A Stitts Skycoupe Restoration Project

The Stitts Skycoupe is also known as Stitts SA7 D

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Work Session 9/22/2012

Andy, Terry, J-P and Kent enjoyed splendid Indian Summer weather at the Skunk Works and made significant progress on final work on the RV-7 wings and the Skycoupe seating.  The final few components were riveted onto RV-7 wings, with Terry doing the pressing and J-P acting as the careful inspector.  He's well-qualified as a current RV-12 builder.   Kent made the final decisions on the aluminum seat backs and bottoms, which will mimic Terry's RV-9 seats in most respects.  Terry had some excellent ideas how storage boxes could be easily incorporated into the underside of the seat bottom and onto the seat backs, both of which will be attached to the existing seat pan with piano hinges.   Fortunately, we had plenty of pristine 0.070" sheet aluminum in our parts bin, adequate for all four seat parts. Grover Macnair has kindly offered use of his brake to cut the sheet this coming week, and needed parts to complete and mount the seat parts will be ordered this week.

This week we need to make progress on a number of fronts:

1. Seats (per above)
2. RV-7 - final touches prior to their being offered for sale
3. Panel - need to make decisions on materials and order two primary MGL instruments
4. Airbox - needs to be kept in the shop and completed, including mounting on carburetor, then lower cowl must be adapted to it.
5. Cowl - Cecil Boyd has offered to help remove a few wrinkles. Opening must be made for airbox.

Stay tuned for dates and times for next work sessions.  We'll try to hold one during the week and one on weekends from now until we fly, so everyone can carve out time to help.


0.070" sheet for seat bottoms and backs marked and ready for cutting.


J-P checks the RV-7 plans for the remaining work.


Terry at work under the watchful eye of "Mr. Rivet"

1 comment:

  1. I was dumstruck by the RV-7 plans, they are real professional blue prints; the RV-12 plans instead are showing pictures: much easier to read by Dummies!

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