M20FanJesse

Rick doesn't have a cell I dont think! Sorry guys, he is on a vacation right now. Also Im going through a very rough time right now. Updates will be fewer.

The night after washing it actually, we tried 4 different mooney keys he had in the ol' keys in a cup, and none of them opened it up surprisingly enough! I'll try the toolbox key. Went by the shop at lunch and Rick wasn't there. I have a faint recollection of him telling me he was going on a trip soon. I hope that wasn't today!

The family was getting kicked out of the hangar by the end of the month. The rent payments stopped coming in (probably set up on an autopay system, and finally ran out) and the family didn't want to continue paying it once they found out. They called us and had us cut the locks off the door to get it out because they didn't have keys to the locks. We brought it over to Ricks shop, and I washed it off.

Since I've gotten lots of requests for other models, I made two more. An M20k Body/231, and a Bravo long body M20k/231 Long Body/Rounded windows I'm looking to make one with a paint scheme for each body type. Please recommend which one you'd like to see and I'll try and make it!

Okay. To make everyone happy, I made a K, and I made a Bravo with the round windows. M20K Link Long Body Bravo Link I'm interested in adding a scheme or two for each one, so if you guys have a good one, send me a PM or post in the T shirt thread.

We'd like to get the families permission first. Its not our plane yet. Thats what they will likely want us to do. I agree!

Haha Thanks guys. I take no shame in getting cold feet in a project of this scale, but there's a lot of people giving me good options to consider and I'm getting more every day. I'll do my best to try and go with the best option, but there's only so much I can do at this point as it's still the families plane, and I'm sure they are getting just as much advice from their father's pilot friends. I doubt it will go to the open market, but if it does, you guys will know first.

The mechanic, Rick, is probably one of my best and closest friends, I see and help him every day after work with the planes he is working on, sometimes for longer than my actual job. We help each other in every aspect, and he told me this plane would be no different. Sorry that you have sh!##y friends. You obviously have never worked in I.T. That being said. I've talked with Rick and another mechanic on the airport and after a long discussion about it they think it would be in my best interest if I pass on this one, and I take their advice very seriously. (And of course I take your all advice seriously as well haha) The family hasn't found the log books but we still plan on inspecting the frame soon once/if they get the keys.

@Bravoman I agree. Im not going to rush too much on making any decision. The mechanic and I will be inspecting it soon.

Copy, I'll get on top of getting an inspection asap.

Thank you!! If there is demand for a particular scheme or two, I can make them and upload them

The airport mechanic Rick has worked on mooneys frequently, and we can boroscope the engine and look at spark plugs this week when he has time. He wants to get a good look at the spar and frame too. More eyes wouldn't hurt though. Waiting to hear from the family if we need to hire a locksmith. I tried about 5 different mooney keys he had, and none of them worked,damn haha

Hobbs say 950 or something. Tach says 550. Oil is full and clean.

Thanks guys! Right now its a waiting game to hear back from the family. The bad news is they doesn't know where the keys or log books are for anything. They haven't know their location in 15 years, and say if they are still around, they will be in his house, and apparently he became somewhat of a hoarder or the house became so packed with stuff over the years. They didn't seem confident in finding them but they are looking. You guys will be the first to know of any updates! Someone asked what the interior looks like Also it was fairly dark when we washed it. You can see in the daylight its more of a light gray and not a white base color.

Woah, F82 pilot among all the other stuff. What a military career

Guts will be checked for sure. I'll keep everyone updated on things. Haven't looked at the books yet but at lunch I looked in the window and the tach said 552.46

Well luckily you guys don't have the family's contacts *Sidenote, some of you guys have been asking for a M20J body tshirt. I can finally say I got to making them! I played around with a few designs. Let me know which one you like best, white outline, transparent color, or full color. I'll make more by request as well! Posted in the t shirt thread also, so requests and ideas can be added to that thread here so we dont get too off track! Here is the store. $16, all proceeds go to my instrument rating or maybe a mooney! https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=w_bl_sl_s_ap_web_7141123011?ie=UTF8&node=7141123011&field-brandtextbin=201MPH+Club+Shirts Here is the T-Shirt Thread

Hey guys, so several of you have asked for newer mooneys than the 20C shirt I did, and I know they were a little on the higher side of price. So I decided to go with a newer model, the M20J body, and tried out a few different designs with color. I can add a few different schemes, but wanted to know which you liked best so I can continue making more based on it. Do you like the solid color shirts, the half transparent shirts, or the simple outline\blueprint design? Also, they are now one side, $16 and free shipping if you have prime. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=w_bl_sl_s_ap_web_7141123011?ie=UTF8&node=7141123011&field-brandtextbin=201MPH+Club+Shirts I think these designs look a little better too. Thanks for checking it out!

Haha! I don't have 50k cash at the moment, I don't know where that came from. The family wants to "just want to get rid of it" and asked Rick the mechanic what it would be worth ball park and he said 15-20k maybe. They thought the same so I figured thats about what they will ask for it and about what I could offer them. I know the market for these in working condition (because I window shop way too often) and thought if I put $35k into this $15k plane, I could have a $90k plane for $50k, even if it did take a year to get to that point.

I have some new better ones uploading, stand by an hour!

The current idea is to buy it, wait a year before working on it, and then get it airworthy and fix squawks all at once. My thinking was, if I can get it for a very good price, and I can't work on it in a years time, I can just sell it for at least what I paid for it. I have a job that covers all my expenses, and a secondary income, equal to part time job income, that I set aside for fun money(instrument rating, fun car, etc.) If I don't spend any of that money and let it build instead, I feel confident I can pay for a 35k restoration in a year. If I don't have 35k in a years time, or know I wont in the future, I could sell the plane for what I paid for it, and be no worse off. At least thats my thinking. it sat for 28 years. Whats one more? I welcome criticism to this plan, and thank you for commenting. It has made me think twice about it.

Even if this whole thread ends up being just for kicks, its still fun to think about! I've always day dreamed about barn finds, both in aviation and cars! Thank you for the list breakdown!

I can just write that off as well! I think I will do a 201/231 actually. Front side only, would make it just $16, instead of $21 for front and back. I was thinking of making it with a full paint scheme, but that opens the door to everyone wanting a custom one. With the blueprint/outline, everyone is happy!

T-Shirt sales have been really great lately, and a big reason why I think this might be possible. Thank you I will do this. I do have a full time job and a second income , but the second income is fickle, although has proven to be lucrative at least recently. I promote my shirts on instagram and post lot of pictures of airplanes to draw interest to my account. What I'm saying is that I'm pretty sure Id be able to write off the purchase and expenses of any airplane because it would absolutely aid in my business as a marketing tool. But what you say does concern me, definitely. At the very least its fun to think about haha

Thats what I'm worried about! haha