1957 C172 Panel upgrade/update

[edessa]

Is it possible and has it been done or even attempted? Was thinking of possibility of upgrading the panel in an old 1957 C172 with something from a 1964 or later C172. Looking for the center stack radio look.
This is just a question.

 

[frfly172]

With enough money ,anything is possible.

 

[Pilawt]

It would be tough. The entire forward fuselage of the 1961 and later 172s is a quite different design - including the panel, glareshield, windshield, upper cowl, control column location, and so on. If you’re looking to have gyro instruments with venturi tubes you need a vacuum pump, and the O-300 engine in the pre-1961 models was not designed to accommodate one.

 

[Stan Cooper]

In order to get the center stack, you need to replace the original "T" control column assembly with the later "U" control column assembly. Avion Research http://avion.com/ sells STC'd panel upgrade kits that include a rebuilt "U" control column.

Here's my '63 172 panel ugrade to permit a center avionics stack, including replacing the "T" column with a "U" column.

 

[edessa]

Stan, than looks awesome.

 

[Skyrys62]

Wow... now that's an upgrade Stan. Well done..

 

[Stan Cooper]

Stan, than looks awesome.

Thanks. After thirteen years, it's still a fantastic panel. When I went to light sport I sold it to a neighbor who's a retired UAL 747 captain, and now that I have my BasicMed he encourages me to fly it since he uses it less frequently now and wants it to be flown.

Here's the Avion C-170 upgrade panel layout which is similar in shape and size to the '56 and '57 172s. It has a center avionics stack and standard 6-pack instrument arrangement.

 

[Tom-D]

Is it possible and has it been done or even attempted? Was thinking of possibility of upgrading the panel in an old 1957 C172 with something from a 1964 or later C172. Looking for the center stack radio look.
This is just a question.

To do that you must change the whole boot cowl. simply because the bulkhead station that forms the structure for the instrument panel is different one is the round type, and the other is squarish, that makes the firewall a different shape. so every thing forward of the door post must be changed. it is easier to buy a whole fuselage. and deal with the data tag issues with OKC

 

[Tom-D]

It would be tough. The entire forward fuselage of the 1961 and later 172s is a quite different design - including the panel, glareshield, windshield, upper cowl, control column location, and so on. If you’re looking to have gyro instruments with venturi tubes you need a vacuum pump, and the O-300 engine in the pre-1961 models was not designed to accommodate one.

It is a very easy to change the starter adaptor to the angle type and a vac pump.

or up grade to the - D it is approved.

 

[Tom-D]

In order to get the center stack, you need to replace the original "T" control column assembly with the later "U" control column assembly. Avion Research http://avion.com/ sells STC'd panel upgrade kits that include a rebuilt "U" control column.

Here's my '63 172 panel ugrade to permit a center avionics stack, including replacing the "T" column with a "U" column.

Nice job , but you started with a square boot cowl, start with a round boot cowl it's a bit different on what must be changed.

 

[Stan Cooper]

Nice job , but you started with a square boot cowl, start with a round boot cowl it's a bit different on what must be changed.

True enough, though Trevor (Avion Research) has supplied similar metal panel kits for the round cowl 170s and early 172s.

 

[jimmyjack]

As a 1957 172 owner, also in Ohio, please leave the shotgun panel alone. They look great as-is. I don't know what your goal is, but there is plenty of room down with the push-pull buttons to install whatever you need.

If you do swap it out, PM me, I'll take the old panel parts off your hands.

 

[bnt83]

There are a lot of options for aircraft nowadays since avionics are getting much more integrated and compact. Heck you can have all you engine instruments in one hole!

 

[Stan Cooper]

As a 1957 172 owner, also in Ohio, please leave the shotgun panel alone. They look great as-is. I don't know what your goal is, but there is plenty of room down with the push-pull buttons to install whatever you need.

If you do swap it out, PM me, I'll take the old panel parts off your hands.

Admittedly, they do look great. To each his own, though. I learned to fly in a 1963 Cessna 172D in 1964 and got my private certificate that year. When I was looking for a 172 to buy in 1999, I found N2686U (before and after panel photos in post #4 above) and thought the shotgun panel would be fine since that was the panel I learned to fly with. A few flights, though, convinced me that after decades of scanning standard 6-pack instrument arrangements, the old shotgun arrangement just wouldn't hack it.

YMMV.

 

[edessa]

As a 1957 172 owner, also in Ohio, please leave the shotgun panel alone. They look great as-is. I don't know what your goal is, but there is plenty of room down with the push-pull buttons to install whatever you need.

If you do swap it out, PM me, I'll take the old panel parts off your hands.

Its just a question. I don't own a plane at all but if I had one of that vintage I would definitely call Avion Research and explore my options. In my opinion the old panels don't look good. Again just my opinion and not the end of the world.

 

[Tom-D]

MHO on instrument panels, I'd simply go all out and complete glass.
this can be done on both types of Cessna structures.
Do the complete Dynon glass on the left, and the back up on the right.

 

[edessa]

As long as Dynon adds the early 172's to the STC list that could work.

 

[Tom-D]

As long as Dynon adds the early 172's to the STC list that could work.

Why not a field approval. ?

 

[Paulie]

Is it possible and has it been done or even attempted? Was thinking of possibility of upgrading the panel in an old 1957 C172 with something from a 1964 or later C172. Looking for the center stack radio look.
This is just a question.

When I had my 56 182 I removed the old panel and built a new one out of .090 2024T3. One piece.

 

[Paulie]

EAA has a STC for the dynon d-100 as primary attitude. Need to placard stating airspeed, altimeter, ect not primary, but you have it. Also trutrak has STC for autopilot, $7000 I believe. Yes for 172.