Tying and Tightening Up loose Ends

This afternoon  I basically went through the build manual to see what has not been completed in the various sections of the build.  Those things in the sections I have worked on that are blatantly uncompleted include:

• Reinstall the top fuselage cover over the instrument shelf
• Reinstall the rear window
• Reinstall the turtle deck
• Reinstall the canopy
• Add some tie wires to some of the wiring in the fuselage
• Reinstall the empennage
• Finish the AOA tubing and connections

I next need to start the dreaded fiberglass sections of installing the wheel pants and installing the engine cowling.  I have read much about the engine cowling, both pros & cons about installing it before the engine.  I seems to me that opinions are pretty evenly divided.  Because I have not been able to get into a hanger yet, I think I will work on the cowling here are home and see what happens.  

I am quickly running out of room in my 2-car garage.  I told my sweet wife I would not make her park her car outside so I need to make some modifications.  I am  planning to cut the wing rack in half (basically remove the wing support on one side) and make a rack to hang one wing below the garage ceiling.  That way I can push the modified rack all the way to the exterior wall of the garage and gain an additional 30" of floor space.  There are some things hanging from the ceiling now, but after I install them on the airplane there will be plenty of room for the wing to hang there.

Things I worked on are:

• Completed the wheel chocks and tail cone support.  I painted the chocks yellow.  I am planning to put a short rope on each one to make them easier to remove.
• I tightened the fluid fittings on the inboard landing gear support brackets.  I purchased a stubby 7/16" combination wrench  for this purpose.  It worked out great

I had some concerns about the appearance of the instrument panel.  After installing the instrumentation on the panel the vinyl carbon wrap became a bit distorted at the openings for the ignition switch module and the fuse/switch module.  I decided to remove the left and center panel sections and work on them.  I used my heat gun to fix some distortions at some of the screw attachment holes.  I had wrapped the vinyl through the switch module openings but after a while the corners came loose.  I used an Xacto knife to cut the vinyl out of the openings and then painted the exposed aluminum edges with matt black Testor's model paint.  I reassemble the panel and I am satisfied with its appearance.  There are a few smudges I need to remove on the control installation area, but then it will be finished.