This installment is about restoring a Piper interior. Greg Piehl, who lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, with his wife Debbie, spent three years restoring and upgrading their 1959 Piper Comanche 250. After 34 years, the first flight of N6494P took place at Zephyrhills Airport, three days before leaving on a trip to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, just in time for AirVenture in July and August 2021. This is part three of seven parts.
This issue (April 2022), the Comanche restoration moves to the interior, where Greg replaced almost everything inside the hull. Two interesting facts related to this section of the overhaul: Just about the only things that survived to today’s version of this Comanche are the seat frames, and just about the only thing that Piehl or his friends didn’t do on this plane comes in this installment — the leather upholstery work.
What you will see and learn in this article:
- Do you need to remove the contact cement when removing the old interior of a Piper?
- What are your options for soundproofing the interior of a Piper, while you have it apart?
- Can you rebuild a Piper using a local upholstery shop?
- Can you make the nosewheel well of a legacy Piper look better?
Parts 1 and 2 of this Piper Comanche restoration series are free to read. Click here.
Subscribe today to read the entire series, which chronicles:
- How to Disassemble and Transport a Legacy Piper
- How and Why to Strip Your Plane Yourself Before it Gets Repainted
- Restoring the Interior of a Legacy Piper: How You Can Save Money
- Comanche Panel Upgrades
- Comanche Engine and Mounts: What Happens During an Upgrade
- Comanche Reassembly: What a Legacy Piper Looks Like When It’s Taken Apart
- 1959 Comanche Fully Restored
Below are dozens of photos and advice from Piehl as he went through this process. Quotes in the photo captions are from Piehl. Recommended: Click on a photo for a popup photo gallery.
The rest of this extensive series including more than a hundred photos can be seen only by paid members who are logged in.Have a website login already? Log in and start reading now.
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