netPilot

Really good thread, thank you everyone. Lots of good info, and I did call and speak with Tom at Top Gun - he was also very helpful.

Hello All, In talking with various sellers of vintage Mooney aircraft, I always ask about corrosion. I have been told by no less than 5 different people, including dealer/brokers that "anyone who tells you a vintage Mooney is corrosion free is lying". What is interesting is that the statement is almost the same word for work each time I hear it. My question is, is this true? Is there no such thing as a truly corrosion free airframe? Understanding structural corrosion to be a real concern, is there a relatively acceptable level of skin corrosion that is cost effective to fix as a buyer? Or any corrosion is bad, and simply walk away from any aircraft known to have it? Thanks in advance.

Thx for the post, I'll be checking both of these out.

Thanks everyone for responding! Some good things to think about in this thread.

Hi All, Would be interested in any thoughts on these two M20s: 1968 M20C http://www.trade-a-plane.com/specs/79628 and 1962 M20C http://www.barnstormers.com/classified_448052_Mooney+1962+M20C.html Thanks in advance for any input.

scottfromiowa I hear you about the avionics, I have priced out my ideal package when I do upgrade and I can live with the expense - having the airplane itself out of the way. Good tip on the tanks! On the older planes (in my price range), the mods seem to make both a performance AND visual impact, I really like the wingtip mod which I've been told are all but impossible to find now. Comatose Good to know that it is possible to find what I am looking for. Congrats on your plane! I just finished my FAA Written Monday, solo'd a little over a week ago. Hopefully I'll be done with my Private by late August work/weather permitting. KLRDMD Thx for the link, I'll check it out. GeorgePerry Same same, thx for the link - I have read and re-read that thread many times over the past few weeks, very informative.

Long post, but would be very interested in others opinions. Private Pilot [student - low time] Representative typical mission(s): (GPS direct per aeroplanner.com) HND to TOA 204.7 NM HND to RAL 166.2 NM HND to SMO 201.2 NM Rare, but occasional mission (maybe once every 12-24 months) HND to OUN 864 NM Passenger profile: 140 lbs pilot 110 lbs PAX1 40 lbs PAX2 290 lbs total (increasing as child grows up) Baggage: Light < 100 lbs (we fly single carry ons when we go commercial already) Considering M20C (early vintage) - manual gear - manual flaps Ideal scenario: - solid well kept airframe (all logs) - solid low-to-midtime engine (reputable shop for last OH) - minimal damage history (well documented proper repair) - all (or most) available speed mods - 201 windshield - 201 cowl mod - 201 windtips with nav lights (and strobes, but nav is good enough) - modern-ish panel (even if avionics need updating) - decent paint and interior (can be oldish, just not a mess) Which I will buy, then as time and resources allow, in order: - update panel and avionics - new paint - new interior - Engine OH at TBO I plan to keep whatever I buy for many years (10-20+) Has anyone seen any early M20C/E models along these lines? What should I expect to pay for such a plane in today's market? I have found a 1962 M20C that meets almost all of the listed criteria, but we're early in the discussion with the owner and waiting for logs/paperwork for review. We'll be going with a pre-buy on whatever aircraft we decide to pursue. Misc issue with the M20C (62-64 models): - small rear window Trying to decide if this is a big deal or not. I like them both ways, but I think I like the larger squared windows better. Wife likes the smaller old-style windows. Thanks in advance!