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Here are a couple of shots of my nose gear doors built entirely with rivets. In picture 1 you can see the entire left nose gear door---nice and clean without nutplates and screws. At the front of the hinge you can see the "handle" formed by bending the hinge pin 90 degrees. (Do this in a vice, not on the airplane.) To remove the door, just pull out the hinge pin. Of course this requires that the hinge pin be longer than the hinge. Since the hinge that comes with the kit is about 6 inches longer than needed to make the two nose gear door hinges, simply cutting the hinge pin into two 3-foot sections works nicely. If you're like me and cut the pin to the same length as the hinge before realizing that it needs to be longer, you can order new hinge pins from Aircraft Spruce. You can also use 3/32" music wire from your local hobby shop, but it's a tighter fit (0.092" vs 0.089") and I don't think it's stainless, but it is hardened.
Picture 2 shows how the hinge pin is secured. Just drill a small hole in the the nose gear door rail bracket and safety wire the hinge pin. If you ever need to remove a door, cut the safety wire, turn the hinge pin "handle" down and pull out the pin. With the hinges riveted to the rails as per the assembly manual the hinge pins can be inserted and removed with the nose gear door rail bracket in place. The only thing that has to be removed is the lower cowl. By the way, having the ability to quickly remove and re-install the nose gear doors is a real convenience while building.
Tom Gourley #122
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