Lopresti Cowl

[FloridaMan]

I have the STC M20F for the LoPresti Cowl and I have the powerflow exhaust. Do not bother trying to get a used stock "J" Hartzell spinner with the bulkhead that attaches to the flywheel. The bulkheads fail eventually. Contact LASAR and get a new spinner. It'll cost just under $2000, but they will give you a better price than anyone else. 

I spent more than the new purchase price of the replacement spinner assembly by going through two used spinner assemblies that eventually failed, or having cheek plates crack and fail, only to finally bite the bullet and buy a new spinner. 

[jetdriven]

On 1/26/2017 at 6:05 PM, Mooney_Mike said:

 

Selling my airplane that I have rebuilt over the last 15 years just to go out and buy a similar one (That happens to be a J) does not make sense. I have upgraded the avionics ADSB IN/OUT GTN750, done the interior, rebuilt the engine..... why dump it now (at a loss) to get a J that is an unknown quantity with buyer's risk. Mine already had most of the 201 mods already so it is close enough for me.....

Selling an airplane is a pain, and buying an airplane is a pain.....

The main reason for the cowling upgrade is because my cowling needs a lot of work. It is cracked in several places, so rather then put more $ into an old cowling I opted to go this route.

The super 201 cowling is an advancement over the stock "J" cowling. It is meant as an upgrade for the 201 (not the E or F), so in that sense just getting a "J" would not bring the same result anyway.

I have already bought the cowling and I am quite excited about giving my old friend a new face lift.

That's my logic, yours may differ.

What I need now is a 201 style spinner. If you don't need or want your's give me a ring! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know how you're going to get a 201 Spinner to fit your Hartzell prop, seeing as how 201's never had a Hartzell prop...

[Sabremech]

Hartzell P/N A2295-5 and -5 P will fit the Hartzell prop and are the dimensions of the 201 spinner. 

David

[M20F-1968]

Russell Stalling at SWTA had an STC'd cowling that used a Hartzell spinner and a bulkhead that installed to the rear of the prop hub.  That bulkhead has been resistant to cracking. 

Call Hartzell or SWTA and see what they can offer you.  (I understand that SWTA has been bough and is still operating).

John Breda

[75_M20F]

 

[Bennett]

Great video that touches upon all the cowl features. My only comment is that while he says their ram airbox . (beautifully built) provides an inch and a half of additional MP, I normally see about an inch and a quarter increase at 7000' - 8000'. Works very well though and a definite increase in power (and fuel flow). I normally open it when level in cruise, and where the air is clear. I usually close it as soon as I start my descent (mainly so I won't forget to close it at lower altitudes). Yep! It is an expensive mod, but very satisfying to have it - for some increase in speed, the esthetics of design, and the build quality. I added their HID Boom Box light in the nose bowl, and with its long life, I leave it on in congested airspace, and whenever I am in haze, or dim conditions.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Guest]

On January 30, 2017 at 5:28 PM, jetdriven said:

I don't know how you're going to get a 201 Spinner to fit your Hartzell prop, seeing as how 201's never had a Hartzell prop...

It might be rare, but it was done.

 

[75_M20F]

3 hours ago, Bennett said:

Great video that touches upon all the cowl features. My only comment is that while he says their ram airbox . (beautifully built) provides an inch and a half of additional MP, I normally see about an inch and a quarter increase at 7000' - 8000'. Works very well though and a definite increase in power (and fuel flow). I normally open it when level in cruise, and where the air is clear. I usually close it as soon as I start my descent (mainly so I won't forget to close it at lower altitudes). Yep! It is an expensive mod, but very satisfying to have it - for some increase in speed, the esthetics of design, and the build quality. I added their HID Boom Box light in the nose bowl, and with its long life, I leave it on in congested airspace, and whenever I am in haze, or dim conditions.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yes, I am quite excited about it actually. Can't wait to fly my new and improved F model. It doesn't seem like a bad deal to me ($$) considering all the work that has gone into the design and build of the super 201 cowling. 

 

I located a 201 spinner that fits it as well.

Edited February 10, 2017 by Mooney_Mike

[FloridaMan]

On 1/30/2017 at 5:28 PM, jetdriven said:

I don't know how you're going to get a 201 Spinner to fit your Hartzell prop, seeing as how 201's never had a Hartzell prop...

Some early 201s had the "Q-tip" Hartzell. I know this from my quest to replace the spinner assembly for my M20F with the LoPresti cowl. LASAR has 201 spinners for Hartzell props. As I posted earlier in the thread, you don't want the original Mooney 201 Hartzell spinner assembly. 

[75_M20F]

I have acquired an original Mooney OEM 201 Spinner and bulkhead made by Globe (designed for the 201 with a Hartzell prop). I noticed (on the documentation) it is a retrofit kit with bulkhead stiffeners included. Did yours that had the problems have the stiffeners? I'm hoping to avoid the issues you had.

[FlyingDude]

5 years later...

Just wondering...  Requesting PIREPs from those who have the Lo Presti cowl:

How many knots of additional speed would you gain if you already have all the Lasar speed mods (cowl fairings, 201 windshield, engine cowl air inlet restriction, etc)?

Here it says 7-13mph.  10 knots for the E?  With our without the Lasar cowl mod, blocking the lower portion of the cowl??

https://www.aviationconsumer.com/accessories/loprestis-super-mooney-cowl/

Thanks...

 

[carusoam]

One just sold this week…

https://mooneyspace.com/search/?q=Lopresti&quick=1

It makes a great dress for a forever-M20J!

Bring your M20J up to new millennium standards…

Keep in mind, the late 70s M20Js are still very aerodynamic!

The Lopresti cowl adds some nice access too….

Wing tips and air intakes and other things grew on the M20Js over time…

Best regards,

-a-

[FlyingDude]

3 hours ago, carusoam said:

It makes a great dress for a forever-M20J!

Oh that's for sure!!!

However I was just wondering the factual speed gain. As we all know, Lasar speed mods do make the plane faster but if you have them all, the plane won't gain the total sum of the speed gains of individual mods.

While at it, it occurred to me, does the Vne increase with the speed mods? Vne exists because the plane deforms past a certain speed. But if its drag is reduced (hence it flys faster at a certain power setting), does it mean that the destructive drag force will be achieved at higher than the postulated Vne?

Thanks...

[EricJ]

12 minutes ago, FlyingDude said:

Oh that's for sure!!!

However I was just wondering the factual speed gain. As we all know, Lasar speed mods do make the plane faster but if you have them all, the plane won't gain the total sum of the speed gains of individual mods.

While at it, it occurred to me, does the Vne increase with the speed mods? Vne exists because the plane deforms past a certain speed. But if its drag is reduced (hence it flys faster at a certain power setting), does it mean that the destructive drag force will be achieved at higher than the postulated Vne?

Thanks...

It depends on what the limiting issue is that defines Vne for a particular airplane.   A common limitation is control surface flutter, which won't likely be affected by drag changes elsewhere.    Regardless, Vne is determined during certification, so unless the certification basis (TCDS) is changed or a specific STC changes Vne (which would be unusual), it doesn't change.

 

[1980Mooney]

On 8/5/2022 at 1:39 PM, FlyingDude said:

Just wondering...  Requesting PIREPs from those who have the Lo Presti cowl:

How many knots of additional speed would you gain if you already have all the Lasar speed mods (cowl fairings, 201 windshield, engine cowl air inlet restriction, etc)?

Here it says 7-13mph.  10 knots for the E?  With our without the Lasar cowl mod, blocking the lower portion of the cowl??

https://www.aviationconsumer.com/accessories/loprestis-super-mooney-cowl/

 

On 8/5/2022 at 4:39 PM, carusoam said:

One just sold this week…

https://mooneyspace.com/search/?q=Lopresti&quick=1

It makes a great dress for a forever-M20J!

Bring your M20J up to new millennium standards…

Keep in mind, the late 70s M20Js are still very aerodynamic!

The Lopresti cowl adds some nice access too….

Has anyone actually spoken to Whelen (WAT) about the legacy LoPresti speed mods for Mooney?  The link in the Aviation Consumer article to the cowl mod no longer works.  And Whelen no longer advertises or shows any speed mods online for Mooney.  They do still show speed and cowl mods for Piper.

https://flywat.com/collections/cowl-aircraft-mods

[FlyingDude]

1 hour ago, 1980Mooney said:

Has anyone actually spoken to Whelen (WAT) about the legacy LoPresti speed mods for Mooney? 

Not me. 

[M20F]

10 minutes ago, AZB said:

I don’t know what cowling this is but this is what I have… Compared to some of the other stories I’ve read on the forum I have yet to ever experience any high oil temperature readings in summer on climb out so whatever it is works quite well…

Looks like SWTA cowling. 

[M20F]

18 minutes ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Look at the cowl flaps and it’s lack of removable “cheek pieces”.  It is an OEM M20J cowling.  

You look to be correct.  Hard to zoom in on the pic. 

[FlyingDude]

4 hours ago, AZB said:

I don’t know what cowling this is but this is what I have… Compared to some of the other stories I’ve read on the forum I have yet to ever experience any high oil temperature readings in summer on climb out so whatever it is works quite well…

 

Indeed it looks pretty neat.  I wish mine looked like that, though my kids liken the plane's "mouth" (with the Lasar lower cowl closure) to "Baby Shark".

Could you share some performance info?  Such as, at MTOW or another known weight, what IAS do you observe at nearly standard temperature and at around 5000-8000 altitude at what engine settings (MAP and RPM) and at what fuel flow?  Do you have other Lasar speed mods (aileron and tail fairings, etc.)?  

Just trying to understand the incremental speed increase by this mod on top of all other mods... 

Thank you.

[EricJ]

24 minutes ago, AZB said:

I think I have the 201 OEM J cowl, aileron or flap track covers, tail mod fairings, 201 windshield etc.

I did the 4 corners test recently, NSEW using ground speed to determine TAS.  At a mid weight, WOT, 2400 range RPM, 6500 feet I believe, might have been 4500.......the result was 149 kts and 151 kts TAS on two different runs.  Seems to burn around 11 - 11.5 gph at those numbers.

Here are some additional photos as well.

That's a really nicely modified C model!   It's weird to see an engine in a 201 cowl without the fuel injection on top of it.