Update 6

This week I have some exciting things for you to see.



Yes, N8419 now has engines!



Two of them to be exact.
The #2 or "center" engine will be installed after the firewall is finished, as well as a bunch of plumbing.



Also, I'll find out if the oil tank will fit through the engine mount, or if I need to remove the mount, install the oil tank, and install the mount. Anybody??


In other, less fantastic news (to many) the wiring jungle is slowly being turned into pasture...


When it's done it should look more like a putting green (to continue the vegetation analogy)
One day, an old gentleman stopped by to reminisce about old airplanes, and asked me with concern in his voice, "how do you know where it all goes?" He also mentioned, astonished, that "that mess looks like the inside of my TV!"
I take it he doesn't have a Solid State Television...

Also the engines are seeing stuff happening around them.

The various lines are finding their way back to the places in which they lived so long ago...
after a serious scrubbing, naturally!
Hoses and tubing and accessories, oh my!

Update 5

Last week found the Fuel Line supports finished and installed.



I've been torquing and marking the fuel line fittings as much as I can. (some will need to come back out to facilitate the installation of the fuel tanks)


I'm also replacing much of the flexible lines in the fuel system. More hose coming soon.

Engine fire seals were repaired in anticipation of engine installation.


And finally, certainly not least in the task list,


Wiring!

What fun! (The next guy to work on this will thank me...)

Update #4

Hello Trimotor fans. This post is brought to you by:

Coffee!

Last week saw the Dishpan repairs come to an end. Finally.



There is some amount of work that will be required to be done to the fire seals, as they have been cutting through the engine mount bolts. More on that later.



Andrew and Hazel finished robbing the old brackets from the spars last week, and the spars are gone back to the land of old spars as of this morning.



The brackets than can be used are being installed in the wing. There are still brackets needing fabrication, due to differences in the spar design, and that is occurring as well.



Until next time, happy flying!

Update 3

Hello, Trimotor fans
Last week I ordered the engine mount bolts, and they are in as of this morning. I am repairing the dishpans in order to prepare for engine installation.




Mike was kind enough (and strong enough) to fetch the old spars so that I could rob the various brackets in order to save some time making new ones.


Some will need to be made new, both because the new spars are a little different than the old, and because It makes no sense to drill out #8 rivets simply to install a bracket for a vacuum line. It's much easier to retrofit a simple bracket in some cases.



I understand that radios for this bird are on their way here, after stopping off at the avionics shop for a check. A plan will be hatched for what to install where after they get here.



My son Andrew is removing the brackets from the old spars, and fitting them to the the spars in the wing.