Brief Description: Install boot cowl and instrument panel
I procured a sufficient number of the slip-on style nut plates, installed them and put the boot cowl/glare shield back onto the fuselage. The screws went into place with no problems other than a little wiggling of the glare shield to bring the angle brackets into alignment.
The manual calls for the boot cowl to be fastened to the fuselage tabs with pulled rivets (aluminum Avex rivets). Several builders have strongly advised that I use screws in place of the rivets for both strength and ease of removal for the inevitable need to access the area behind the panel. I am using stainless steel #6 machine screws for this job. The boot cowl is cleco'd into position, the holes drilled and reamed to the appropriate size, and the screws fitted.
The photos below show the panel being fitted into the glare shield, and then the whole assembly cleco'd into position on the fuselage.
