Interior pics

How to keep the Cessna 170 flying and airworthy.

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n2582d
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Re: Interior pics

Post by n2582d »

Bill, Thanks so much for all the close-up shots of your interior. They are priceless for anyone trying to do an accurate restoration. For what it's worth, Fig. 35, 36, and 36A all show holes in the carpet where your round inspection plates go. I have no doubt that yours is original. Have you tried contacting LeBaron Bonney for carpet? I'd also reach out to Barron Aviation, SMS Auto Fabrics and/or the Cessna 120-140 Association for help in locating authentic carpet. Edit: Read customer reviews before doing business with SMS Auto Fabrics.
IMG_0383.JPG
Last edited by n2582d on Thu Apr 27, 2017 2:42 am, edited 2 times in total.
Gary
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interstellardust
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Re: Interior pics

Post by interstellardust »

Thanks for the leads Gary. I'll check. It's not just the carpet though. Scroll back a page or two for photos of the seats and side panels.
Bill Garnett
1955 Cessna 170B N2974D
bill@interstellardust.com
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interstellardust
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Re: Interior pics

Post by interstellardust »

Further update...
LeBaron Bonney referred me to SMS.
SMS replied same day and said they would mail me samples based on my photos. 2 weeks later I emailed to make sure they had my address. Again, same day response saying they have my address "I'll get the samples to you." It's been another 2 weeks....
Barron Aviation has replied. Their son Dillon who restored a grand champion 170B was just returning from college that week (congratulations) and said they said they would pass my info on. A couple of weeks later I got an email from Dillon sayin he would look up the infor from his restoration. Apparently they have a bolt of magenta if anyone is looking for that color.
Last edited by interstellardust on Fri May 26, 2017 4:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
Bill Garnett
1955 Cessna 170B N2974D
bill@interstellardust.com
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VernH
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Re: Interior pics

Post by VernH »

Got my Airtex sides and carpet today. That's gonna be a big step up for 53C. I don't know what was in there but I'm pretty sure it wasn't supposed to be there. I fitted the side panels and the carpet and it looks like I will have to do some trimming to use the channels around the back windows. I noticed one thing that I thought was odd. The document pouch is near the left pedal. I guess that will keep them out of the sun. 8O
Attachments
Airtex-Scaled.jpg
Airtex-Scaled.jpg (20.58 KiB) Viewed 34674 times
cabin sides-Scaled.jpg
cabin sides-Scaled.jpg (17.21 KiB) Viewed 34674 times
Fly safe!

Vern
1950 C-170A N5453C sn 19487
Based in Pensacola, FL. 82J
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interstellardust
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Re: Interior pics

Post by interstellardust »

Vern, Isn't that panel supposed to fit into a metal lip under the window? Also did they recover your arm rests? I talked to Airtex on the phone yesterday and am not very confident they will match the sewn in patterns on seats or sidewalls. I sent pictures to them but they have not responded yet. They will not use fabric on the front seat backs, only vinyl or leather.
Bill Garnett
1955 Cessna 170B N2974D
bill@interstellardust.com
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VernH
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Re: Interior pics

Post by VernH »

interstellardust wrote:Vern, Isn't that panel supposed to fit into a metal lip under the window? Also did they recover your arm rests? I talked to Airtex on the phone yesterday and am not very confident they will match the sewn in patterns on seats or sidewalls. I sent pictures to them but they have not responded yet. They will not use fabric on the front seat backs, only vinyl or leather.
Yes it is Bill. I just put them in to see how they fit. Im going to have to trim them to go into that channel or accept the way they look pressed against it. I will probably trim and fit into the channel. I don't have arm rests installed.
Fly safe!

Vern
1950 C-170A N5453C sn 19487
Based in Pensacola, FL. 82J
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VernH
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Re: Interior pics

Post by VernH »

I have to say Im pretty happy with the Airtex Interior. New headliner, carpet and side panels really dressed the old girl up. The seats are what was in there and in pretty good shape so I'll use them for now.
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cabin-Scaled.jpg
cabin-Scaled.jpg (20.41 KiB) Viewed 34555 times
carpet-Scaled.jpg
carpet-Scaled.jpg (22.61 KiB) Viewed 34555 times
door-Scaled.jpg
door-Scaled.jpg (20.93 KiB) Viewed 34555 times
Fly safe!

Vern
1950 C-170A N5453C sn 19487
Based in Pensacola, FL. 82J
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nippaero
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Re: Interior pics

Post by nippaero »

Hi Bill,

My 1952 170B had the original carpet in it before I replaced it with an Airtex kit. The original carpet was very similar to yours other than it was blue. The inspection plates were glued on like yours and you could remove them without removing the carpet. The control column was the same as yours as well, uncovered with a bit of carpet at the bottom. Also the flap handle cover was covered in carpet, glued on. I kept the old ones, I'll get a picture posted.

The Airtex carpet is much thicker than the original. It also has a foam backing. The Airtex components are definitely not like the original but they look nice. On the armrests, they send you the material and you have to cover them yourself. Same with the door panels. It helps if you order a can of their fabric cement if you buy their "kit". I ended up having to do some trimming to get my panels to fit properly but it is easy work.

I just finished installing my new door panels back onto my doors. I had removed everything out of the plane when it got painted.

Image

Image
1952 170B
N8180A s/n 25032
swixtt
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Re: Interior pics

Post by swixtt »

Very nice you guys! thanks for the pics
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nippaero
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Re: Interior pics

Post by nippaero »

Here's the picts I mentioned of the original carpet and covers I removed. Looks just like Bill's.
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2017-06-05-12_02_14.jpg
2017-06-05-12_02_04.jpg
2017-06-05-12_01_57.jpg
1952 170B
N8180A s/n 25032
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interstellardust
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Re: Interior pics

Post by interstellardust »

nippaero, Thanks for confirming my suspicion that my carpet is indeed original. The inspection plates and flap handle cutouts in your photos match mine exactly. Wish I could find that thin carpet.

Seat Fabric Search Update:

I finally got the promised sample from SMS which thay claim is "an exact match". It is not even close. :cry:
It's a white and rust checkerboard pattern.

Airtex seems to be routing my inquiry around internally. I got an email from someone asking if I was requesting a custom job. I replied that since I was requesting they use other than their fabrics, if I could find them, I suppose that would be custom. What I was seeking was confirmation that their stitching patters match the original patterns. that was 3 weeks ago. no response.

I have not heard back from Dillon Barron either.

This is turning out to be much harder than I suspected.
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SMSfabric.JPG
Bill Garnett
1955 Cessna 170B N2974D
bill@interstellardust.com
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n2582d
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Re: Interior pics

Post by n2582d »

Bill,
Here is a quote from an article in Plane and Pilot magazine about Stephen Jacobson's 170A:
Click to Enlarge
Click to Enlarge
Maybe Stephen could assist you?
Gary
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Ryan Smith
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Re: Interior pics

Post by Ryan Smith »

n2582d wrote:Bill,
Here is a quote from an article in Plane and Pilot magazine about Stephen Jacobson's 170A:
IMG_0520.JPG
Maybe Stephen could assist you?
I tried contacting Cessna for the '52 B model. Perhaps someone will have better luck than I.

Jake's airplane is immaculate for those that have not seen it.
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interstellardust
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Re: Interior pics

Post by interstellardust »

Unfortunately, Buster's Upholstery in Porterville seems to have gone out of business. At least their phone has been disconnected.

I visited Lincoln Skyways at Lincoln airport last week. While they do not have exact matches, they do have a very thin carpet which is quite similar to the original carpet. It is produced by Aircraft Interior Products and is called Concourse 014 (light gray other colors are available). I could not find it on AIP's website. It is used in Citation jets and looks pretty nice. Skyways likes Airtex headliners (which are actually a good match to original. Skyways also has the same fabrics that Airtex offers (not a perfect match. They are happy to match the stitching patterns.
Bill Garnett
1955 Cessna 170B N2974D
bill@interstellardust.com
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n2582d
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Re: Interior pics

Post by n2582d »

Here's a trivial detail for those wanting to replicate an original interior on a '52 C-170B. On the rear seat back and bottom are "pearl tufting" buttons. The illustration shows two on the back and two on the bottom but the listing calls for four in each spot (fig. 31-10 and fig. 31-23). Anybody with an original '52 rear seat that can clear up this discrepancy? As can be seen in the illustration a "tufting button" is also shown as p/n 7283 in fig. 31-11 and 31-24. These are the buttons hidden on the opposite side of the seat to which the buttons pictured are anchored.
P/N 0511108-92 click to enlarge
P/N 0511108-92 click to enlarge
Fig. 31 click to enlarge
Fig. 31 click to enlarge
Gary
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