Kitfox IV round to smooth cowl. What all is required

[109JB]

So I'm contemplating switching to a smooth cowl on my Kitfox IV project and am wondering what the major components are that will be required. Obviously the cowl. Can the round cowl engine mount be modded, or are they totally different? I guess what I really want to know is if the thrust line and engine position the same? I realize the oil tank needs to move, but I'm not too concerned with that. Also, is the instrument panel and glare shield different shape?

Thanks,

John Brannen

[Cosmofly]

I also wish to move from round to smooth cowl, on a Model 4 restoration project. I do not have the answers you seek, except that the smooth cowl is not a stocked item at the KF factory, and it will have to be produced as a special order, with the obvious time delay.
They are extremely scarce to come by as a used item, unless you find someone interested to do a swap around, for your bump cowl. (also highly unlikely)

I look forward to more answers from those in the know...

[avidflyer]

Kitfox will supply you the engine mounting instructions (about 60 pages) for a smooth cowl application, I got one a few years back, and it was $10. I've followed those directions more or less, but I'm also trying to keep everything as low as possible, I'm even going to have to angle the wingshield forward to cover the tubing that goes through the glare sheild. My smooth cowl will hit the windshield about 3 or 4" lower then it did with the round cowl. In hindsight, I could have made the firewall at least 1" higher and not lost any visibility. No point in the firewall being lower then the panel and the front of the cowl. If they are all in a straight line, it probably looks better from the side also. My panel is probably 1 1/2" lower then the original one was. I've been flying an Avid MK IV for years, and the view over the nose on them is way better then the round nose Kitfox, and so I'm trying to get the best visibility looking forward I can. JImChuk

[rawheels]

The engine mount and the firewall are different between the two kits sold by Kitfox. The smooth cowl mount places the engine further back and pushes the oil cooler into the firewall. The shape of the top of the firewall is different as well. That being said ref: https://teamkitfox.com/Forums/threads/10047-Model-IV-Smooth-Cowling-Help/page2 The smooth cowl fits horribly anyway, and you do cut a significant amount of the back end off. So you could try it. You will probably not have much more glass work than those of us with the actual kit, but that isn't saying much.

Ryan