RangerJim

Many case cracks can be repaired saving you funds for other improvements. I have no experience with the Power Flow exhaust but seem to recall that the manufacturer recommends lubricating the slip joints annually. No doubt there is a good reason. If your mags need a 500 hour IRAN and your prop could benefit from a reseal then this would be the time. Likewise the prop governor. Then see where you stand. The airframe goodies can wait till all your planes critical systems are in shape. From a former C owner with some sellers remorse.

The mission is an 18 year old with a rifle. Every thing else is support.

USAF 67-71. It was a box of chocolates.

Rainman and Jerry 5TJ are spot on. Good quality 231's appear to be sharply undervalued in todays market. They are fine cross country transportation and the value shopper will want to look hard at the model. Spend some time talking to Jimmy Garrison at All American Aircraft and check out some of his offerings on line and in person before you get blindsided by the pretty paint job and shiny sales hangar deck on this one. Someday you will be looking to move up, down, or on and then the history on this one will be working against you. There are no doubt many other broker/dealers that can supply you with a worthy 231/252 at a fair price and I have no experience with Van Bortel whatsoever. Paul Loewen at LASAR and Don Maxwell are two more priceless resources that operate first class MSCs. Call and see if they have clients with quality equipment and records that are considering selling. I can report first hand straight talk and fair dealings at AAA, liens, logs and titles all in order, and the willingness to again represent your aircraft to the market when it is time for you to move on. Like it or not missing logs can mean a plane that is worth more as parts than the costs to to get high enough on the sand pile to be safe for you and yours. Yeah there are always a few who find a diamond in the rough and this may be one but unless you have access to MSC level expertise at very low prices then I would look at a lot more 231/252s before taking on this one.

Move those headsets and portable electronic devices a foot or two away fro the mag compass and see if that issue resolves.

Small arithmetic errors as stuff goes in and out over the decades can add up. You might consider having the plane weighed by a knowledgeable shop equipped with a set of certified scales. It is a pain but empty fuel tanks will yield a better number. A current and accurate W&B and equipment list is a good thing no matter what you are flying.

A cogent analysis. Very strong work by BK.

Hish, A very clean NDH IFR 68 C with manual gear, a modern 430W panel, STec 30 autopilot, all logs since new, and LASAR mods and maintenance will be coming up on the All American Aircraft inventory in the coming weeks as I look to move up. Give Jimmy and/or David a call if interested.

I've had good service from Condor tires along with the above mentioned Michelin Air Stop tubes. I concur with not reusing tubes unless you you are really in a bind and then only as a temporary fix (a two beer story). I'm told Condors are a down market product from Michelin manufactured in Thailand but haven't independently confirmed this. The type certificate data sheet for my C specifies a 4 ply tire for the nose. YMMV. Try the Desser Tire website for CB prices and fresh stock. Your plan to wear out your current tires getting familiar with your bird sounds good to me. I'm thinking about the retreads too but have a ways to go on the Condors yet.

Bump.

The DHT FBO is friendly and modern, provided me a courtesy car, and their food is indeed excellent, especially if you like fried okra. Try to get accommodations away from the railroad tracks if you can. This is a major rail junction and trains run all night long. I stayed at the Nursa Nickel (yep) Best Western in town and realized the score when the check in guy handed me a set of ear plugs. Friendly, clean, and convenient but the train noise broke my pick. Had a nice dinner at a steak house a mile or two from the motel that was popular with local families and railroad workers. The town was full of railroad construction workers when I passed through about 18 months ago and rooms were scarce. I don't know if that is still the case but you should book ahead just in case.

Thanks for the followup bonal. Your project came out looking as good as new and for a very reasonable price. I will go this route next winter as an interim step to a modern engine monitor.

Keep us posted please. I'd like to learn more about this myself.

Matt, Perhaps I am missing something here. I don't understand where your area of concern about self installed avionics originated. As I read the TAP ad you provided I can only deduce that the last line in the avionics section was misconstrued. I'm interpreting it to read that there is a Century ONE autopilot installed - not that I installed a Century autopilot. This is perfectly understandable in one looking at their first plane purchase and who wasn't in the game back in the 70's when Century was a bigger player. As others have suggested a simple phone call to the owner will set us straight on that issue. The high AFTT is a marketability factor but not a safety of flight issue if the plane checks out otherwise. I'd side with those who recommend taking it to Don Maxwell for a PPI with the option of converting it to an annual if you decide to pull the trigger. This is a negotiating item that is in your favor buying in and against you when it comes time to sell. Ultimately your offering price is your decision. I think that C's are a lot of bang for the buck and the late serial numbers are the nicest - lots of parts for the early J's made it into the last of the C's such as the six pack panel, modern circuit breakers, strip gauges, etc...Admittedly I am a C owner myself and biased in my opinions. If a C meets your mission requirements then this one is a possibility. Welcome in any case and happy hunting.

Pitch, Lasar will do a very thorough and professional job in my experience..

I routinely operate a 68C in the low to mid teens in the intermountain west. Fortunately I have the luxury of waiting for bluebird days at this stage of my aviation career for most ops. We crossed the Sierras over Yosemite NP this past November at 16k, the highest I have taken this aircraft, just because we could. It is not unusual to see 145+ ktas (according to the genie that lives in the GNS430W) as the fuel load burns off. Most of my trips are one or two up with minimal baggage and I am a firm believer in a pulse oximeter and supplemental O2. Dollar for dollar it is hard to beat a clean and properly rigged C for this sort of mission. All the best to all of you for 2016.

You might consider taking a look in person at some of All American Aircraft's listings and save yourself a lot of long distance anguish and travel expense. Last time I checked they had several attractive pre-J birds in stock and they are right in your back yard. If you are a serious buyer they should be high on your list of resources and Jimmy and David are straight shooting businessmen. You might consider calling DMax directly and seeing if any of his clients are considering selling. Often high end shops such as DMax or LASAR can point you towards a well owned aircraft before it hits the general market. I'm a bit leery of these long distance romances (don't ask) and don't see why a Texas guy couldn't find a likely prospect within a few hundred miles of his own front porch. Good luck in any case and happy hunting.

One can shim out quite a bit of play with safety wire and extend the life of the existing hinges. Most techs are aware of this technique and it will save you some hard earned flying dollars. Chad Avila at Lasar squared mine away in 2011and they remain serviceable today.

The thousand cuts analogy is spot on. Sort of like third class medical reform. Most of us probably won't be around long enough to see it happen. If Swift fuel or something similar does come into general usage how will the STC be verified? Has anyone ever had to produce proof of an STC to buy mogas? I'm playing devils advocate here since I think my C will do fine on Swift fuel should it become widely available and I will go out of my way within reason to seek it out. I just don't see it as a viable business for the average FBO.

Forgiveness is always easier to get than permission.

OAT probe?

I was always taught that nose gears are not landing gears. They are steering gears for ground operations only.

I can also recommend LASAR at 1O2 (Lampson Field) in Lakeport CA. They have allowed me to participate in "owner hindered annuals" the last few years and I have learned a lot from Paul and Sherry and their crew. Be prepared to spend copious amounts of time getting your records sorted out and, as Tom suggests, figure on spending some AMU's the first time through. You will not save any money, I can assure you, but no corners will be cut that will affect airworthiness. You will leave with a very thoroughly gone through aircraft, a detailed invoice, organized records, and top of the line experience. I also have heard many maintenance savvy Mooniacs recommend Top Gun in Stockton, CA as an outstanding shop but they advised me that their insurance prohibits owner participation so they may not meet your requirements. Wouldn't hurt to check with them as things may have changed. I don't think you can go wrong at either shop. LASAR maintains an incredible parts inventory that can save you days of downtime. Hanging out with Dan and his cronies at the Lakeport Club in the evenings is half the fun. I usually stay at the Skylark Motel.

Marker beacon?

No Yes Maybe