Rebuilding my KR-2

The following is an email I sent to Jim Weir of KitPlanes Magazine.



Jim requested that I post my message to this newsgroup and and open these
issues up for discussion. I'm the new guy to aviation.



Your Areo 'Lectrics column is like a much needed refresher course in
electronics for me. And of all of the magazines that find their way into my
house the only column I always make it a point to read is yours. Thank you.

I have about 20 hours on my student log book and recently bought a KR2
from my local chapter of EAA. It is in kind of rough shape an has only
basic instrumentation - from left to right as follows; oil temp., VSI, ASI,
oil pressure, altitude, RPM, magnetic compass, turn coordinator. There is
no electrical system and no lights anywhere. I'm sanding five coats of
paint, primer, excess fiberglass, and unnecessary Bondo from the exterior.
The 100hp Continental engine has about 25 hrs. on a complete rebuild. It
seemed to be a good buy at two pecks of saved loose pocket change. By the
way I'll be christening the craft "Two Pecks".

Getting to the point, I've been reading and down loading from your home
pages on the web since flying is brand new to me. The idea is to be able to
afford the time to go see my Mom more regularly while she is still around.
She lives 800 miles from me and the rest of my family doesn't live any
closer. So, I want my plane to be able to make the trip with as many safety
features as possible (pilot included, of course). And I want the good stuff
at the "Weir Twofer $pecial." The thing is that you have such an excellent
variety of things one can do that I have gotten a bit overwhelmed. I don't
know what to do first or which variation to put my energy into.

Here are a few of the things I have in mind for Two Pecks. LED nav.
lights with appropriate flashers, one electronic ignition and one mag.,
electric start, electronic fuel gauges, nav. radio (was that little 2 1\2"
instrument hole plugger really a radio?! I couldn't find the article that
said where to get one), transponder, CHT, EGT, OAT, carb air temp.,
alternator voltage, GPS, LED dash lights, LED map light, a good two place
head set jacks, the right size battery arrangement, a good circuit breaker
set (I like that auto reset gizmo with the cut out switches), Oh! and that
battery charger with temperature compensation looks pretty nifty too. Did I
forget anything?

What comes to mind now is that I feel like I'm writing my wish list to
Santa Clause. What would really be great is if you happen to have a book
that spells these things out step by step with a direct purchase parts
catalog or a mail order list. Granted, your parts list is pretty thorough.

I'm sure that you have a conceptual understanding of limited
availability on time, yet here I am writing to you with a thesis on my
latest disbursal. I guess I'll get all of this worked out in due time. If
you are so inclined as to respond with what to do or not do next, or maybe
which projects to pick or leave, I would be ever grateful.

Incidentally, will the Palm Pilot programs for GPS nav. aids etc. work
on my "Visor" palm computer?

I think I'll try to figure out how to do the navigation lights next
since that will effect the body work and paint job.



Thank you for your time,

Forrest