Small Tricks for Window, Dash Bezels, and hubcaps

[j3pup]

Here are a few tricks we used to fix a few things on our 1952 C170B....

1. Window Hinge Pin- One of the window hinge latches rivet was broken. We fixed this with two barrel nuts and a peice of thread. (maybe a bolt with head cut off) (Your hardware store carries barrel nuts that are flush on the end, sometimes they have prongs we just flattened them out)

2. Lower Bezels As I understand is standard there were no bezels on the lower left and right panels on our dash. To fix this we took a tape measure to the canned goods section in the supermarket, and came up with catfood cans that matched the holes perfectly. After cutting up the cans we have perfectly matching bezels.

3. Hubcaps I am sure I am going to take crap for this one, but if you wanted to put hubcaps on your wheels (on the ground for non flight use only due to no FAA approval and all) you could cut the bottoms out of 5 gallon buckets. Looks better than nothing.

Hope this helps someone else.

Shure is tiresome taking out my LED nav lights and drywall bucket hubcaps before every flight.

[GAHorn]

...catfood cans that matched the holes perfectly. ....

How's the smell?

The aluminum rivets in the window latches can be easily replaced with bookbinding screws and screwposts. These can be found at most hardware stores, etc.. or ordered online:

http://www.animadesigns-shop.com/Chicag ... _1061.html

bookbinding screw and post.jpg (4.94 KiB) Viewed 2969 times

After selecting the length you desire, use a little RTV inside the threads to "stick" it so they don't unscrew due to vibration, yet remain capable of disassembly with a screwdriver.

[j3pup]

No cat smell whatsoever. Actually I wish there was, and then maybe the old mice smell of which I scrubbed out would be cancelled some more.

[hilltop170]

There is a product called "Nature's Miracle" sold at "Pet Smart" kinds of places that is a water-based enzyme that nutralizes animal urine smells. I left the window down on my pick-up one time and came back to the pleasing aroma of tom cat piss. One bottle of Nature's Miracle liberally sprayed on the upholstery, carpet, and under the seats solved the problem. I was concerned about corrosion, etc but no problems or stains were evident on the cloth upholstery, carpet, or metal surfaces.

[j3pup]

Intresting thanks.

[bsdunek]

There is a product called "Nature's Miracle" sold at "Pet Smart" kinds of places that is a water-based enzyme that nutralizes animal urine smells. I left the window down on my pick-up one time and came back to the pleasing aroma of tom cat piss. One bottle of Nature's Miracle liberally sprayed on the upholstery, carpet, and under the seats solved the problem. I was concerned about corrosion, etc but no problems or stains were evident on the cloth upholstery, carpet, or metal surfaces.

I use "TCP" in my fuel - works great!