Building a Great Lakes Sport 2T Sport Trainer

Great Lakes 2T1A-VR I-ESON
"the Outatime Flyer"

December 4th-18th - 2007

Sheet metal tools from the USA still delays, so we had to stop working on the cowling skin just after we had started.
So i decided to go back working on the baggage compartment. The box was already built by Don, but I valued it as poor and wished to strenghten it a little bit to be sure it will be stiff enough even with a full baggage capacity.

Originally, it was riveted with blind rivets directly to the side stringers. As my goal is to have an easy removable baggage box for wide internar fuz inspection, I decided to built it new.
I cut off the bottom and top sides of the box and reused them, while we manufactured new side panels to fit perfectly our structure.
We also riveted aluminum angles to bond the sides each other and the whole box became stiffer.

This is how it looked like when starting the job

Placing reinforcement brackets underneath the box

Bottom panel clecoed for a check

Half the way: the box is leveled and can be easily removed

This week's step hes been the forming of the canvas which finishes the baggage externally and trims to the fabric covering.
I have made it almost identical to the factory built one I saw at Tim's shop in the UK (thanks Tim).
Now only the door is missing. I have already bought the hinge and have the door lock ready to be put in place...next week.

The box is finished

Check for alignments

Matteo is forming the flanges for the door canvas

Almost done..

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