Instrument panel repair

[Clark]

1940 pre-war. The instrument panel, over the years on my project has been kept in service but not comprehensively maintained. I have a crack in the aluminum panel left corner where the Cabin heat and Carb heat controls are anchored. And the Altimeter area around the adjusting knob has been roughed out to allow for vertical installation of the altimeter with knob at 7 o'clock position, but not finished.. (Not sure this is the original altimeter but is close to being period appropriate. My intention is to install new flat aluminum sheet over the entire panel. I have three questions as I haven't seen what this material is or it's thickness identified in the manual. Does anyone have concrete knowledge of what it is (I'm thinking Annealed aluminum - O, with maybe a 3/64th thickness) and 2) even with this reinforcement I'm not sure whether the material will be thick enough to support the two cables without it cracking out again. 3) which maybe should have been first, how is everyone avoiding this tear out cracking out of the panel where cables attach and supporting the nuts in the back. The thinking at this time is to clean, treat for corrosion, repair and paint with primer and then Crinkly paint, black or Taylorcraft blue.

[Clark]

I have considerd a backer plate but am looking for a permanent fix/repair and don't know if that is a solution or not as there isn't a lot of room to do so without pushing the panel out. and if it isn't heavy enough would allow for cracking out still as well, if backing plate is not substantial enough.

[astjp2]

Pictures would be very helpful...

[Clark]

Will get some Pictures out soon.

[Hank Jarrett]

I would add a flush riveted doubler BEHIND the panel and then do a cosmetic repair of the front aluminum. Using a SLIGHTLY flexible filler for the flush rivets and damaged areas would be pretty much invisible once painted and a lot stronger to resist future cracking.

[Clark]

I am posting pictures. Not sure how well they'll display crack.

[Hank Jarrett]

If they are small enough to be hard to see in a photo, a back riveted doubler with Poly-sulfide sealant between the pieces will be able to fix the panel structurally and hide the cracks completely. My cowl is repaired that way and the repair is solid with the added benefit of the sealant pushing through the cracks. Once sanded level (it is NOT easy to get it level!) and primed and painted it is almost impossible to see the old cracks.

[Clark]

Attempting to add photos.

[Clark]

Another photo. This time of altimeter hole which I wish to correct the cut out.

[Clark]

This is the area I'm working to correct left side, cabin and carb heat..

[N96337]

Would that be very tough to just form a new panel? From what I can see (been a long time since I"ve been in a Tcraft with that panel) it looks like the only real forming would be the top edge and beads around the control yoke shaft.
John

[3Dreaming]

There was a guy in Michigan, Ken Hecht I believe, who had a form to make pre war instrument panel blanks. I bought one from him almost 30 years ago, and it was top notch. He is a member of the forum, but was last active over a year ago.

Also If I remember correctly I mounted my cables to a plte attached to the tubing behind the panel, and the holes in the panel were large enough to pass over the knobs.

[Clark]

3Dreaming, It's been a while (over a year) since I reviewed this and with the Covid confusion have spent very little time working on the airplane. (I hope you and others are still around and will respond to these old threads.) I have seen pictures of a triangular plate behind instrument panel and attached if I remember right with adelman clamps which acted to reinforce panel and through cables etc. I have not seen but as a general rule and did not save any pictures that I recall. If you or others could post any pictures I would appreciate it, or if you could provide a brief description as to what you remember about such a plate. That too would be very helpful. Clark

[3Dreaming]

Yes there is a plate that the instruments mounted in. It was attached to the structure through tabs that were welded in place. There was no shock mounting. The instrument panel was just an overlay that didn't support the instruments in anyway. This is for the pre war non deluxe airplanes. Sorry, but I don't have any pictures handy.

[Hank Jarrett]

I have done several panels now (MUCH worse condition than yours) and made a 41 Deluxe panel from scratch. It is NOT hard to make or repair one, just time consuming. You will need PATIENCE, not skill. Really wish you were closer to SE Virginia. I would still say the best way to repair is a doubler on the BACK of the panel (forward towards the engine, not on the side facing you). One thing that is a bit harder is getting the rolled edge right around the instruments. An edge roller or form would make it easy but I didn't have one so I did it by hand. You CAN do it and it will come out looking like new. This is also your chance to go back to the original mag switches in place of the more modern (for the time) A-7 you have. The A-7 is NOT as reliable as the original or a modern mag switch. Your plane would have had two Farmal switches (one for each mag) from the factory and they are VERY reliable and inexpensive. They are STILL in use on tractors today!