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It is magnificent only having to pay half of the expenses. But the person matters the most. If it’s not someone you know well make sure someone you know well does. Try Scott Williams esq in Camarillo for help. Good luck!

Thanks all. I think I'll just sand off the built-up Rustoleum gently by hand as I had planned, down to the factory finish paint but not through it, and forego the electric sander. That way I will not reveal any more bare metal than the "rain rash" already has. I'll clean the revealed bare metal with rubbing alcohol, prime with SEM self-etching primer, fill the primed areas and the pits in the paint with fairing compound, prime the repaired areas again, and then finish paint the leading edges. If anyone has any more advice or better ideas let me know. Hopefully, the leading edge paint will hold up for a while. Or, maybe a go fund me page for a new paint job.....

Oh Lord, I don’t want to total the plane! The area involved is about 3” up from the front edge and about 2” below it. There are some areas where the paint has been eroded to bare metal by water. I am not sanding any bare metal or removing any paint down to that level, not even down to the factory primer if I can help it, just enough to smooth out and remove some of the built up paint. I plan to prime the few bare metal spots, fill the pits with fairing compound and then paint just the 6” strip of the leading edges. Does that sound like a safe and reasonable plan? Thanks!

The paint on my plane is original. When flown in the rain, som of the paint on the leading edges gets water-blasted off. The prior owner would spray heavy coats of Rustoleum over the bare spots when this happened. There are what looks to be 5 coats of paint on these surfaces, and big pits. I am painting the leading edges during the lockdown. Is it possible I will hurt the tank sealant (also original) if I use an electric palm sander to prepare these surfaces? Thanks!

1/3 partnership share in a very nice and well equipped M20J SE hangared at KCCR Concord CA. Please send an email to bradinc@astound.net or call 510 377 0129 for full information and photos. Thanks! Steve

The best days in these here parts are to be had in October, November, and even December. Spring too. Northern California is simply one of the best areas for flying in the country. Just not for paying taxes.

I have 2 one in the panel and one on the yoke both fed by a GDL 52R. Best cost-benefit going.

It sounds like Jimmy Garrison has a very nicely equipped 1989 M20J coming up that is not yet advertised. If is the kind of plane you may want for and is in the price neighborhood you may want to pay, give him a call at All American Aircraft.

That panel and the one next to it above the audio panel look like the finish is different than the ones on either side, and look to be easily removal, so I agree with the spray paint idea. If you want spray paint made of iron, get Alumihyde from the Brownell's gunsmithing web site.

I went through a nearly identical process with nearly identical hours. With sufficient transition training you will be fine. If you really want to stick to your budget I'd look at F models. I tried to find a J I was willing to buy for your budget and couldn't so I spent more. I have absolutely no regrets but would be fine with an F.

My secretary did it on the computer but you could just hand write them with a big red marker.

I made my own. Big red letters, laminated in plastic, and tied it onto a big yellow cotton cleaning cloth. Then when needed, I lash it to the prop with that stick to itself mesh tape. Sometimes I hang it from the compass.

You might try Accurate Aero in Minden NV. They are doing some work for me right now. So far they have been on the ball in terms of knowledge, scheduling and communication, but the proof, of course, will be in the proverbial pudding.

I have a friend who did this for an Archer. Do you worry about these things scratching the plastic? I trust the companies that make these for aircraft to sell me stuff that won't scratch, but I don't know about the hardware store material.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I suspected a turn coordinator could not possibly be required for IFR instruction, if the plane is IFR legal without it. That would not make any sense at all. But, even though I don't really need it, and have three other back-ups, given how much money this machine has costs and continues to cost, not putting in the TC while doing the other humble panel work is probably just too nickel and dime, even for me. Unless I can find a better use for that 2" hole. An AV-20 maybe? Darn, something else to obsess about.

I posted a while back about the need and/or desirability of having a turn coordinator in addition to a Castleberry. I understand now that the turn coordinator is not necessary for flight, and may not add much benefit in that regard. But....I am now being told that a turn coordinator is required for IFR training, and that it is something I will want just the same for IFR training. (I find this hard to believe). Is it true? Thanks for any help!

Thanks for the report Don. Glad you had a good experience. My plane goes to Mario in August for ADS-B in, a JPI 700 upgrade to an 830, a new audio panel, an AOA indicator and some panel reorganization.

Bottom Ramen is even cheaper....

Thanks all for the good feedback. Strong preference for the PS Engineering here, and that says a lot. I can't go remote as I only have a lowly 430 WAAS. The current audio panel is serviceable, but has some bad habits, so since things are going to be apart I can't resist replacing it. In for a nickel, in for a dime, as they say.

I have a J at Concord KCCR. I'll be happy to take you for a ride.

The 231 was at Advantage, yes. It was listed just a few months ago. You may want to call them on the phone and ask if they can set you up with a CFI who can give you an hour or two of dual. As I understand it, it almost never flew, either by the owner or anybody else. It's possible a flight could be arranged as an "off the menu" item if you ask.

There is a flight school at Palo Alto that rents a 231. They will hook you up with an instructor for a test flight. I flew the plane to be sure I wanted to buy a Mooney, and, well, it worked. All American Aircraft has what looks like a very nice M20J coming in for $129k, if that is a model you might be looking for.

Thank you all very much for your clear and definitive responses. This has helped a lot!

The prior owner of my plane removed the turn and bank and put a Castleberry in it's place. A guy who flies the plane a lot, including in IFR, and who is used to the typical turn rate indicator, thinks we should have both instruments. (There is a good space for it). I don't have any IFR experience yet, so I don't know. Will I want the turn rate indicator AND the Castleberry for IFR? The panel will be coming apart in August. Cost will probably be about 1 AMU. Would I be pennywise and pound foolish to cheap out and not do it? Thanks!

Thanks all for the good feedback. It seems like the PS Engineering is the way to go. I don't see the percentage in the Garmin, it seems like it's just more money without any more features. It just has the same name as some other stuff in the panel.