Upper cowl hinge pins

I'm using the Lycoming O-320-H2AD engine on my 9a project, which required moving the oil door to the top/center of the cowl. I knew this would affect the cowl hinge pins somewhat, so I put the break in the upper hinge in the middle (instead of lower/right side).

While doing the final cowl fitting work I'm finding it very difficult to get my hands through the oil door to insert the pins.

The two ideas I have are:

1. Make a removable fiberglass panel at the top/rear/center of the cowl to get at the ends of the pins.

2. Use the pins with welded tabs that Vans sells and insert them from the lower left/right. I could recess the tabs into the fiberglass and use countersunk screws to attach them.

Which would you choose? Anyone have any other ideas?

Here's a pic so you can see my frankencowl

What I have seen a few people do is to have the pins start from the center and then you could either have the plates welded to the rod like for the side pins and have nut plates that they can screw onto. Or a plate the covers the end of the pins, again like some do for their side pins.
Certainly makes fitting the pins easy.
I think trying to start the pins on the curve of the cowl moving upwards could be difficult.
Also have the pins in the middle at the top you won't normally see them so it would look neater.

Peter

We fitted an alternative engine and the oil door is way too far forward to reach hinge pins. We used Skybolt fasteners on the upper cowl to fuselage joint - and they've been great. We even put a pair on the oil door as well, you need a screwdriver to open it, but it's nicer looking than the wing nut "ears" sticking out of the top of your cowling.

I've used your #1 before and it works well. Do support all edges and make the door as tiny as possible. The cowl really wants to pucker up under air loads, so break out no more than three eyes (kinda like the flaps or seat backs).

John Siebold

+1 for the quarter turn fasteners. I did them and have seen them on lots of RVs.

Jeremy Constant
RV7A 120hrs