Today, the lower firewall, cheek assemblies, and the exhaust tunnels were removed to facilitate mounting of the top deck skin. The skin was measured and marked at the center of the forward and rear edges as an assembly reference. The eight fastener points on the firewall end and ten points on the instrument panel end were marked and punched to 3/32” with a Whitney punch. The deck skin was set in position with the alignment marks lined up with matching marks on the upper firewall and instrument panel. The sides of the deck skin were tucked under the fuselage side skins to help with the alignment.
Two straps were used to tighten the skin against the firewall and instrument panel flanges. Small aluminum tabs were clecoed to the instrument panel to align the panel to the edge of the deck skin. While holding the aluminum tabs tightly against the deck skin, the deck skin was match drilled and clecoed to the instrument panel flange at ten places.
The aluminum tabs were moved to the firewall, but this match drilling operation will require at least three hands because the stainless steel firewall is difficult to drill and will need to be supported from the back side while drilling. Hopefully I can get a neighbor to help tomorrow.