Airtex Interior Side Panels

BGF_Yankee

BGF_Yankee

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BGF_Yankee
Those of you who've done the DIY interior side panels from Airtex, how were they to install (and yes, I've read through previous threads)? Do they just send you the material and then you refit that to your existing panels or do all new panels come from them? My biggest concern is that the old plastic pieces that "clip" the panels into place at the top have degraded, and two are absolutely worthless at this point.

I've been kicking this (along with several other things) around in my head and am looking at several smaller projects designed to enhance the overall look of the aircraft. Since we did the DIY carpet from SCS Interiors and had the interior trim painted during the annual inspection this year, it makes sense to think about the side panels and seats afterward. Thanks!
 
I didn't have a problem. I had a friend who tried them in their 170 and they were rough to install in the channels because they were much thicker than the old ones but she eventually got them fitted.
 
bartmc said:
What kind of plane?
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1977 Piper Lance

I did the carpet myself and have been very happy with the results. Pulled the interior trim during annual this year to have it painted and am very happy with that as well. Unfortunately, now my side panels look nasty by comparison.
 
BGF_Yankee said:
1977 Piper Lance

I did the carpet myself and have been very happy with the results. Pulled the interior trim during annual this year to have it painted and am very happy with that as well. Unfortunately, now my side panels look nasty by comparison.
Click to expand...

I helped put some Airtex in a Cessna, I wasn't impressed. So I did my own in my Cherokee.

What I would do, is go get some of the thinnest Kydex you can find. Make sure the Kydex is a type with the burn certification. Interstate Plastics will roll it up and mail it to you to avoid Freight (I think 3 4x8 sheets will do it for you). You may be able to find it locally. Get any sort of foam backing from Scandia. Get your material from Marion Aircraft.

Now go to your favorite home improvement shop and get a roll of butcher paper and make a pattern, over cut the kydex then slowly trim it down to fit. Then take your kydex panels, foam and material to your local auto upholstry shop and have them sew it and glue it on the Kydex.

You should come in around $400-$500 bucks in materials. It will take a looong time and some patience to get it just right. I think i had about 40 hours of labor in it. But it was SOO much nicer than Airtex, fit perfect and the panels will last forever.
 
I put Airtex side panels in my Grumman Yankee and thought they were garbage. They didn't fit too well and the fabric started pealing off the backing board. I would say I would never buy from them again, but options are limited for my plane.
 
Answering your question the first panel took me maybe 3 hours, the second one about 2 hours and the 3rd and 4th I did at the same time in about an hour. This was on a 172 and they send 2 panels that were completed on some type of backing material. The door and kick panels you had to reuse the aluminium.

So the process was take off old material, scotch brite off old glue and excess junk. Use a contact cement and place the new material on the aluminium backing. Easier said then done, you have to make sure it's straight and then you trim to fit and sort of figure it out as you go.

Now my opinion of the product is it's 1000 times better than what I had. I'm sure you could have someone do them, or test material and all that but being my first interior refurb I wanted to go with prepackaged solutions and it worked out.
 
Don't underestimate what a local upholsterer can do to renew your current panels. The biggest advantage? You know they fit.
 
As you've probably read on the other threads, you're better off taking your old panels off and bringing them to a hot rod / custom shop and getting them redone that way.

Better quality & materiels, better fit, support local biz and probably less $$.
 
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