What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Oversized instrument panel

dekky111

Well Known Member
Does Van's (or anyone else) make an oversized instrument panel for the -7A slider? I'd like an extra inch in height.
 
you can make your own to whatever size you like from a sheet of .063. (or .090). Or add a subpanel to what you have.
Affordable Panels, Inc. offers an oversize modular panel.
Bill Brooks
Ottawa, Canada
RV-6A finishing kit
 
I have just been in the process of installing The panel I got from Affordable Panels that is about an inch taller. This is a 3 section modular panel. Something to think about is that on this type of panel there is a skeleton sub-panel for lack of a better name that uses up some of the extra that you think you are getting with the bigger panel. I am very happy with it but I am not sure that there is any more square inches useable of panel space. I hope this all makes since.
 
Last edited:
Vans makes an oversize panel blank. I have one for when I redo my -7A panel. I think its an RV-6 part number. It's just an .063 thick rectangular blank with a bend along the long edge that can give an extra 2 or 3" height. No holes are cut in it. Just make sure you have enough room for your shins and knees to slide in when you increase the panel height. Ken Scott pointed out that caveat to me.

Mike
 
Van's extended panel

I got a 2" extended panel from Van's for my -9A. It's not in the catalog, but they'll punch one out for you as a special request. Cost something like $85 for the blank. I would not advise adding anymore than 2" to the bottom as it starts making it kind of tight sliding your legs between the panel and the centersection spar. It REALLY starts getting tight when you need to crawl over the spar to get under the panel from inside!!
 
Does Van's (or anyone else) make an oversized instrument panel for the -7A slider? I'd like an extra inch in height.
Yes. Van's makes an oversize instrument panel. Installed in my 6A, the slider version is F-6103 OVSZ and costs $72.20. This instrument panel blank adds an additional 2.2" of space compared to the stock version.
 
Make your own panel

It's reasonably simple to make your own panel so long as you have two things:
- a standard vans panel as a template for the top/side profile and rivet/screw holes.
- access to a bending brake to make the bottom flange.

This let's you finalise and fine tune exactly how deep you want your panel much later in the panel design process.

I made my own 1.5" deeper panel. If careful, a router can make copying the template a relatively quick affair.
Just rough cut the shape to within 1/8" first.
 
I made my own 1.5" longer at the bottom. Originally I used a brake from work to bend the bottom flange but it had too tight a radius and that cracked..I just riveted a piece of 3/4" x 1/16" angle to the bottom back side and that worked great.

I got the panel blank from ACS. On the order I told them I wanted to use this for a panel and to make sure they sent me a straight piece with no scratches and that is exactly what they did.

A side benefit to having a longer panel was that I was able to mount my Stein vents directly in the panel. It was tricky getting the ears to go around the canopy decks and to get the panel in and out while clearing the spar bulkhead doublers (panel has to go in at an angle and with the radio's and map box extending thru the subpanel, this is a bit hard) but I was able to do it.

fu0vg4.jpg


You can also put your control cables in the panel but if you ever want to pull the panel, you have to disconnect them from the engine. It also makes them a little tight because the stock bracket is recessed some back under the panel.
 
Last edited:
Brian,
I do like your air vent setup. I would have liked to have kept those "ears" on the bottom corners of my panel but I too had a crack in the bend. Fortunately it was just at one end and only 1.5" long but did mean I had to cut those ears off.

I have the Van's aluminium vents which are also very nice and fit in exactly the same way as the standard plastic ones. I had to make up a filler piece to go in place of those ears to support the vents on the bottom and outside. A bit fiddly but finished it yesterday to my satisfaction. Will need a bit of sealant to make the vent surround completely airtight but I'm happy.

I thought about the bottom angle idea but I prefer the rounded profile of the bent flange. I figure that one day it will reduce the impact of a shin scrape :)

p.s. Your labelling looks good, Brian. Is that another example of Decal Pro labelling?
 
Last edited:
p.s. Your labelling looks good, Brian. Is that another example of Decal Pro labelling?

Nope, just a plain old Brother labeler from WalMart. They look OK but if I had it to do over, I would try something else. With the burgandy color of the panel, the edges of the clear tape show pretty bad.
 
You can also put your control cables in the panel but if you ever want to pull the panel, you have to disconnect them from the engine......
To get around that potential headache, I fabbed a small extention to contain the cable assemblies. Attached with 3 screws/nutplates at the flange it can be quicky dropped clear and away from the main (oversize) instrument panel.

106cwfd.jpg
 
me too

To get around that potential headache, I fabbed a small extention to contain the cable assemblies. Attached with 3 screws/nutplates at the flange it can be quicky dropped clear and away from the main (oversize) instrument panel.

106cwfd.jpg

I did the same thing. It was easy to fabricate and works very well.
 
Yep that is an option similar to the stock setup but I did not want the additional part sticking down as I am thick and crawling under there is hard enough already with the extra panel length.
 
Installing panel

Reviving an old thread.
I have the Oversize Panel. It's been cut and match drilled to the existing panel. I made an end shape template to get the correct dimension for the outboard bottom ends. Perfect but...
It won't go in! It won't clear the F704C. It looks like about 1/2" would have to be removed. That defeats the whole purpose.
How did others get the Oversize Panel in?
 
Back
Top