Today I started work on the engine air inlet. The oval inlet has to be mated to the half-round oblong shape of the FAB inlet. In addition, the ilet needs to be extended to meet the fron of the FAB. To do this, a foam block is placed (jammed and glued) between the cowl inlet and the FAB. The inside of the block is the cut and filed away to make the compound shape required. Fiberglass is then set on the opening and later trimmed to the correct length and gap to the fab.
I took the foam provided by vans and cut it in half. I glued the haves together and then trimmed the block to the correct thikness to match the gap from the cowl to the FAB. I sanded the inlet edge of the cowl to a knife edge so the new fiberglass does not reduce the size of the inlet. I stuck the foam to the front of the FAB and wrapped it with a bunch of tabe to hold it in place. I installed the cowl, somewhat jamming it in place so the block was wedged.
Using a hacksaw blade I rough-cut out the center of the block. I then switched to a course file for more of the work and finish it off with some meduim sandpaper. I ran out of time to put the fiberglass in so that will have to wait for another day.
