Possible Can O Worms

[Jr.CubBuilder]

Hope everybody had a great New Years out there.

My checkbook has been showing a modest balance in the positive figures for the first time in a while, and with the anticipated tax return coming in the not to distant future I've been thinking about doing some upgrade/improvement/maintenace stuff on my plane. Brown Whisky (the plane) is not a show stopper and probably never will be. She caught my attention when I was plane hunting because unlike some of the other pathetic pieces of junk in my price range she didn't seem to have much rust on her. She also was devoid of much in the way of an interior having only seats, door panels, front side panels, and a wool headliner. I actually liked this since I had the feeling that I was seeing more of what I was getting. After flying her for a few months I've come up with some things that I'm beginning to feel are well worth the money to improve the ergonomics.

The first thing I've been wanting to work on is the noise, it's loud in the cockpit without any insulation. Now I'm also noticing that it's cold.

I don't have instrument lights which didn't bother me at first, but now that the sun goes down at four in the afternoon I'm looking foreward to being able to get some practice in this spring in the evening when it's still dark. I decided that the map lights aren't going to cut it, and while it's been suggested that I just use some little flashlights with red lenses I'm unable to appreciate that as more than a nice backup to real instrument lights. I'm contemplating post lights, or those lights that encompase the instrument bezel (Nu-lights I think). Any thoughts or opinions there? I like the post lights for no rational reason other than that they look cool, but after looking a Chief aircraft parts it looks like the Nu-lights would be cheaper especially if I wanted two post lights per instrument.

That would involve pulling the panel which seems like a good time to do the insulation including new firewall soundproofing, remove the parking brake, and get my intercom wired up to cover the back seats (only got pilot & co-pilot now).

I'm also going to put in carpet, and a baggage compartment in at the same time.

I have a feeling that pulling the panel may be a proverbial can of worms (oh sh** I'm going to have to fix that now to) if anybody has suggestions of things to look for or be prepared for the input would be appreciated.

Oh I've also still got to address that squealing tach. It's not too bad, it comes and goes, although it's annoying sometimes while taxing I've been ignoring it since I pinpointed it as the tach. Can these things be lubed?

[Jr.CubBuilder]

I guess I should have put this in the Hanger section. Is there a way to move stuff like this?

[zero.one.victor]

I have a plexiglas panel overlay in mine that incorporates backlighting for the instruments. But if I was starting from scratch, I think I'd go for some sort of eyebrow lighting on a glareshield. Some of the folks here have a set-up that was STC'd by long-time Assn member Bob Schroers of Washington. I don't know if he's still producing that or not. I see that Aircraft Spruce catalogs several versions of strip lighting that's perfect for eyebrow installation on a glareshield. Now FAA approval for this is a whole 'nother can o worms..........

Eric

[dacker]

I put the Nulites in mine and I am very happy with them! They are invisible, vibration proof, and supposedly have a very long life.
David

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

I seem to remember the post lights drawing more amperage than you'd think. One isn't bad but buy time you install 2 on each instrument it adds up. This might mot be a factor unless your stuck with the 25 amp generator like me.

I'd look hard at the Nulites or glare shield lights.

[doug8082a]

I put the Nu-lites in mine this summer and am very happy with them. They'd be my first choice. Some people have expressed concern that the Nu-lites would cause the instrument to be recessed too far, but I haven't found that to be the case. They do recess them a bit but it only amounts to about 1/16" - 3/32".

You're right about opening the panel - doing so WILL confirm that the hip-bone is indeed connected to the leg-bone and on and on... There's any number of things you can find when you get in there that'll need replacing... old wiring, old hoses, umpteen splices in the wiring/hoses, corrosion under the glare shield, corrosion behind the firewall pad, mickey mouse repairs, yadda, yadda, yadda. However, if you are prepared to undertake the task, it's worthwhile. These planes have had fifty years of who-knows-what going on under there, so to take it all out and rework as necessary is worth doing in my book.