I mounted all of the firewall components before putting the engine mount and gear legs on. It's easier to reach behind the firewall when the fuselage is sitting on sawhorses. Mounted here are the battery, master relay, starter relay, brake reservoir, cabin heat inlet, and gascolator. After this photo, I also installed a relay between the alternator and the electrical bus to cut out the alternator if it puts out too much voltage. The holes are for the throttle, mixture, prop, and carb heat cables.
Before putting the gear on, we assembled the wheels and brakes, inflated the tires, and re-greased the wheel bearings. Here's Bill greasing up the engine mount to plug in the gear legs. Bill has owned a Cherokee 140 for 5 years or so and has done all of his own maintenance. It's been good to have his experienced eye. (Not to mention, a place to borrow all the special tools.)
We picked the plane up off the sawhorses with the engine picker to plug in the gear legs. Ian, another experimental builder from a nearby hangar, loaned me the picker.
The gear legs just slide in from the bottom and are secured with one bolt at the top of the leg. Killian is eager to go for a ride.
