Jaeger/Wisconsin Aviation Revitalize Kit & Back Seat Fold Down Minor Mod

[Lfreebird]

If you ever consider "revitalizing" your interior I highly recommend Jaeger/Wisconsin Aviation's Revitalize Kit.

The process took about two solid weeks of work (maybe a little more here or there) by myself and if I did it again I would certainly find a friend to help.  Below are the before and after photos.  If anyone is interested in updating their interior and has specific questions feel free to reach out.  I have about a hundred more photos of every step along the way.  I also did the fold down back seat minor modification at the same time.

-Lance

 

Before:

 

After:

[Lfreebird]

Also, Bruce Jaeger was extremely helpful in getting me started on the right track and provided far more guidance than I ever could have asked for.

-Lance

[carusoam]

Great pirep for Bruce Jaeger...

-a-

[RLCarter]

Nice.... time & cost?
 

[FastTex]

3 hours ago, RLCarter said:

Nice.... time & cost?
 

Yeah, same question for @Lfreebird. Also, did all the parts come with the kit? Anything extra needed?

Thanks!

 

[Lfreebird]

Cost: Total was about $1,700 or so after all the ancillary stuff was purchased (primarily paint and spray adhesive).

• I used SEM product paints with a U-Pol UV protection clear coat.  I recommend going another route on the paint as it appears to be easily worn.  I used 5 cans of SEM 15313 White which had a hard time covering up the original darker color.  I also used 3 cans of SEM 13023 Low Luster Clear after one coat of U-Pol UP0796 Clear #1.  The finish appears brittle so I would recommend a more durable paint.
• Prior to painting I used SEM Soap, SEM Plastic Prep, and SEM Adhesion Promoter which may or may not have been worthwhile, its hard to tell.
• I highly recommend buying a wallpaper roller.  The wallpaper roller made adhering the fabric to the plastic panels very easy.
  • Prior to rolling the fabric onto the plastic ENSURE the spray adhesive on both sides is tacky.  I got impatient on one piece and rolled the carpet on before the adhesive was tacky and it bled through.
• I actually got more Kydex panels than needed in the kit as pictured below.  I used the extra pieces to cover the top of the spar with.
• I ended up ordering some scrap Featherweight Carpet from Wisconsin Aviation to go in the pilot & copilot footwells to prevent the footwell fabric from becoming soiled

Time: Hard to say.  I remember Wisconsin Aviation sent me a quote to do the install themselves (I want to say it was about 20 hrs or so but I cannot confirm that number since I no longer have the quote in my email).  Overall I probably spent about twice that amount of time on the revitalize kit alone.  Additionally, I did the fold down back seat minor mod which took about the same amount of time as the revitalize kit install.  A couple caveats:

• I did the project by myself and I work at a snails pace
  • I spent 4-5 full days working on the project and then an afternoon here and there for a couple weeks afterwards finishing up small odds and ends (primarily the back seat fold down minor mod)
• I treated some minor surface rust/corrosion along the way

 

[Lfreebird]

One more bullet to add to the time required:

• I spent probably 3-5+ hours messing with the shoulder harness reels.  Whoever installed it did a fantastic job only making a small hole in the upper window trim plastic for the attachment bolt to go through.  I had to turn the reel sideways while holding the seat belt at full extension to somehow get a small 5/16" wrench behind the plastic to undo the bolt to remove the reel to then remove the plastic window trim.  When it came time to put it back I used a Dremel to cut a small section out of the plastic to allow the window trim plastic to simply slip by the shoulder harness reel allowing the reel to be installed prior to the plastic trim.

[aviatoreb]

Jaeger himself installed his kit and full later upholstery from SMS in Duluth, while my airplane was at Wilmar for tank reseal.  Mr Jaeger was a pleasure to work with and the results are gorgeous.

[jakearey]

I too used Bruce and his services for most of my interior. When’s e originally spoke Bruce said that his special kit wasn’t designed for the round window mooneys and I’d need to find another kit if I wanted all new panels, minus window trim.  He later called me and told me he was selling the company and wanted to try to make the kit fit my 62c round window. He also wanted to make a 2 piece headliner out of his Keydets panel material as my old headliner was fabric and was toast.   He wasn’t sure how it would all  one together but assured me it would work just fine. So I took off north. Immediately upon arrival Bruce jumped in the plane as I was shutting down and started knocking on and pulling on old panels. Within an hour we had ripped out every last piece including headliner and it was laying in a pile on the floor.  He started fitting the panels as he kept me busy with small odd jobs like painting door jams and fitting baggage door area.  
 

Bruce and I did new headliner, interior panels, new door, baggage door, headliner, Johnson bar / nosed wheel area cover, etc. we also redid the window trim pieces.  I was there for about a week helping Bruce. Bruce charged only 40 hours even though he had at least 50-55 in the project.  My cost was 5500 with Bruce for labor and materials but man it looks sweet. I do agree with the OP above that the paint could be more durable but I picked up extra paint to touch up at annuals down the road.  I believe I was the next to last plane Bruce did before he retired and moved to Florida. 
 

when got home I home I had a local seat guy cover my seats for me and he did a great job. I have 1300 in the seats with all new foam and leather included. (Found the leather local for an absolute steal) I cut local sourced carpet as well.  All items burn certed. 

 

I’ll attempt to put images below.  My cell is 501-326-2700 as I am rarely on MS these days. 

[carusoam]

Great pirep for Bruce Jaeger!

Great pics of what a brand new ‘62C looks like too!

+1 all pics oriented with gravity!

Nice work Jake!

Best regards,

-a-

[LANCECASPER]

If both the interior and the paint are getting tired and I had to pick one,  I'd pick interior every time. That's where you spend your time. Paint is nice when you've run out of things to do. And since I've never had an airplane I owned painted in 35+ yrs of owning airplanes, I guess I've never run out of things to do.

[PT20J]

SEM should hold up well if applied immediately after the adhesion promoter which softens the surface of the plastic so the paint can “burn in.” Several light coats are best. I’ve never put any clear over it. The first airplane, I painted the faded yellow plastic with white and it took probably 8 -10 spray cans. This airplane I bought 2qts and had a paint shop spray everything in their paint booth which saved a lot of time. They used almost all of the paint - maybe about 2 oz left over.

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