Carb Airbox Repair....

On my 56 182 somewhere I bought two brace arms that come down off the carb and out towards the front of the air box takes all the stress off the thin aluminium

Airbox Doc generally has a good rep, but I did correspond with one guy who had a very unsatisfactory experience with him.
I think I'd go with Atlee Dodge.


FWIW heres a shot of the supports on my 53 C180 airbox.
It had the one on the RH side, I added this green one on the LH side.
Bolts via an angle clip to the oil pan up top, and to a nutplate in the airbox on the bottom.
Adding the second brace really firmed things up,
I can't imagine how flimsy it would be without any braces at all.

Airbox doc guy is still surly 82 year old. He did offer to help me right away, but would not give me a quote - just said he wasn't trying to hurt nobody and quoted off a long list of his expenses like his hangar. I'm about to drop mine in the mail to him. After pulling all the parts, and a thorough cleaning there are no less than 17 rivets that have given up completely, and two of them have departed completely - maybe gone up the pipe. But it probably wasn't recently. I'm going to do another bore scope inspection and compression check before putting it back into service to see if there's anything recent.

Atlee Dodge said they cannot even look at it for another 2 months. Those two supports on the side are factory - at least they are on mine and I see them on the IPC.

I called Cessna/Textron to get the top skin part number that I need and to see if they still make the skin. I got the part number, and asked if they had or would make them. Parts guy says they sold the last one in 2018 and would not make any more. They have destroyed the dies.

We are on our own now boys and girls. Thank goodness it's just sheet metal. Get the dimensions right and it's 5 fairly simple bends

I called Cessna/Textron to get the top skin part number that I need and to see if they still make the skin. I got the part number, and asked if they had or would make them. Parts guy says they sold the last one in 2018 and would not make any more. They have destroyed the dies.


Yo Soy, you've probably done so, but for others following these strings in future, you might try Beegles Parts Sales: https://baspartsales.com/ They've got lots of oddball parts for 'legacy' aeroplanes, including inventory from some of Bill Duff's knacker yard. They've helped me out a few times.

Thanks. cubscout

Thanks, cubscout. No joy this time around from BAS or Acorn. BAS ran it up their parts locator network flagpole and nobody saluted.

If someone is sitting on one of these things, they're now worth sixty-eleventy doge coin. Should be enough to put junior through Harvard dental school.

Cheers to these old airsheens!

cubscout said:

I called Cessna/Textron to get the top skin part number that I need and to see if they still make the skin. I got the part number, and asked if they had or would make them. Parts guy says they sold the last one in 2018 and would not make any more. They have destroyed the dies.


Yo Soy, you've probably done so, but for others following these strings in future, you might try Beegles Parts Sales: https://baspartsales.com/ They've got lots of oddball parts for 'legacy' aeroplanes, including inventory from some of Bill Duff's knacker yard. They've helped me out a few times.

Thanks. cubscout

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Try here they might know or have a lead> https://alaskaslist.com/1/posts/10_...ed_Wrecked_or_Project_Aircraft_amp_Parts.html

Gary

soyAnarchisto said:

My '55 C180 airbox has sh*t the bed. Are the Rubberts still rebuilding boxes? Any reason not to send it off to the airbox doc guy down in Arizona? I've not called Atlee Dodge, but will the result be substantially better?

It lasted almost 70 years. I'd like to do the repair right - but I'd also like to get back in the air before New Holstein..

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Soy,
Do you have a local person who is good at welding thin aluminum? Clean it up thoroughly, weld it back together, add some reinforcement, fix the rivets. Make certain to install those support tubes. When you have an old airplane you have to think outside the box to keep them going.

Skywagon8a and Soy,

Not sure welding would work without knowing the alloy. If it's 2024, welding will not work very well at all.

I did find the formed flange (do not recall the part number) which fastens to the carburetor at Airplains in Wellinton, KS a couple of years ago when my 1955 C180 airbox was rebuilt. Something like $425.00

Air Plains - Home

The remaining sheet metal work was cut, shaped and riveted by Blackhurst Aviation in Embarrass, MN. Result was almost brand new.

Good Luck.

MartyC