db,

I moved my firewall after the plane was completed and flown for a while. It is not a big chore. Since you are still in contruction, you can probably shape the front end to match the cowl without a problem.

Wheel pants are a matter of taste. I think they add nicely to the look, but on some fields they can be a liability. I tried smaller wheels on mine and it just did not look right at all. Pants will cover for undersized wheels, and if your runway surface is very smooth, or even paved, it should work out very well.

Don't light a match to it yet!

Bedford