Hey guys!

After lots of looking and watching everyone else's build on here, I was finally able to get myself an unfinished kit. It is a 1994 Model V Safari half way built.
IMG_20210907_120821.jpgIMG_20210907_121345.jpg

Briefly about me: I grew up on a farm, worked in the timber industry and construction while going to college, received a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus in aerospace, worked as a manufacturing engineer for 3 years, and am now working as a field engineer on turbine engines while my wife attends school. I absolutely love God, my family, aviation, and working.

This forum is awesome and has an abundance of knowledge, however, I will be asking plenty of questions. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. As of right now, my basic plan is the following:

-Replace the left wing tank, put a new tank in the right wing (it has the storage locker)
-Replace the plastic header tank
-Build glass or carbon fiber farings for the struts (the PVC ones from the factory are HEAVY imo).
-The plane came with a 912uls FWF and I am a rotax fan so that is more than likely what I will go with.
-Whirlwind propeller
-Install a basic Garmin G3X panel
-Either order a S7 cowling from the factory (or if any one has one laying around for sale) or try to build my own as I have good experience with composites
-Replace the elevator with the S7 elevator (Rudder is a S7)

Anything else I am missing?
Also, I am currently temporarily in Wisconsin for a better part of the year and the plane is in my parents barn in CA. So being I have a builders itch, would it be wise to start working on my panel/avionics/wiring now so that it is ready to "drop into" the kitfox when I start on assembly?


Let me know your advice and opinions. I am all ears. Thanks everyone!
-Tyler