Cast Grill Mounting

[M Towsley]

Anyone know how the cast grills were mounted in the nose bowl? My first BC-12D had cast and I cannot remember how they were mounted. Not enough lip to screw in from what I can see. Some kind of tapered pin?

Thanks!

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Cast Grill Mounting

The bowl should have a tab that aligns with the lugs in the grills (three I think, 2 inboard and one outboard). You use a small nut and machine screw to hold them in. Problem is most bowls have the small lip torn off and many of the grills have broken lugs. I made new tabs and flush mounted them to the back then put a washer under the nut so that the broken lug would still hold.
You want to be VERY sure the grills are in securely. Having one come loose and get in the prop would make for a really bad day! It took some time to make the aluminum tabs so they fit nice and snug and the rivets were flush with the heads smoothed over (I dimpled in the skin a bit and filled the flush heads. You can't even see the repair from the front). If you look close at the single grill along the edge by the prop you can see two of he lugs where the screws and nuts go. Hopefully you can't see the flush fitted tab attach. These are old photos before I cleaned up the grills. I think there were 4 lugs on the rectangular lower grill.
Hank

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Cast Grill Mounting

By the way the cast grills WILL NOT fit on the post war nose bowls!

Hank

[M Towsley]

Re: Cast Grill Mounting

They did on my first one, hmmmm. Also, there are seven tabs on the ones I currently have, five have holes.

Thanks, Hank, I was hoping you would chime in.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Cast Grill Mounting

I can try to get some pictures next time out if you need them. I think I owe some other guys photos too but the camera has been lost for over a week. Now I have the camera and can't remember who needed what photos. If I owe anyone pictures of something drop me a message.

Hank

[skip]

Re: Cast Grill Mounting

Marty,

Perhaps you had one of the 1946 deluxes. Chet Peek's book tells that the deluxe was resurected for a short time after the war. My understanding is that the big difference from the pre-war deluxes was that the post-war ones did not have the cast trim all the way back along the cowel to the doors. ...and naturally, the post-war trim fit the post-war cowls.

[M Towsley]

Re: Cast Grill Mounting

Hi Skip,

Not sure, but my first BC-12D was 95275 and this one is 258. I don't think it was a Deluxe but I have not had a chance to compare the grills yet. Outdoor feel like temp is 107 right now.

[M Towsley]

Re: Cast Grill Mounting

I got a chance to go out to the oven, um..I mean hangar today. The cast grills appear to be the same exact size as the stamped grills and there appears to be enough lip to attach them. I will have to remove a stamped one and see if it will fit. The saga continues......

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Cast Grill Mounting

Marty,

Perhaps you had one of the 1946 deluxes. Chet Peek's book tells that the deluxe was resurected for a short time after the war. My understanding is that the big difference from the pre-war deluxes was that the post-war ones did not have the cast trim all the way back along the cowel to the doors. ...and naturally, the post-war trim fit the post-war cowls.

I have the remains of a postwar deLuxe. While alot of it is the same, the main difference is the postwar aluminum doors.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Cast Grill Mounting

Marty,

Perhaps you had one of the 1946 deluxes. Chet Peek's book tells that the deluxe was resurected for a short time after the war. My understanding is that the big difference from the pre-war deluxes was that the post-war ones did not have the cast trim all the way back along the cowel to the doors. ...and naturally, the post-war trim fit the post-war cowls.

I have the remains of a postwar deLuxe. While alot of it is the same, the main difference is the postwar aluminum doors. The upper grill should fit either nose bowl, the difference is with the lower grill only fitting early bowls.

[M Towsley]

Re: Cast Grill Mounting

Thanks Mike. They look like they will fit without a problem when I get around to it.