Time: 4 Hours
The last part of the baffle puzzle are the lower cowl lip seals. These get attached to the lower inlet lip of the lower cowl and create a seal against the inlet ramps on the left and right sides. The idea is to shape strip of aluminum to the shape of the inner shape and use it as a clamping surface to squeeze the seal fabric in place. I worked the right side first and bent the strip to the shape making sure that it had a “clamping effect” to the sides. I then cut a piece of the 3″ wide seal longer than needed to start with. I then laid out three screw hole marks for the screws that will eventually hold them in place. I then drilled the three holes in the cowl flowed by match drilling through the cowl into the aluminum strip under. I used these holes and marked the seal fabric so I could punch holes it the fabric as well. With all three parts now having holes in them I attached them to the cowl. The fitment is just a rough shape at this point and need to be trimmed to fit better. I decided on 1″ as my overlap which should be sufficient. I marked 1″ marks along the entire cowl lip for cutting. I removed the cowl and the baffle and trimmed along the marks I made and put it all back together.
I’m supper happy with how the fit was after trimming. I put the top cowl in place to see how the fit was and it ended up very tight and should provide a pretty good seal. I repeated the process on the left side.
I returned the baffles to the forward center section as well as the forward sides and installed the top cowl. Here is how they look and I’m pretty happy with the fitment. The left side doesn’t have rounded corners due to the air filter placement. In the corners there is a little gap that will allow leakage.
I removed the lip baffles and drilled, deburred and riveted nutplates in place for #8 screws. I’ll install these once all the cowl work is finished up.