Wagabond build

[Steve Pierce]

throttle cable is a pretty straight shot from the instrument panel to the carburetor. Just have to have room to clear the tee of the control column. The battery cable runs under the pilot seat, down the left cockpit sidewall and out the left side of the firewall.

[todd2391]

Perfect. Thank you.

[todd2391]

Progress has been slow. I did manage to get the holes in firewall cut out for wires and control cables. Made patterns for the left and right side boot cowl. I ruff cut out the left and right sides and got the left side boot cowl drilled out and celecoed in place.

[todd2391]

I finished cutting out and forming the right side boot cowl and celcoed it in place. Then I cut out, formed, and attached the top cover on the boot. Then I test fit the windshield and it will need some light trimming. The time consuming piece was the lower boot cowl piece, which was taking on and off several times to get a good fit. I made an aluminum doubler for the top center where the left and right boot cowl comes together. I dimpled the holes for the screws around the flange on the firewall.

[todd2391]

I finished up the boot cowl by cutting out a opening for the bottom of the control tee and adding a blister on the bottom and fitting, drilling the windshield strip. Next I moved onto the seats by sewing canvas to cover the springs, this was secured by spray adhesive to the springs. I covered this with fabric, shrunk it, and cleaned it all up. With both seats done I started to glue the foam together for the cushions, which I am testing for fit and comfort. Then adding or trimming as needed.

[todd2391]

I finished the bottom and backs of the seat foam, I bought sets of seat foam from Ebay for a 1968 ford mustang. These were close to the size of the seat frames, so I only had to trim them down on the back and then take a couple of inches out of the center, glue the halves back together and then added about 3/4 inch of foam to the bottom and backs of the cushions. Then I glued the foam to the fabric on the seat fabric. With the seats set and comfortable I was able to set the rudder pedals to a comfortable position. I temporarily installed the rudder and finished the rudder cables to length at the rudder. Finally I made a pattern for the cable exit from the fabric that I can use once fabric is on the fuselage.

[todd2391]

Hope all are having a good summer. I was able to get back in the shop and got the windshield trimmed and fit to match up with the windshield strip, I forgot to take pics during this process of course. I cleaned up some interior panels and inspections panels that I already made, primed, and painted them. Then I removed the instrument panel, windshield strips, top, bottom, and sides of the boot cowl.