I'm starting to install the doors. A lot of people have warned me that the doors are a very complex task, so I've been studying quite a bit.
In addition to the "OEM" Van's instructions, there are 5 different after market modifications that I plan to incorporate into the doors:
* PlaneAround Third Latch Mechanism with the new internal mechanism that allows the door handle to turn 180 degrees.
* Aerosport Low Profile Exterior Door Handle and Interior Door Handle.
* AirWard for the Main Door Hinge Reinforcing Kit.
* McMaster-Carr Door Seals
* and heavier duty Bansbach EasyLift Door Struts.
The first steps are mostly to plan. Basically, trimming the excess fiberglass around the doors and windows. First, I made some markings round the door edges and the window frame to mark where to trim the cutouts. I used a Popsicle Stick and drilled some #40 holes at the prescribed lengths to make a drawing gauge and used a ultra fine point sharpie to make the marks. Then I marked drill points 1-1/2 inches apart around the middle window line perimeter. This will be for clecoing the halves together. Then I trimmed the door halves along the lines. There are index holes which are used to square the door in the frame. The left side forward and aft index holes seemed to line up with the holes on the fuselage side, but the holes on the right side didn't align quite as well and I had to re-drill the aft index hole on the inside shell. The exterior shell index holes in the window area didn't line up with the interior index holes. Van's has some guidance to find the holes along the bottom edge of the door but if you use a Hole Finder you can skip this step. I used a Hole Finder Drill Guide to drill the holes along the bottom edge of the doors which was by far the easy way. I then clecoed the doors in place. Next, I'll continue to drill the cleco holes around the perimeter of the windows and sand the contact points in preparation for bonding the halves together.