TTaylor

I did 1/4" a few years ago and if I had it to do over I would go with 3/16" for the side windows. I would do 1/4" on the front for safety but for ease of installation the 3/16" (or even stock 1/8") on the side widows. I don't think they make any difference in noise and the thicker windows add weight and are much less flexible so harder to install.

I agree with Marauder, on the 75 it is for SCAT tube to the vacuum pump.

First I would remove the parts from the plane and clean them. A few years ago I found the grease in mine had turned to a solid and would not allow the system to work. A complete cleaning and new grease fixed the problem.

Bob, OK we have given you are hard time about curtains. If you really like the look, go for it. Personally I think today using pull down (or pull up) shades would be a much nicer look in a Mooney. Weight should be similar between shades and curtains. You can get them in different levels of blocking from complete to see-through. Tim

Be picky, the person that buys it from you will be. That said, I second Carusoam's recommendation to let the mission drive the choice. If you are flying with only two people or little people (or children) in the back seat then the C/E will do well. If you are hauling any adults in the back seat you will want a F/G. The C/G vs. E/F choice is driven by need to fly higher, higher density altitude take-offs and your desire to be able to lean the plane. The prices are slightly higher for each step up but in the long run the overall costs will be pretty similar. I flew a C for many years but really love the F for the extra power and legroom. In the mountain west the E/F are the way to go.

Friends don't let friends put side curtains in Mooney's?

N201MKTurbo has the most experience in the area, his route in is a good one. I fly an F in the intermountain west all the time without an issue. I would not follow number 4 above so firmly. Lenticular clouds should be recognized and respected but often they are not even visible for areas of wave lift. For a non-turbo Mooney wave lift can be your friend, I use it very often to gain altitude when needed. You can often get 500 feet per minute or more vertical climb rates. Just recognize when you are in the lift and turn parallel to the lift line until you gain as much as you needed. If you are flying out west you will want to have an oxygen system so you can fly at 13 to 15K so crossing the passes is much more of a pleasant experience. You never want to be flying low into the leeward side of a ridge.

Here is the solar grey in the two side windows after we did a three to two window conversion on the F last year. Front window is still the green tint until I can do a 201 upgrade. Very happy with the Solar gray after two years of flying.

Don't know if Stuart is on this board. He is active in the Canard group where he is building a Cozy MIV. I believe he splits his time between Utah and Cambria, CA

Changing to electric gear will not solve the problem. I have the same issue when adjusting the trim wheel. I have had belts unlatch several times during approach to landing. I think I have gotten better about how I place my hand on the wheel to avoid it now but I have thought about making a sleeve that slips over the seatbelt latch so I don't accidently release it.

Last set I put on was 8-ply Condors, after over three years I don't see wear. I went for extra safety margin, a blown tire will ruin your day.

The system truncates and corrupts the files when I try to upload them to the files area or directly in the forum. It shows that it is fully uploaded and then as I try to submit the files they are reduced to half the size and corrupted.

test View File test Submitter TTaylor Submitted 09/27/2015 Category Avionics

Is there anyway to increase the size allowed in the files upload area? It is capped at 10 mb which is too small for many pdf files. I tried attaching files in the forums as well but it would not let me post a 12mb file even though the file limit at the bottom of the page says 53.7 MB. Tim

Attached is a pdf of the 20C -20F Parts manual for newer Models 76-77. Mooney_M20_1977_Maintenance_Manual.pdf Mooney-M20-Series-Ranger-Chaparral-ES-PC-1976-1977.pdf Mooney_m20f_Parts_Manual.pdf

Mooney Maintenance Manual. Mooney_M20_1977_Maintenance_Manual.pdf Mooney_m20f_Parts_Manual.pdf

Attached is a pdf of the 20F Parts manual. The system would not let me post it to the files section. Mooney m20f Parts Manual.pdf Mooney_m20f_Parts_Manual.pdf

Tony, thanks. My IE was also in compatibility mode and the forum was almost unusable. Switched off and it looks much better.

North or south of the Uinta Mountains are both good routes with good airports. I would look at the winds and weather to decide which side to go. I would stay north of Denver for some of the lower passes and less time over the Rockies. If winds are not a factor the Medicine Bow to Evanston route is along the highway, many airports and few mountains to cross. I would look at the winds and weather to decide which side to go. West of SLC out the VFR corridor (unless you are flying IFR) and then I fly HZN and just south of TVL to minimize the crossing time over the Sierra.

Chris, I saw about 1.5" at 7,000 feet. Unless I have really screwed up and need to get 5 knots faster plus about 2-3 gallons more per hour burn rate I don't see a need for it. I fly at 9 to 12K msl most of the time and pull the fuel flow back to 9 gph. One more system to maintain and my mechanic really loves it when we have to pull the bottom cowl off, not. I would be glad to have a better induction system and no ram air. My goal is 150 knots TAS at 9 gph, right now I'm at 139 knots with a mostly stock F. I would like 201 windshield, new cowl, and inner gear doors, poor man's J.

As an F pilot I don't really see the need for the Ram air. I used it once when I first got the plane, have not touched it since. If I am high enough to open it, I am also running lean to minimize fuel burn. I have no need for more MP then. A better air filter with higher MP on take-off would be a big advatage here in the west at high DA. I would not miss it if it was gone and Mooney realized the same thing and removed it later in the J. We can save a few pounds and remove all the hardware from inside the cowl. I do wish there was a way to not have to change the spinner. This will add about $2000 to the cost of the project. Thanks for all the hard work David. Tim

A friend had a N-number some guy wanted for his jet, he got about $5k a couple of years ago. The number was on a glider so was not very hard to change.

I installed the 1" gauge in the upper left corner above the airspeed and left of the gauge cluster. Easy to see and much better than Idiot lights.

George's Electric in Sacramento California has been recommended many times for electric motor rebuilds. Often much easier to rebuild an old electric motor than find a new one. Might consider the upgrade to 40:1 gears at the same time if it has not been done yet.

I guess I disagree with the "No barn finds or hidden gems". They are out there; you just have to be willing to take some risk, but they are few and far between. The original plane on this thread might be one of those, but until someone goes and looks at it, negotiates a reasonable price, has an A&P annual it and then flies it for a year we will never know. I bought mine from a broker that was representing the bank that repossessed it. They didn’t have the log books and had let it sit on the ramp looking very ugly. I had found the previous owner and got the logs before I even had the deal closed with the bank, had a great A&P do an inspection as part of the deal. It was a risk but I tried to limit the risk at each step. I am very happy with the plane after three years.