The engine being here it's time to continue working on the firewall forward installation. The plans are a bit more vague, and my engine being different from what Vans sells I have to use the plans for the carbureted engine with minor variations.
I first install the manifold that will be used to measure oil and fule pressure, the castelated metal part on the right of the picture.
I also drill the firewall to install some platenuts that will hold various clamps needed for the all the hoses that will be installed later.

One hour was enough to finish the installation of the front gear leg. Inserting the leg and drilling for the bolt was a non event (no problems as with the main gear legs).



With the engine mount installed on the firewall, it's impossible to insert the gear leg bolt. The solution consist in drilling a hole in the firewall. I use a long drill bit to mark the spot to be drilled.



To make a 1" hole, I use a Greenlee punch, which allows to do the job in less than one minute.



The view from the engine side.



And the cabine side with the bolt inserted.



And the surprise is for the end. The plug given by Vans is for a 3/4" hole and the plan said to make it 1". Looking through all the plans, I find on another view that tha hole should have been 3/4. It's too late now, so I have to find a 1" plug.

Today I installed two more electrical items on the firewall. First the central grouding point with a few tabs on the engine side. The big bolt will get the cable from the negative side of the battery.



Here the cabin side, there are more tabs as there will be quite a few items to connect.



Then I installed the ANL fuse protection the alternator circuit. The use of the fuse allows to avoid having a big wire and big breaker in the cabin. The cable from the alternator will be connected to the left side, the right side being connected to the battery via the battery relay just above. To make the connection to the battery relay (actually the left side of the starter relay) I use some bend copper strip. I still have to tidy up the strip.



A picture of the two nutplates for the ANL fuse holder.

The firewall has to be drilled at three places to install the brake fluid reservoir. Some wsahers are used to shim the legs as to avoid the top of the reservoir hitting the firewall. I needed three washers and went up to the next bolt length.

I installed the battery and starter relays. A copper bar is installed between the two relays. Drilling copper is less than easy.



Here all is finished and the diodes installed.