Hey guys...I need help with a couple of things. I need detailed pictures of the baggage compartment in your Chief. I need to know just how the cloth part mounts, and how it is closed out on the top side, around the windows. I have a new airtex baggage compartment, along with the old baggage lid, but I'm sure something is missing between the lid and the windows. If you could send me a couple of digital pictures to: mill2583@bellsouth.net I would be greatly appreciative.
When covering, I understand that the headliner is put in first. My question is how is it done around the window frames. Do you leave that part unglued, wrap the stitts around the frames, then glue the headliner after that? This needs to be decided before I put the headliner in. Thanks...Matt
11AC Baggage Compartment
Matt,
Out on the road now so no photos with me but my Chief uses the old style fabric unit with the snaps that hold the unit in. The fabric wraps around the tubing in the baggage area then fold back on itself and snap together. It does this on all sides as well as the back of the seat.
Regarding the headliner, get some curved and "C" needles at a good sewing store and go to work. Its hard on the fingers but a whole lot easier while the fabric is off of the bird. Forgotten how the windows are done, will leave that to the guys who have restored one recently.
Out on the road now so no photos with me but my Chief uses the old style fabric unit with the snaps that hold the unit in. The fabric wraps around the tubing in the baggage area then fold back on itself and snap together. It does this on all sides as well as the back of the seat.
Regarding the headliner, get some curved and "C" needles at a good sewing store and go to work. Its hard on the fingers but a whole lot easier while the fabric is off of the bird. Forgotten how the windows are done, will leave that to the guys who have restored one recently.
More on Headliner
Now I'm really confused...I looked at my old window frames and the fabric WAS wrapped around the frames, and glued to the interior portion. My best guess is that you must leave the headliner un-glued to the window frames until after you get the fabric installed. At that point you can go ahead and glue the headliner to the inside of the window frames. Can one of you long time Chief experts confirm this for me? This looks like it would give you a much better bond of the fabric to the windoe frames? Matt
If you look closely at the window frame, you will notice a grove cut into the frame for the window to set in. If you cover this area, the window may not set in flush. Keep in mind, that this area is ultimately covered with a piece of aluminum trim. I covered the entire window area during the cover process; glued and stapled the fabric to the wood frame just outside the grove; then removed the fabric covering the window including the fabric over the groved area I did not install the interior piping until the windows were in. 6 one way, half a dozen the other.
Beautiful work, Jerry!
By the way, my wings are primered. Maybe this summer??????? N83147 will fly again.......I hope, I hope, I hope.
Dennis
Beautiful work, Jerry!
By the way, my wings are primered. Maybe this summer??????? N83147 will fly again.......I hope, I hope, I hope.
Dennis
Mystery Solved
Well, the mystery has been solved. After a great phone conversation with Bill Pancake, the headliner-fabric process has been made simple. Thanks Jerry for the great picture. That is exactly the way that Bill said to do it. That is the way the factory did it. Matt