Which Mooney to buy?

[ReeceW]

Hi all,

I'm a Cessna 170B owner (I can already hear the gasps and dismay), but I'm looking to make change to a Mooney to better suit my mission.

I adore my 170 because she's beautiful, and has great STOL capabilities, but I use it almost exclusively for commuting and not for backcountry applications. At 110mph IAS, it's too slow for the long commutes. Additionally, I live on Vancouver Island in Canada, and do 90% of my flying over water. I'd like something if my engine dies it's not going to go ass over tea kettle into the drink like my 170 with big tires.

I've done some research, but know little about Mooneys. Maybe you can help me—

I do a lot a flying with mountain bikes in the back, so storage is my #1 priority. I've heard M20F's are the long body Mooneys? Are there any other long body Mooneys with a different model designation? 

I'm in Canada, but my budget is under $100K CAD (~$87 USD), and I want something with decent paint, interior, VFR, and low/mid time engine. My price range allows for a retro Mooney. Appreciate any advice on this. 

Edited June 30, 2021 by ReeceW

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard Reece…

We have a thread for everything around here…

Many people like to travel with bikes and other modes of transportation…

So hit the search function and put bike in there see what comes up…

covers and bags and wheels all come up….

 

Don’t sell the 170 yet….  We have a few MSers that hold onto their tail draggers for some reason…

Get your facts straight….  

Mooneys come in three sizes…

• Short body
• Mid body… this is where the M20F resides
• Long body

Mooneys fly throughout Canada…. Canada has one of the best Mooney Service Centers in the world…

For speed and efficiency….

Go Mooney!

Best regards,

-a-

[ArtVandelay]

I think you’ll need to remove the rear seats or get a model with fold down rear seat.

search for “folding mountain bike”

 

 

[Guest]

4 hours ago, ReeceW said:

Hi all,

I'm a Cessna 170B owner (I can already hear the gasps and dismay), but I'm looking to make change to a Mooney to better suit my mission.

I adore my 170 because she's beautiful, and has great STOL capabilities, but I use it almost exclusively for commuting and not for backcountry applications. At 110mph IAS, it's too slow for the long commutes. Additionally, I live on Vancouver Island in Canada, and do 90% of my flying over water. I'd like something if my engine dies it's not going to go ass over tea kettle into the drink like my 170 with big tires.

I've done some research, but know little about Mooneys. Maybe you can help me—

I do a lot a flying with mountain bikes in the back, so storage is my #1 priority. I've heard M20F's are the long body Mooneys? Are there any other long body Mooneys with a different model designation? 

I'm in Canada, but my budget is under $100K CAD (~$87 USD), and I want something with decent paint, interior, VFR, and low/mid time engine. My price range allows for a retro Mooney. Appreciate any advice on this. 

Welcome to Mooneyspace.

There is a 1977 Quebec based J model for sale on Kijiji for 115,000CDN

Clarence

[MBDiagMan]

5 hours ago, ReeceW said:

Hi all,

I'm a Cessna 170B owner (I can already hear the gasps and dismay), but I'm looking to make change to a Mooney to better suit my mission.

I adore my 170 because she's beautiful, and has great STOL capabilities, but I use it almost exclusively for commuting and not for backcountry applications. At 110mph IAS, it's too slow for the long commutes. Additionally, I live on Vancouver Island in Canada, and do 90% of my flying over water. I'd like something if my engine dies it's not going to go ass over tea kettle into the drink like my 170 with big tires.

I've done some research, but know little about Mooneys. Maybe you can help me—

I do a lot a flying with mountain bikes in the back, so storage is my #1 priority. I've heard M20F's are the long body Mooneys? Are there any other long body Mooneys with a different model designation? 

I'm in Canada, but my budget is under $100K CAD (~$87 USD), and I want something with decent paint, interior, VFR, and low/mid time engine. My price range allows for a retro Mooney. Appreciate any advice on this. 

No gasp or dismay here!  I love the 170!  It’s the big brother of my 140.

Sounds like an F or J is what you’re looking for.  Do you need it to be IFR?  If not, one should be in your budget.  If you want IFR and autopilot, find one already equipped that way.

I bought my first Mooney over four years ago, and getting rid of my sweet little taildragger never entered my mind.  Both my planes have different missions.  

My F, which has been modified to a virtual aerodynamic equivalent to a J, would be really close to your price range if it were for sale.  It has a great panel but no autopilot beyond the standard wing leveler.

[slowflyin]

Good Morning,

My path, 120, 170, F, and now a Bravo.   My F model ( with all the J mods except the wing root fairings)  had fantastic dispatch reliability, great UL, and cruised at 146-148 true all day long on 8.8 LOP.   With 64 usable it was a fantastic commuter.   

[ReeceW]

Alas, I cannot keep both planes otherwise I would. The 170 is a gorgeous plane and wish I could keep it for weekend trips.

To confirm here, the F is a mid-body length Mooney?

Is it the only mid-body length Mooney? How about the E's? 

[DXB]

12 minutes ago, ReeceW said:

Alas, I cannot keep both planes otherwise I would. The 170 is a gorgeous plane and wish I could keep it for weekend trips.

To confirm here, the F is a mid-body length Mooney?

Is it the only mid-body length Mooney? How about the E's? 

Cs Ds Es are short bodies - almost all Ds have been "converted" to Cs (retractable gear installed).  

 Gs Fs Js Ks are the mid-bodies. 

Cs Ds Gs are carbureted, rest fuel injected.  

C, D, E, or F, and G are considered "vintage" and would likely fit your mission and be within your price range.

Edited June 30, 2021 by DXB

[DCarlton]

15 minutes ago, ReeceW said:

Alas, I cannot keep both planes otherwise I would. The 170 is a gorgeous plane and wish I could keep it for weekend trips.

To confirm here, the F is a mid-body length Mooney?

Is it the only mid-body length Mooney? How about the E's? 

F, J, and K's are "mid body" length.  My F is similar to a few posts above; it has all the J mods.  A nice F should be in your price range.  I've never had any second thoughts about my Mooney choice or F choice.  I only wish I could have started out with a really nice J but that would have been twice the money 15+ years ago.  With that said, a really nice E could be fun and useful too.  [I left out the G's; covered well in the above post].  

Edited June 30, 2021 by DCarlton

[ReeceW]

12 minutes ago, DXB said:

Cs Ds Es are short bodies - almost all Ds have been "converted" to Cs (retractable gear installed).  

 Gs Fs Js Ks are the mid-bodies. 

Cs Ds Gs are carbureted, rest fuel injected.  

C, D, E, or F, and G are considered "vintage" and would likely fit your mission and be within your price range.

Thanks for the clarification here. Sounds like F will suit my mission best as it's the most affordable mid-body Mooney. Now I just gotta find one!

[kris_adams]

Love the 170s as well...If I could swing another it would be a 170.  Good luck on your decision and look forward to following. -K

[A64Pilot]

For things like mountain bikes etc. it’s not so much interior space as it is the size of the hole it has to go through, and the wing it has to go over

A folding mountain bike would be a real PIA, best folding bikes are Bike Fridays or Brompton’s, but you pay for what you get. Might get a Bike Friday though the baggage compt door.

A Dahon is a good mid priced alternative, I have three Mariners, one motorized and haven’t tried to get any of them in the Mooney, they will fit, but getting them in and out is going to be tough.

For hauling stuff, get a Maule, 130 -135 kt cruise and station wagon type doors, a good one is in your price range and nothing is cheaper to maintain than a Maule.

 

For those that don’t understand we keep our tailwheels because they are a challenge to land, they require a skill set that nose draggers don’t and not much beats flying around with the door off or the windows open and your arm out like a car.

Oh, and if any are interested the C-140 prototype first flew two days and 76 years ago. Think about that a minute, we were still at War with Japan, the first nuke hadn’t been tested yet, and Cessna is building a Civilian airplane for after the War.

‘My little 140 is 75 years old and will outlive me barring a major incident.

Edited June 30, 2021 by A64Pilot

[HRM]

12 hours ago, ReeceW said:

I'm a Cessna 170B owner...

Boy is your life about to change...for the better 

[Guest]

7 hours ago, ReeceW said:

Thanks for the clarification here. Sounds like F will suit my mission best as it's the most affordable mid-body Mooney. Now I just gotta find one!

Here’s the Quebec J.  By the time you find and import an F model from the US, you’ll spend as much as this J.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-autos-autres/longueuil-rive-sud/aircraft-avion-mooney-m20j-201/1561245864?undefined

Clarence

[MikeOH]

Another happy "F" owner, but if you are used to a 170, hauling bikes is going to be a PITA, I'm afraid.  As others said, the back seat is going to need to come out, and you'll be loading through the cabin door across the back of the folded forward front seats...no way a bike is going through the baggage door!

[Ragsf15e]

1 hour ago, MikeOH said:

Another happy "F" owner, but if you are used to a 170, hauling bikes is going to be a PITA, I'm afraid.  As others said, the back seat is going to need to come out, and you'll be loading through the cabin door across the back of the folded forward front seats...no way a bike is going through the baggage door!

Totally agree.  Might actually have to pull the copilot seat as well.

[Prior owner]

This gives you some basic info on the different models that were manufactured:

 

Mooney Buyer’s Guide