Dave,
I agree that it may have been the particular conversion that was less than optimal. I have flown very few airplanes that I didn't like, although there were some, such as the Cessna Airmaster that had handling that concerned me (neutral stability in yaw and a sense that I had no say over where the airplane was going during deceleration from about 30 MPH to 20 MPH during rollout). There were some that I felt were okay, but when compared to airplanes with roughly the same power and performance, I'd easily chose something else. The 180/150 that I towed gliders with was in that category. It was okay, but it wasn't particularly fun to fly.
It was nice having all that power (it sure out-performed a 150 HP Super Cub or 150 HP Pawnee [now there's a true dog - and an airplane I do not like] for glider towing), but where you could land the Pawnee or Super Cub on a dime and give back change after a day of 15 or 20 landings, you were never quite sure what the 180/150 was going to do on and after touchdown.
That being said, it may very well have been the particular conversion. And, as with all conversions and homebuilt airplanes, I recommend flying any one a person is considering buying before putting the money down. I flew two different SeaRey amphibs over the course of a few years. Despite being built from the same kit, the differences between them were startling. One was a real pig, sloppy controls, was difficult to trim, on and on. The other was a gem. One builder was sloppy, the other was precise. The finished airplanes reflected the differences.
Warmest regards,
Rick
