Engine and tail installation

The key to progress: 3 days off work and a warm hangar... Took "Maverick" over to my EAA Supervisor hangar at Aeromech. Started by mounting the exhaust system... which turned out to be a waste of time because it was heavily modified and would not fit with my brand new cowls. We're trying to weld new ones that will fit perfect.

Next was mounting the engine which had been assembled by professionals.. It was on LN-RAK (another L-4J) and was blown over by heavy gusts on a frozen lake in 1976.. The engine was disassembled and kept in a box ever since I was 4 years old! Engine mounting was pretty straight forward. Once it was on I just had to test-fit the propeller. It just looks so much more like a plane with the prop ON... Will have to get 3" 31/32 prop bolts (on it's way from aircraft-spruce).

Tail also came on during these days. However, we have not finished control cable attachment quite yet. Since I'm off to a business trip for a week we spent all the time finishing the window strips. They are now in for priming and paint. Things are moving forward!

Testfitting the Hercules wooden propeller, a pretty good replica with great improvements such as carbin leading edge.

Tail surface mounted, a challenge to drill the inner cross tube without getting any slack.. 

Full tail on! Remember to cross the elevator cables.. :-)

Back in my own hangar.. happy that the spring seems to be established with temps above 0 most of the time.. 

Now working on exhaust system which will fit the precut hole in the engine cowl, at the same time as giving room for tach cable and oil temp probe. It's pretty packed in there!

Waiting to get back inside. Before first startup we need to finish exhaust system and tachometer cable (needed another angular drive also on the engine side). Then all controls must be attached as well as fuel..