Finally Going to Tackle the Interior - Day 0

Day 0 (Wits and wallet still intact)

Just placed the call for the order to Airtex. I did talk to the folks in
the shop to ask about whether hog ringing through the support canvas
will REALLY hold up and not tear. They say it works fine. While calling
in the order, I was not sure about the screw sizes (#4 or #6). They said
#4 were the right ones. I figured that 100 screws and finishing washers
for $7 was about what I would pay at the local hardware store. AND, last
time I looked, I could not get oval heads, only flat. So, I just
eliminated one more variable. I was surprised that nearly all my
interior screws are rusted. They also recommended 2 pints of cement
instead of one because the fabric really soaks it up. Again, I probably
could have acquired plain old contact cement locally for 1/2 the price,
but you don't REALLY know if it will hold up until it fails. So, another
variable knocked off.

Now the first "surprise". I never really asked how long it would take
from order to delivery. The answer.... 8 WEEKS!!! YIKES!!! 8 WEEKS!!!
Well, they say that everyone places their order about now and it backs
them up. I had some foolish thought that I would get the stuff in about
2 or 3 weeks. Silly me. Once I got to thinking about it, I realized it
is not THAT warm out yet. And I do have a lot of grunt work to do like
painting the seat frames and plastic. Also, they ship when the stuff is
ready. Carpet in about 2 weeks, seats in about 5-6, and walls in 6-8.
O.K. I have to work in stages anyway and carpet, then seats, and then
walls is a good order to follow. I should probably do the headliner
first so if it drips, it will only stain the OLD interior and carpet.

When you look carefully, there are all kinds of little "projects" to be
done. The flap handle and trim wheel cover is in the original Piper puke
blue. Needs to get painted the carpet gray color and new placards
installed (I already have a sheet of placards). Also, the flap handle is
chipped up original black with a half worn off placard and shoddy
looking Schwinn bicycle grip. O.K. they looked cheap and shoddy even
when they were new. Any suggestions of a really cool looking grip that
will fit???? Then, there are the 2 little chintzy looking padded vinyl
inserts on the bottom of the instrument panel. The vinyl has been
falling off for a while and it is probably time to replace the stuff.
Hey! While we're at it (famous last words before a major house
remodeling), the radio face plates and control knobs could use
repainting... and how about going over the instrument panel with some
new press-type...and...and... O.K. Maybe AFTER the interior job. Whew!

I do want to scrounge the boneyards to try to find an articulating
(height adjustable) Piper seat frame for the co-pilot's side. The
booster cushions are a pain. Anyone have one for sale????

I ordered new seat belts and shoulder harness retractors (with new
webbing)from Chief. The cost to buy all new stuff was not that much more
than rewebbing. For me, an extra $150 or so is worth it to get all new
works in a box. No hassles about using the old hardware and waiting for
the stuff to get swapped. Just bolt in all new stuff. Retractors with
NEW springs and nice soft new belts (minus the fraying fuzz). Shiny new
hardware with nice positive locking latches.

Oh yeah, I learned something new. The two release levers on the back of
the co-pilot's seat. We always thought one released the seat back and
the other one did nothing. Well, probably everyone on the planet EXCEPT
me knew the other lever released the seat TRACK so the pax could push
the seat forward to exit. DUH!! Made a mental note to make up a couple
of placards to identify each release so a passenger might actually USE them.

As to the poster who said I might want new insulation in the process,
nope, last time I had the side walls off the insulation was in super
shape. Hey, do you actually glue down the carpeting to the floor
insulation. Looks like the last guy did, although it did not stick.

This weekend I need to take some "before" pictures. Not sure how I will
put them up. I do have an ISP service that purports I can post a site as
part of the service. I was not REALLY anxious to learn web composition.

Good Luck,
Mike

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