[rv9aviator]

I don't know if I have a problem or not but here is what I have after fitting the back of the upper cowl to the firewall. I laid the cowl on the plane and centered the prop opening on the spinner backplate. It settled in nicely at the back and around the spinner without any difficulty. Everything looked good so I made the cut and then sanded the back edge until the gap was nice and uniform all around the firewall. The 1/16 paint gap is what I'm referring to. You can see in the pictures what was cut off the back of the cowl. I cut more off the passenger side than the pilot side in order to make it fit nicely. The engine mount is bolted up tight and so are the new Lord mounts. I put a straight edge across the spinner backplate horizontally and measured the distance from the straightedge to the edge of the cowl at the cooling openings. One side is 5/8 of an inch farther away that the other side and corresponds to the amount difference I cut off the back. If I try to pull the cowl over to make the distance the same the center hole will be way off from the spinner backplate. Is this a common occurrence because of the engine being offset or did I just screw this all up? Thanks in advance.

 

[Brantel]

I would say that you are good.

You are fitting the nose of the cowl to the spinner and however it comes out in the back is just the way it is...

 

[rv9aviator]

That's what I'm thinking too but that is a big difference in measurements isn't it. I'm sure no one will notice the outcome as far as looks go but it looks like they could make the plug for the cowl fit a little better.

 

[Fearless]

The area around the prop flange is more important

Jim,

The appearance around the prop flange is more important for the look and fit. I have to build up the lower cowling area there for my 1/4 inch gap to look okay. I got prop flange area looking decent but once I trimmed my lower cowling to fit, it doesn't match up at the inlets on the outside. The lower cowling sits back some on the edges and there's no way it will mate up without cutting something.

These prepeg cowlings are horrible. No wonder the fiberglass work takes forever.

I'm on hold until I can get some fiberglass materials.

 

[rv9aviator]

I will have to build up the lower part of the spinner cutout as well. I have 1/4 inch gap at the top of the upper cowl but around 1/2 inch at the split line. Looks like socks on a chicken!