It's high time I begun drilling the panel. I decide to begin with the mapbox. I used a method described in the 5th 2008 Rvator, Vans's news letter that can be downloaded here.
The first cut is done using a jigsaw.



I needed almost two hours to file the opening to the correct size.



After the hinges are riveted I make some small adjustments.



This is the door in the open position, I still have to install some kind of lock.

Today's goal was to see how the panel fits in the cockpit with all the ribas and angles.
The picture show the back of the panel with the rib, the trays and one support angle. The angle had to be sanded slightly to fit in between.



The panel in the fuselage. The left rib has been displaced from it's intended position under the white block toward the center.
I also found out that the subpanel is 1/2' shorter than the panel itself. As my radio sit very low on the main panel, they will protrude somewhat from the bottom of the subpanel.



I cut some aluminium angle to make the support for the trays on the subpanel. There are two side supports and one lower support. I'll see how this gets installed once the panel has been cut.



After having installed the panel ribs, I noticed this crack on the right rib. I have some difficulties knowing when this happened perphaps during the multiple installations or may be during canopy work. Vans would probably say that it's OK to repair it but I will order a new one.



I also fabricated the support angles for the GPS bracket.

I first made some paper templates for all the instruments. The template are the size of the instruments, some include the cut-out size in red.



The first instruments to install are the VHF (SL-30) and the transponder (GTX-330). Then are installed in trays that will be bolted to aluminium angles, and there has to be enough space for the right angle as there is also the panel support rib on that side.
Then the EFIS 2 is positionned. I will have to shorten the right side of the canopy release handle (left upper angle of EFIS).



Then lower end of the EFIS 1, Garmin 496 and EFIS 2 are aligned. The EIS 4000 is centred on the Garmin 496 and it's lower end aligned with the lower side of the transponder.
Then the three instruments below the EFIS find their place, as welle as the warning lights and the trim indicators. Ths space between the EFIS 1 and the GPS will be used for the second panel support rib that has been moved from it's original position. This explains why the instruments below EFIS 1 are not centred and had to be moved to the left.



I then installed the radios in their trays to see how this will be installed in the panel. The rear of the black part is supposed to be flush with the forward side of the panel. I draw some lines to be able to align the trays during the support angle fabrication.

The panel is getting closer to its final iteration. Today I placed all the switches and controls on the small subpanel. This part is almost finished.
I then transfered the sizes of all the instruments on the blank panel. I got some small suprises as it's not always like on the computer. I think I will have to look at it a few more times before having everything places correctly.
This is the left side.



And the right side.

Despite the very cold very we installed the antenna doublers. Sabine did a great job with the rivet gun and it took no time to set all the rivets.