Removing the old Baggage Compartment
This is What I Started With
This is my old baggage compartment. It was installed in 1965 using a 337 and using drawings provided by a company called Air Fab. All the parts were DIY locally fabricated from the drawings. I had to do a lot of rework on this to make it conform to a "standard" 9 cu/ft baggage compartment that was introduced as a STC in the 70s and is now sold by Skyport as SMK-15. The Airtex parts assume that you have the SMK-15 compartment installed. I am leaving out all the detailed rework steps because they are unique to my airplane.
This doesn't look too bad except for the ratty faded rug.
The Old Upholstery is Removed
Here the metal side panels are exposed and the back metal panel has been removed to reveal the tail cone and ELT.
The Back Panel
This is the metal back panel. It is very sturdy and well insulated on the back.
LH Side Panels
These are my DIY panels. Yours will look slightly different. These panels are attached with 9 screws that go through the fuselage. The SMK-15 kit uses a much better non-destructive method.
RH Side Panels
On the RH side you can see where my plane has had its master switch moved to the "E" bulkhead during the 1965 DIY project. I will be moving this switch first to the metal side panel surface and then to the instrument panel using the Skyport/Alpha STC.
Baggage Compartment Floor
This picture shows my wood floor. It has a hatch that allows easy access to the battery just by moving the rug back and then one screw. The PO installed the metal panel to support the standard headset audio plugs and 12V power for the ENR headsets he used. I have found it to be awkward to get at when you are seating in the seats. These plugs will be moved to the instrument panel as a follow-on project.
The Stripped Out Compartment
Here you can see the underlying support for the floor and the cross bracing at the "E" and "F" bulkheads.
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Brian Sanborn N3044H #3669