Hi all,
Since it's too cold in my garage to work on the canopy until summer comes, I'm getting ready for my engine to arrive. The airplane is a -7 QB and the firewall is not really riveted to the fusealge skins anywhere, other than a couple of temporary pop rivets that are still in there from the QB factory. The forward top skin is not riveted on, and I plan to leave it off until late in the game so I can have an easier time with all the under-panel stuff. This also means that the WD-602 upper engine mount brackets aren't riveted to the side skins or longerons either.
What I'm trying to figure out is, do I need to do any additional riveting around the firewall area before I try hanging the engine? From reading ahead to the cowl plans, it looks like I need to refrain from riveting the side and bottom flanges of the firewall to the skins, since that's where the cowl attach hinges will go later on. But does any of that upper stuff need to be stiffened up before I hang the engine? I know plenty of folks bolt on the motor without first riveting on the top skin, so I'm hoping to hear from those who've gone before.
thanks,
mcb
Since it's too cold in my garage to work on the canopy until summer comes, I'm getting ready for my engine to arrive. The airplane is a -7 QB and the firewall is not really riveted to the fusealge skins anywhere, other than a couple of temporary pop rivets that are still in there from the QB factory. The forward top skin is not riveted on, and I plan to leave it off until late in the game so I can have an easier time with all the under-panel stuff. This also means that the WD-602 upper engine mount brackets aren't riveted to the side skins or longerons either.
What I'm trying to figure out is, do I need to do any additional riveting around the firewall area before I try hanging the engine? From reading ahead to the cowl plans, it looks like I need to refrain from riveting the side and bottom flanges of the firewall to the skins, since that's where the cowl attach hinges will go later on. But does any of that upper stuff need to be stiffened up before I hang the engine? I know plenty of folks bolt on the motor without first riveting on the top skin, so I'm hoping to hear from those who've gone before.
thanks,
mcb