Damazio family's RV-10 project: Panel frame and glareshield cover installed

We fixed the rivet on the panel angle, which turned out to be due to the firewall angle hole being oversized - so we used a CR3243-4-4 oversize cherry rivet to attach it:

Panel angle attached with an oversize cherry rivet

We're using Skybolts instead of hinges for attaching the cowling to the firewall, so I started that by countersinking all the Skybolt flanges:

Skybolt cowl flanges countersunk for riveting

We also installed the glareshield cover, starting with cutting heatsink and cable holes through it:

Trimming the glareshield leather cover

Punching holes in the glareshield cover for attaching fan covers

Fan cover attached to glareshield cover

Glareshield cover installed in place

It was impossible to get the panel frame into place (get the holes to line up) with the thick leather+foam, so we removed the foam from most of the bottom part, which allowed them to fit together:

Removing some of the foam from the bottom side of the glareshield cover

I also opened a small slot on the flange of the panel in order to run the glareshield LED wires (the connectors will be hidden behind the panel frame):

Notch on panel frame to run LED strip wiring

We installed the panel frame in place, and tucked the glareshield cover in:

Panel frame installed permanently, with glareshield cover

I then secured the parking brake cable to the bottom side insert, and we installed it in place:

Bottom side insert with parking brake cable attached to it

Parking brake cable routing behind the panel, avoiding the center pedal bracket

Parking brake cable routing behind the panel

If I knew the whole geometry of this cable run back when I installed the Beringer system and hoses, I'd definitely have placed the parking brake valve in a different location (maybe above the center tunnel, or even on the firewall).

I also had to trim the top edge of the side panel to give avoid the bottom connector from the VP-X (seen above).

The main thing left in this section is the cowling attachment, since between this and other sections most of the panel's structure is in place.

Time lapse: