Congrats on your new purchase. The engine its self is worth a pretty penny. It's always been my dream to do a 150A or B tail dragger project with an O-320 and make a mini 180 out of it. This would be a great start. In Canada an owner can put this model into the owner maintenance category and do all your own work. The only drawback is the FAA doesn't yet recognize this category so you can't fly it in the US. If you decide to do more extensive modifications and meet certain %age rules it could be in the amateur built category.
Good luck with your project. I'm sure you will have a great time finishing it.
Just make sure that when you claim your prize, that you scour the hangar and get everything that goes with the project.These things tend to get scattered, so make a list of everything you think you'll need and check it off as you load up.From the ebay photo's , it looks like there are lots of planes in the hangar and things are pretty well disassembled all over the place. Sucks to get all the way home and find out something you need is missing, and the seller can't seem to find anything anymore. (speaking from experience) -Brian
Way to go Jim! Collect all your pieces, go home and, hey, I'd be willing to bet you'll change the baffle seals to the correct side of the aluminum baffles, first!
Carl may be right about the money; but I'm glad that you decided to rescue her instead of "recycling" a flying 150. And then there's the "satisfaction factor" in a project plane.
You'll appreciate the metal wingtips... no cracking plastic... Please post a pic of the plane on the truck when you pick it up. I recently helped a friend bring a Vari-eze to my hangar, and we had to take a different flatbed trailer for sizing.
I would think that the distance you are going to travel, It would make more sense to get a box truck for this trip... You can't have too much dense foam...
Thank you all for your comment. Well, where to start. The first thing I have to do is travel up to KRDD and make sure the aircraft paper work is in order and the logbook entries are up to date. Then of course I have to grab all of the parts I can find in the shop hanger as Brian alluded to. If all of that goes well I then need to figure out how to transport (any suggestions) the little beast home next week. The wings will have to be removed.
This will be my third project over 20 years. The previous two were fly-in aircraft which makes this the first time I have taken over something that some one else had started. Any additional comments or hints will be greatly appreciated.
The plan is to do the basics and get it flying first. Then move on to the interior with a console with Shelby in Tenn. He did the seats, door panels and carpet in 49L. The panel will be next with the installation of a GPS/Com and transponder. I am blessed to have an A/P that lets me do my own work, knows my limitations, shares his knowledge, and signs off my work.
I hope to finish the airplane as it came off the factory floor with the exception of the GPS so I and looking for some 1960 photos. The total amount devoted to completion is $27,000, so minus the $13,000 for the purchase I have a $14,000 balance.
I will have to stock up on the lamp oil if I hope to fly it to Clinton this year. Bengie, good catch on the baffles. I will take lots of photos and post them with an update.
It is going to get a little crowed in the hanger with both 49L and a bunch of 150 parts that will some day soon be an airplane again. So there it is. Damn this is going to be fun.
The attachment is a picture of the last airplane I brought to the RedBull hanger at KCMA in Aug 06
I drove up north to visit the project. Still no title after a month, although the owner said he had a clear title. No money has changed hands as of yet. What a f-ing mess. The plane is scattered over three hangers. Parts missing that were said to with the aircraft. Two major repairs that the owner did not know about that I found in the complete log books. Unapproved parts used in some areas and approved parts used but no supporting paper work. I offered him a much lower price to take it off his hands. He will call on Mon.
What's wrong with this picture other than the baffling installation. See attached