Measured to make sure the canopy frame was in the correct location. One measurement threw me off for a bit until I figured it out “I think”. The fore/aft position is specified as positioning the forward edge of the embedded foam core 3/4 inch behind the aft edge of the 821PP skin. If I do that there seems to be very little left on the canopy frame to wrap around the aft portion of the fuselage. I placed the aft honeycomb bulkhead stiffener in place and realized that it gets glassed in place where there is no foam or aft of the foam inserts on the side and aft of the shelf the plexiglass sits in. I eventually came up with 1 inch behind the 821PP skin as it allows the bulkhead to sit aft of the plexiglass recess and still leaves enough skin on the aft fuselage. It’s fiberglass. It can be fixed if it’s off too much.
The plans have you measure and mark the right side and they want you to leave the instrument panel cover off to do this, which seems strange until you realize you need to mark the underside of the canopy frame at the 821PP skin as well because you need to cut that off too. Just saves you some time. I made “two trips” if you will since I left the panel cover on when I marked the right side and had to take it off and then mark the front.
Mark and trim right side and front only. Trimming the forward edge requires the use of a die grinder or similar as it’s just too thick for tin snips. You trim the left side after it’s mounted on the hinge.
Right side and leading edge trimmed and sanded to fit perfectly.
Back drilling the hinge. I used a flexible drill extension to back drill all the rivet holes with a slightly undersized bit. The outside edge of the hinge is even with the skin. I final drilled everything and it came out perfect.
Hinge from the inside. I still have to remove 3/16 from the bottom edge of the canopy before I can drill the hinge to the canopy.
