Club Homepage Forums Classified Ads Buy & Sell - Everything But Airplanes A 150 to dream about $55,000

For those with Trade-a-Plane access there's a highly modified 150 for sale if you've got deep pockets or maybe two regular 150s to trade. This one's got a STC'd ACT 180 hp conversion , ACT long range tanks,new panel, ETC. It's a 73 150L, 3775TT, 272 SMOH. Wow, I bet it's a hoot to fly it.

Good Golly Miss Molly!! $55k and it's not even a taildragger <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I think this is a perfect example of why it's not practical to do the high dollar conversions anymore. You get so much into the airplane that the only way you can keep from losing your shirt is to find someone willing to pay (in this case) half again what the airplane is really worth to recoup your investment. I'm not saying the buyer doesn't exist, but I'd sure hate to be the one trying to find him.

You are right about how much money that you can get into a conversion.

I?ll bet money, marbles and chalk that the conversion cost more than what he is asking.

$55,000 is really a good price for a rocket.

Wayne,
I understand the "money and marbles" part but not the "chalk" part of your bet. I guess I missed something growing up.

I called one of the owners, Mike, and recommended he place a classified ad here too. The airplane is based in Reno, NV. They're selling because they bought a 210.

Well Wayne, this another one where we'll just agree to disagree. In my narrow minded opinion the Cessna 150 does not exist that would be a GOOD VALUE at $55k. You know you could put JATOs on a hog and in the end all it would be worth would be the price of bacon. The only exception to this would be a really nice professionally done Turbine powered 150 and I don't know if one has been built. If it weren't for the FAA fouling things up in the gross weight and modification departments an ultra high power 150 could be halfway practical for lots of people, but a 180 hp version is out of the relm of any actual usefulness. Even with the GW increase of the ACT STC the payload is minimal with a Lyc 0-360 installed and the range is short (even with LR tanks). I think I could darn near RE-convert mine to a 180 hp and have about that $55k in it. Would I like to fly that shiney little airplane with the big motor? Heck Yes!!! But owning it? Only at a much reduced price.

Dan: You are a little bit mistaken when you say the range of a 150/150 even with the long range tanks is short. I can fly my 150/150 for 5 and 1/2 hours (longer than the rear end or the bladder can normally stand) and at 120 mph that covers about 660 miles with no head or tail winds. I wouldn't call that a short range.
Just thought you would like to know
Dale

Hi Dale, if you re-read the post you'll see I was refering to the 150/180. My 150/150 is good for about 5 hrs to dry tanks at 130 mph, so I'm familiar with the animal. On the other hand the fuel burn goes up to that of an 0-360 (around 10 gph) at 140 mph...not really worth it at today's fuel prices and the endurance is about 1 hour less. My only complaint with the airplane is that it is an early conversion (done in 1969) and it does not have the gross weight increase. Like most 150/150 drivers I simply load it with whatever I need and fly it. Ideally a guy needs a CS prop with the larger engines but then you're talking about ANOTHER 30 pounds or so of payload gone. Years ago ACT configured their company 150 with 180 hp and a 3-blade CS prop. They said the performance was outstanding to say the least, but it was impractical so they never STC'd the combination. I'd love to have flown THAT airplane! Me...I'd like to hang a 220 hp Franklin on the nose and see how it works <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Hey Dan, anytime you want. We will need to fuel it down to about 15 gallons and be solo, but that would yield an 1800 lb 180 hp CS prop (sorry two blade currently although I have a friend who wants me to buy his STC 3 blade). Oh...and no struts out there flapping in the breeze, but beyond that, should be pretty close.

I had never considered the source of ?money, marbles and chalk?. It was just one of the common phrases in the idiom that was common where I was reared. I suppose that it must have to do with the relative value of things. To a poor boy growing up in the depression era it was perfectly obvious that if someone was willing to bet his money, marble and chalk he was very secure in his belief of being correct. Money was scarce and precious, marbles were one of the few toys that a poor boy could afford. Chalk was a means of entrainment, communications and expression and was therefore very dear. The poor boy?s discarded cigar box that contained a Bull Durham sack of marbles a piece of chalk and any little bit of money was a treasure trove.