Riveted forward fuselage structure, started installing avionics: 5 hours

• Riveted sub-panel to canopy deck - used a combination of msp-42 pull rivets and driven rivets
• Riveted ribs to firewall - used hand squeezer and rivet gun
• Installed firewall sensor manifold - this will hold transducers for oil, fuel and manifold pressure.
• Installed mounts for VPX ECB (electronic circuit breaker) and EFII ignition computers - these mounts were fabricated from aluminum angle and also help to stiffen up the sub-panel structure
• Installed mounts on to remote transponder tray then installed the assembly including the GTX-33 transponder
• Installed the dual GSU-25 ADAHRS computers (air data attitude heading reference system!) - the combination of the sub-panel doubler and the transponder mounts make this side of the sub-panel very stiff which is what you want for the ADAHRS units.
• Installed the GDL-39R ADS-B receiver.
• I was going to mount the VPX unit but first I will need to make a standoff to keep one of the right brake lines from rubbing on it.

Sub-panel with ADAHRS (left), GTX-33 (lower left), GDL-39R (right) and VPX (lower right):

Electronic ignition computer and VPX ECB mounts:

GTX-33 transponder tray mounted:

Transponder tray in progress:

Sensor manifold:

Riveting in progress:

Forward fuselage ribs and sub-panel riveting: 8 hours

• Riveted all the nut plates and wire tie clips to the various pieces then riveted the ribs and panels together.
• There were several difficult areas to rivet and several rivets had to be removed and re-done.
• I installed a total of 38 nut plates and 26 wire clips. The nut plates are for mounting the avionics and avionics related structure.
• I also put the sub-panel / rib assembly in the fuselage and now have a plan for riveting it in. After that I will start installing the avionics!

Sub-panel and ribs ready to rivet to the fuselage:

Getting there:

The center rib with the roll bar support angle was the most involved assembly:

A lot of rivets in the ADAHRS doubler:

Click Bond, oil cooler servo and started riveting: 6 hours

• Prepped and installed about 14 Click Bond wire tie holders to help organize various wires and tubes running through the "tunnel" in the forward cockpit floor.
• Fabricated a bracket to hold the cable that will control the oil cooler air valve. This will be installed in an extra rudder pedal mount hole.
• Started riveting forward fuselage components.
• Fabricated servo bracket for oil cooler air valve.
• Installed servo bracket and cable guide.

Oil cooler servo and cable bracket in place:

Servo bracket finished:

Riveting adahrs doubler to subpanel:

Second round of Click Bond wire tie holders:

Cable bracket for oil cooler air valve:

First round of Click Bond wire tie holders:

Priming and firewall forward work: 6 hours

The following work was done over several days:

• Prepped and primed forward fuselage ribs and subpanel
• Tested Perihelion servo controller for oil temp air valve
• Figured out mounting location for oil temp servo in cockpit
• Sealed firewall recess and lower corners of firewall with 3M Fire Farrier 2000+
• Picked up battery boxes and windscreen roll bar parts from powder coater
• Installed battery boxes on firewall

Gray substance is 3M Fire Barrier 2000+:

Powder coated battery boxes:

Priming in progress:

Mock up of oil temp control servo:

Riveted firewall recess and installed rudder pedals / brake lines: 6 hours

The following items were done over several days:

• Riveted firewall recess panel - this took a while but turned out well. There were a few tight spots for the rivet gun and the stainless is always difficult to work with.
• Installed rudder / brake pedal assembly.
• Installed Bonaco brake lines and elbow fittings. I used a small amount of Loctite 567 to seal the pipe thread fittings - as recommended on Vans Air Force forums.

Cabin brake lines installed:

Starting to install fittings:

Firewall recess riveted:

Starting on firewall recess:

Firewall and forward fuselage: 4 hours

• I installed the battery and start contactors. This took much more time than I thought because I realized that I had one of the battery contactors oriented incorrectly. 
• To correct the install I had to make a new copper bus bar. I also tested all the contactors with a 12 volt battery. 
• In preparation for installing the rudder pedals and brake lines I went ahead and riveted the rudder pedal brace.

Battery and start contactors installed:

Rudder pedal brace installed: