Rotorhead Posted June 2 Report Share Posted June 2 Pretty much as the title says, does anyone have the measurements for the belly skins of a 81' J? And better yet, if anyone's has any laying around that you don't want anymore, let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PT20J Posted June 3 Report Share Posted June 3 You didn't say if you are replacing skins, but if you are, I'd check and see what they cost to get from the factory. I've found some of Mooney's parts prices pretty reasonable on parts it manufacturers. Some of those panels have stiffeners and by the time you cut up sheet metal and rivet stiffeners and drill all the holes in the right places, it might be easier to just get one from Mooney. Besides, making parts is about all that's keeping the factory in business these days and it's good if we try to support them when possible. Just a thought.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtVandelay Posted June 3 Report Share Posted June 3 I would consider upgrading to a 1 piece belly panel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSMooniac Posted June 3 Report Share Posted June 3 I'll second what Skip suggests... you might call Maxwell or your favorite MSC and inquire if they'll make a set for you. You might be pleasantly surprised at the cost, IF they can/will make them. Maxwell has a sheet metal wizard too and might whip some out for modest cost too. (He made a main gear door for me years ago after the Chinese tripled the factory parts prices!) I have a smooth belly conversion on my list, but unfortunately installation is a ways out for me, so you cannot have my original panels yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Mooney Posted June 3 Report Share Posted June 3 (edited) Isn't this the same poor chap/CFI in Albuquerque that posted that he loaned his plane to someone who geared it up in Taos in 2022? In January, he said it is still AOG in Taos. He has also posted that his engine is in pieces due to a sad experience with an engine shop. He sounds like he is trying to fix this mainly himself on a budget. He has so many problems that I bet supporting the factory is the least of his concerns. Edited June 3 by Texas Mooney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotorhead Posted June 4 Author Report Share Posted June 4 10 hours ago, Texas Mooney said: Isn't this the same poor chap/CFI in Albuquerque that posted that he loaned his plane to someone who geared it up in Taos in 2022? In January, he said it is still AOG in Taos. He has also posted that his engine is in pieces due to a sad experience with an engine shop. He sounds like he is trying to fix this mainly himself on a budget. He has so many problems that I bet supporting the factory is the least of his concerns. You're not wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elijah Posted June 4 Report Share Posted June 4 I just went through this with my 77 J project. I could take dimensions of my old skins but you really need your old skins to make an effective copy, they aren't just square and of course you need to match all the holes exactly. If you're just looking for an estimate of how much material to order, I bought 10 ft of 48" wide, .032 2024T3 from airpartsinc.com. That was plenty to make all new skins and I have a decent bit leftover. Repairing/fabbing the bulkheads that hold the skins is the hard part... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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