covering the end/corners of stainless steel sheet that covered the Fiberfax on the FW. I can remove it if I have to, if this area is to be painted.
 
Unpainted. I should imagine if you did paint it, it wouldn?t be long before it is stained from the heat.
 
Painted my tunnel but I'm using the Vetterman exhaust with dual pipes that exit forward of the tunnel
 
Thank you all for responding. I guess I will have mine unpainted. It is not visible but could create more issue if the heat affects it.
 
Just wondering folks who have painted their 14, if they have painted the tail pipe area/tunnel or leaving it unpainted. I am wondering if the heat will affect the paint. Mine is going to be a base/clear type paint. Would paint also adhere well to the stainless steel part. To make things more complicated for myself, I have extended some of the aluminum sheet to this area which was used for covering the end/corners of stainless steel sheet that covered the Fiberfax on the FW. I can remove it if I have to, if this area is to be painted.

I also covered mine with Fiberfax and S.S. foil. I did not paint the strips that finish off the edges and I think I used something like ".050 SS strips for that (short memory) . I've got just over 100 hrs on mine and I was washing the bottom of my plane today and was just inspecting this installation to see how it is staying in place. So far it looks just as it did when I installed it. Unless you look up into the hole you do not see the unpainted as the strips do not protrude under the fuselage over the bottom skin, just right up to it.I'm happy.
 
Back
Top