The cowl shall be Fiberglass Specialties. I bought the plane used but I believe that it was a kit. I suspect you are right about the build-up as I just supposed that it was solid which If sheeted I may have gotten fooled. Anyway, I have given up on the idea based on the responses.  i like the idea of putting the battery under the engine. I probably won't be able to do that however since I am putting a DLE30 on the 4*120 which I am starting; but the 4*60 it would work good. I am going to be fighting too much nose weight on the 4*120.  Wayne