While the edge layups were curing, I tackled the lower cowling brace bracked which secures the bottom center part of the cowling. Because the cowling has a 12"x3" slot cut into it to go over the nose gear strut, this brace bracket secures the aft center part of the cowling so it doesn't flop in the wind and vibration.
This was a fight from the beginning. The parts and drawing represent a cowling/bracket installation on an O-320 engine....but I have an IO-360. Therefore, the angled "sled" piece (image 1) was not long enough to install all the way forward for my IO-360-specific nose gear weldment. Image 2 shows the longer "sled" that I fabricated from stock sheet. Same story for the "sail" piece that runs vertically between the "sled" and the firewall flange angle. Because the two pieces provided weren't high enough, I trimmed both of them to just the angle portions (mounted one on the sled and one to the firewall flange) and spanned the gap with a thick stout piece of plate alclad. Matchdrill, prime, rivet, install. The two AN3-3A bolts and nuts that attach this bracket to the nose gear weldment were EXTREMELY difficult to get into place. I torqued them to the best of my ability, but I must be sure and check these for security on regular intervals.
