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Ratty Interior-- 46 BC12D

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  • #1

    Ratty Interior-- 46 BC12D

    Anybody here got pictures of their glorious interior to show? Time to replace mine, and I don't know whether to go Airtex or have one custom made.

    I had an old Airtex to copy and loaned it so the borrower could copy it. Next thing I knew the guy had installed it. So I need to borrow one from you to copy if you have one.
    Larry Smith
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  • #2
    Re: Ratty Interior-- 46 BC12D

    At the recent Taylorcraft fly-in in Columbia, CA I sat in another guy's T-craft. He had the original (?) aluminum fairings that cover the aileron cables from the instrument panel up to the roof, and the aluminum forward wing root covers. The difference between the outward visibility on his airplane and on mine was very very significant.

    The point I'm trying to make is just to be very careful with interiors. You can lose a lot of visibility (safety and enjoyment) for the sake of hiding a few tubes or cables. Also, the headliner in most Taylorcrafts reduces your interior headroom by at least an inch or two... also a poor trade-off in my opinion.

    Remember that many interior pieces are designed to be easy to install, rather than designed to leave you the most amount of room or visibility.

    Bill
    Taylorcraft : Making Better Aviators for 75 Years... and Counting

    Bill Berle
    TF#693
    http://www.ezflaphandle.com
    http://www.grantstar.net
    N26451 (1940 BL(C)-65) 1988-90
    N47DN (Auster Autocrat) 1992-93
    N96121 (1946 BC-12D-85) 1998-99
    N29544 (1940 BL(C)-85) 2005-08

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Ratty Interior-- 46 BC12D

      Originally posted by VictorBravo View Post
      At the recent Taylorcraft fly-in in Columbia, CA I sat in another guy's T-craft. He had the original (?) aluminum fairings that cover the aileron cables from the instrument panel up to the roof, and the aluminum forward wing root covers. The difference between the outward visibility on his airplane and on mine was very very significant.

      The point I'm trying to make is just to be very careful with interiors. You can lose a lot of visibility (safety and enjoyment) for the sake of hiding a few tubes or cables. Also, the headliner in most Taylorcrafts reduces your interior headroom by at least an inch or two... also a poor trade-off in my opinion.

      Remember that many interior pieces are designed to be easy to install, rather than designed to leave you the most amount of room or visibility.

      Bill
      Prewar DeLuxes are all covered up, and too me it does not make that much difference. The main enemy to a t-craft is weight. I don't like Airtex interiors personally. Never seen one that looked very good to me in any airplane. If you have a prewar, everything was originally fabric covered including the headliner so all you would need to have made is a set of seat cushions.

      Mike

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Ratty Interior-- 46 BC12D

        I don't like airtex either but would copy one with my own fire-resistant upholstery. I have D-windows and the airtex I had didn't look good and couldn't be made to look good around thos D-windows.. So I guess I'll go custom. I saw a pre-war T-Craft with a gorgeous interior here in WNC. It's in TN now, but I wish I had looked at it more closely and made pics.

        Bill Berle, I wish I could get pics of that interior you describe. I love visibility, even crave a sunroof and plexi doors. Let's hear it!

        I went w/o an interior for years, owned this BC12-D since the mid-80's, and just had NO headliner. I even cantilevered a large mountain bike frame across the wooden baggage compartment brace and bungeed the wheels behind the seat for a couple of years, flew to little mountain sod strips all over TN and NC, unloaded the bike, put it together and pedaled away, until an FAA guy told me one day he was going to pretend like he hadn't seen that if I would never do it again.
        Larry Smith

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Ratty Interior-- 46 BC12D

          Larry, Look in the Taylorcraft Gallery at http://gallery.taylorcraft.org and look through "owners and their airplanes". Mine is in there on Page 4 or 5 someplace, with photos of my skylight and the modifications it involved. There are a few pages of photos you will have to wade through to get to the skylight photos.
          Taylorcraft : Making Better Aviators for 75 Years... and Counting

          Bill Berle
          TF#693
          http://www.ezflaphandle.com
          http://www.grantstar.net
          N26451 (1940 BL(C)-65) 1988-90
          N47DN (Auster Autocrat) 1992-93
          N96121 (1946 BC-12D-85) 1998-99
          N29544 (1940 BL(C)-85) 2005-08

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Ratty Interior-- 46 BC12D

            Also, for a comparison, take cardboard or paper and wrap it around the door frame to cover the aileron cables where they go up towards the wing. cover the little triangular areas at the top with paper too, and where the factory interior wing root covers were. compare that with the visibility after removing these pieces. The difference was significant to me, but everyone has their own opinion.
            Taylorcraft : Making Better Aviators for 75 Years... and Counting

            Bill Berle
            TF#693
            http://www.ezflaphandle.com
            http://www.grantstar.net
            N26451 (1940 BL(C)-65) 1988-90
            N47DN (Auster Autocrat) 1992-93
            N96121 (1946 BC-12D-85) 1998-99
            N29544 (1940 BL(C)-85) 2005-08

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Ratty Interior-- 46 BC12D

              Thanks, Bill. I saw your pictures and drawings---- and WOW! They are inspiring.
              Larry Smith

              Comment

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