On Mon, 17 Oct 2005 19:37:55 -0700, "Jim Burns"
wrote:

I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't know-but Apache cowls
SUCK r/r-wise. Mr. Burns just doesn't have enuff practice with his
Aztec cowls yet.

TC, are you telling me that the Apache cowls are worse than the Aztecs?
You're right, we don't have much practice with ours yet (knock on wood).
We've only had the bottoms off once so far, but it was quite and experience.
I know enough to be the "screw driver/feed it into place man" and not the
"flat on my back holding it up with two arms, one knee and the opposite
foot/can't do crap from down here man"! We weren't nearly as fast as
Denny, more like 40 minutes off and an hour on for EACH of them, but it was
our first time and we definitely learned how they fit up into the fairings!
sheesh!

Yes, they are worse.

Oldest Aztruck I ever worked on was late 60's, not entirely sure if it
is identical to yours.

Figured out a long time ago to inspect all nutplates-especially the
little #6 nutplates on the bottom cowl-EVERY TIME the cowls are off,
spray a dab of LPS2 (or equivalent) into 'em, plus use brand new
structural stainless screws (and a screwdriver that fits properly) to
put the inside-the-wheelwell crap back together. You are talking about
maybe two bucks worth of screws to save a crapload of aggravation.

Stick a body inboard and somebody outboard, feed the side channels
onto the stub mounting brackets sticking out of the firewall-making
sure that the bottom angles at the 'well are outside of the 'well tin.
Use a short tapered punch in the aft hole, stick a screw in the front
hole, snug it up, poke the screws into the aft holes-the cowl will
stay in place now while you line everything else up.

Grab a creeper, stick a screw into each "tail" sticking out aft on the
bottom, work your way up the sides of the firewall-using your foot to
apply a mild correction as needed. Screws inside the 'well are next.
Depending how clapped-out your cowls are, sometimes you need to leave
everything snug (as opposed to tight) until all the puzzle pieces are
in place (less the fillet fairings) until the cheeks are snapped on
before tightening everything completely. Just remember to pop the
cheeks back off to tighten the flush-heads under them FWD top &
bottom.

Nose bowls are next. Two layers of 2 inch masking tape flush with the
leading edge of the bottom cowl on the outside. Bowl halves together
with the bottom OUTSIDE of the bottom cowl. Top wire in, bowl will
stay in place. Baby vise grips on the bottom wire, line up the halves,
use the grips to slide the bottom #!!$$!! wire in. Carefully tip the
bowl aft at the top, fwd at the bottom 'til it slips fwd & inside of
the bottom cowl. The rest is pretty straight forward-but again, you do
not want to get the thing 75% assembled before you realize that you've
got a missing or boogered-up nutplate.

Random Aztruck thought-if you've got cowl flap stops that are long
screws threaded through a funky lock nut/L bracket riveted to the
firewall look and see if someone has threaded a plain nut up under the
locknut. If you put a plain nut on as a jam nut, it helps keep the
funky lock nut from shaking loose where it's squeezed into the little
L bracket. Can't help you with the springie-thingie on the exhaust.

TC