Best recommendations for avioncis shop and upgrade?

[jerrodmonaghan]

So I am a newbie... N7409V 1976 M20F Executive... not only am I new to the plane but I had 10 hours in a rental Cessna when I bought my Mooney. I am now up to a mind blowing 30 hours with 10 of it in the Mooney. I am quickly realizing that the original gauges from 1976 are going to be short lived. I love the idea that the plane is original ( did I mention it spent the last 18 years in a hangar never seeing the light of day!) but I am tempted to put in a Garmin 430 or do I pull the big trigger and go bigger? If $15-20K is your budget what do you do? Where do you take it and why? Thanks in advance! Jerrod

[Marauder]

So I am a newbie... N7409V 1976 M20F Executive... not only am I new to the plane but I had 10 hours in a rental Cessna when I bought my Mooney. I am now up to a mind blowing 30 hours with 10 of it in the Mooney. I am quickly realizing that the original gauges from 1976 are going to be short lived. I love the idea that the plane is original ( did I mention it spent the last 18 years in a hangar never seeing the light of day!) but I am tempted to put in a Garmin 430 or do I pull the big trigger and go bigger? If $15-20K is your budget what do you do? Where do you take it and why? Thanks in advance! Jerrod

Where are you based? Lots of shops across the United States. BTW -- 1975 F owner.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Marauder

[Andy95W]

Where are you based? Lots of shops across the United States. BTW -- 1975 F owner.

You should show him pictures of your panel, Chris.  He'll double his budget!

[Marauder]

You should show him pictures of your panel, Chris.  He'll double his budget!

LOL! Easy to double or even triple your budget.

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[jerrodmonaghan]

Yeah that shows you it was my first post! I forgot the particulars. I live in Houston, TX but am willing to make the trip if the shop is worth it. I had a friend from Texas fly to New York 6 years ago to have a shop there work on his but the man has retired and no longer does repairs or installs.

[Bennett]

Since you are willing to travel, I suggest Executive Aircraft Maintenance in Scottsdale, AZ. By far the very best avionics facility I have ever worked with in my 40 years of aircraft ownership. They fabricated everything for my current panel, and did it perfectly, at reasonable cost v other bidders I contacted. I went back to them later to swap out some of the avionics for even newer versions, with equal satisfaction.

[Marauder]

Jerrod -- post some pictures of your 76's panel. It will help us spend your money for you. If everything is original, I know where you are at. Depending on what kind of flying you plan on doing, an upgrade may be a lot or of little value to you.

I kept the same Nav/Com based panel in my plane for years and then made the jump to GPS when my favorite airports started converting to GPS only approaches..

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[carusoam]

Welcome aboard Jarrod.

Go fly. 

Get some training.

Exercise the engine. Change the oil. Do some oil analysis.

Then if there is money left, engine analyzers have come a long way....

Best regards,

-a-

[BigTex]

If you live in the Houston area, Avionics Unlimited in Conroe is one of the best.

Address: 10015 Military Dr # C, Conroe, TX 77303

Phone:(936) 788-7333

[jerrodmonaghan]

Thanks for all the advice I will continue to keep everyone updated and upload a photo ASAP.  I started today by getting the new Ipad mini 4 and a Iphone 6s Plus... Foreflight... and ordered the Stratus 2S from Sporty's.  I am flying her back to Florida on Tuesday to get a few bugs worked out by mechanic who did the initial work to get her air worthy again but missed a few items.