M20E to 201 Panel Upgrade??

[dylanac]

Toying with the idea of upgrading my E model to a modern panel, there are quite a few 201 panels for sale here and there, what is the legality/simplicity of this upgrade? Has anyone attempted it? Planning on doing this along with the yoke upgrade. My main concern is how this will interact with the upper dash assembly without the 201 windshield mod. Thoughts? I would upgrade but with the market how it is and I just sunk a bunch into my panel, catch up maintenance, etc, it's not worth it for me.

[MB65E]

I like mine. I wouldn’t even go through the steps on getting a “201” panel. Just make its flat and carve out to suit what you like. There was an STC years ago for it but even with all Mooney parts it’s still a hack job. It was a lazy STC. Fuel sending units didn’t match gauges. Annunciation wiring was a mess. Fuel gauges were not the correct. It’s major surgery.  I’ve since added and removed a few things since this photo. One thing to note where I have my 530 is about as high as it will fit.  I plan on trimming the corners a bit and making a new glare-shield. That’s an issue too as all the plastic pieces will no longer fit. 
 

I’ve. seen some really nice legacy panels. But it is really nice to have proper space for things. Mine was done By the prior owner in ‘91

-Matt

[dylanac]

7 hours ago, MB65E said:

I like mine. I wouldn’t even go through the steps on getting a “201” panel. Just make its flat and carve out to suit what you like. There was an STC years ago for it but even with all Mooney parts it’s still a hack job. It was a lazy STC. Fuel sending units didn’t match gauges. Annunciation wiring was a mess. Fuel gauges were not the correct. It’s major surgery.  I’ve since added and removed a few things since this photo. One thing to note where I have my 530 is about as high as it will fit.  I plan on trimming the corners a bit and making a new glare-shield. That’s an issue too as all the plastic pieces will no longer fit. 
 

I’ve. seen some really nice legacy panels. But it is really nice to have proper space for things. Mine was done By the prior owner in ‘91

-Matt

Thanks for the response, the panel looks great! Do you happen to know the STC at all? I recently installed a GTN750 and some other goodies, along with redoing the avionics master and was just not quite happy how it turned out, using what little space I had on the copilot panel for CBs. I have since added some additional boxes and find myself really constrained by the existing panels. I did explore redoing the existing ones but if I’m going through all that work, I might as well just get a panel with more space so I don’t have this issue again. The major surgery part doesn’t bother me at all, I redid almost all the wiring in the plane when I put the 750 in. My concern now is a 750 and GMA 340 fitting if you had issues with the 530. Would it be legal to swap the panel the a 201-Esque panel and then use those engine gauges off of a 201 or F model? I’ve seen a couple floating around with the proper fuel quantity. 

[MB65E]

My gauges are still wrong, but they were approved via the paperwork. You could find the later E model gauges 75ish?  F and j had the bigger tanks. I’ll look for the STC. Looking back I would install everything via log entry without an STC. 

[MB65E]

STC SA7828SW.

-Matt

[dylanac]

Thank you! I'm look at used 201 panels on ebay right now and it looks like these might bolt up without too much modifications. I've seen this done on a lot of C and E models, just not without the 201 windshield. Can you comment on the fit of the panels behind the glare shield? it looks as if everything on the left side has the same mounting holes as the existing panel. It also doesnt look any taller, just that it's squared off instead of tapering down from the highest point in the center like the E panel. Now to convince my goto A&P to do this on a logbook entry.

It looks like that STC references a Mark Seglem Drawing List Number 210000, any leads on that?

[MB65E]

It was a Southwest Texas Aero modification. I don’t think there will be any issue with the stock windscreen as all the mods are aft of the existing panel. (Airplane aft). 
-Matt

[M20F-1968]

I have a highly modified F model.   Take a look at my album for pictures.   The panel that you pictured  was one produced by Russell Stallings  at Southwest Texas aviation in San Marcus Texas.   Russell has passed away,  and his company was sold.   I doubt the STC is  likely orphaned.  

 The panel in my airplane was modeled after that in the Ovation.   Such panels,  including J model panels,  cannot be simply mounted into a E model.   They amounted very differently  and use an instrument panel bow which is a bent tube which is found behind the top edge and sides of the panel into which the panel screwed.   The   instrument panel bow  is secured by screws into a  cylindrical receptacle welded to the steel cage.  

 That being said,  you should be able to modify you E model to accept  a new panel such as was done in Russell's STC.   I have finished panels which you might be able to use.   If you're interested I can send pictures.   I had one rendition which was all steam gauges  in the left pilot panel.   I later went to G 600.  

John Breda

[dylanac]

4 hours ago, M20F-1968 said:

I have a highly modified F model.   Take a look at my album for pictures.   The panel that you pictured  was one produced by Russell Stallings  at Southwest Texas aviation in San Marcus Texas.   Russell has passed away,  and his company was sold.   I doubt the STC is  likely orphaned.  

 The panel in my airplane was modeled after that in the Ovation.   Such panels,  including J model panels,  cannot be simply mounted into a E model.   They amounted very differently  and use an instrument panel bow which is a bent tube which is found behind the top edge and sides of the panel into which the panel screwed.   The   instrument panel bow  is secured by screws into a  cylindrical receptacle welded to the steel cage.  

 That being said,  you should be able to modify you E model to accept  a new panel such as was done in Russell's STC.   I have finished panels which you might be able to use.   If you're interested I can send pictures.   I had one rendition which was all steam gauges  in the left pilot panel.   I later went to G 600.  

John Breda

My God, you were not lying about the highly modified part. That thing is sweet! After looking at a 201 panel/top cowl for sale on eBay, I see what you are saying about the mounting. I actually have a bracket for the right side panels, where it secures to the left panel to the two radio stacks and the right CB/engine gauge panel. That includes provisions for the angled engine bracket. All of these panels look like they bolt on the bottom to that bar that runs across the bottom. Would I be able to assemble a panel from this, take out the old stuff, and secure the top bracket to the existing frame? Surely that shouldn't be any less legal than a fully custom panel with the STC. I plan on using a 201 annunciator panel and engine gauge, which looks like it is part of the STC (sans annunciator panel).