1956 M20 Resurrection

[Sabremech]

Most MSers are probably familiar with the M20 that I picked up. It was listed here as a Free M20A in southeastern Wi. It ended up not being an A model but a straight 0-320 powered M20. 
I thought I would start a separate new thread to share bringing it back to airworthy. I’ll update this thread as I do the “ inspect and repair as necessary”, or IRAN. 
This will be probably a year long process to get it flying as my full time job is quite busy and I commute 5 hours home on weekends from Southeastern Wi. My plan is to get it flying, fly it a bit and then sell it. As much as I’d like to keep it long term, it’s just too expensive and I’m not willing to spend that kind of money when I’m done working full time in a year and a half. I’ll start updating this thread from the beginning to where the project is today. 
Thanks,

David

[KSMooniac]

Hard to be any more vintage! I love this. What is the serial number? I'm looking forward to your progress reports.

Sent from my motorola edge plus 2023 using Tapatalk

[LANCECASPER]

6 hours ago, KSMooniac said:

What is the serial number? 

Looks like 1069. https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=5206B

[outermarker]

I flew 5261B for 10 years. A good wax will keep the wings very slippery! There is another wood wing in a hangar at Hinkley Airport in Illinois, just west of ARR. It's ready to be picked up. The guy bought it for the engine.

 

Edited August 23 by outermarker

[Sabremech]

Adding to the M20 story, here are some pictures of the disassembly and moving from Gary Indianna to Waukegan IL, UGN. It took about 6 hours to disassemble by myself and the load the tail and tail one in my trailer. That was done on a Saturday. On Sunday I came back south and loaded the fuselage section on a 36 foot flatbed trailer with help from a friend. It was a fun drive around Chicago. 
This all happened pretty quickly as I received pictures and talked with the broker on a Thursday and when I asked how long I had to move it the answer was by the upcoming Sunday. Time to get moving. 

[Sabremech]

First thing I wanted to determine was still in airworthy shape was the wood wing. Second was the engine internals and then trying to start it. The wing is in good shape with just a patch or two required on the fabric. The engine was borescope and looked clean and two short duns have been completed. The engine mounts were in really poor shape and the engine sagged so much into the firewall that I couldn’t get it to idle below 1300 RPM. Throttle was bound up with the gear warning switch that is mounted on the engine side of the firewall. New mounts were installed and waiting to run it again after upgrading the gear disks IAW S/B M20-161. Nose gear is almost complete then on to the main disk changes. 

[Fly Boomer]

8 minutes ago, Sabremech said:

The wing is in good shape with just a patch or two required on the fabric.

I'm stunned by how nice that wing looks.  All you did was wash and wax?  Looks gorgeous.

[Sabremech]

39 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

I'm stunned by how nice that wing looks.  All you did was wash and wax?  Looks gorgeous.

Yep. I was amazed at what was underneath the barn dirt! I still have to clean the tailbone before re-installing it. I’m planning to rework the back windows as I absolutely dislike the teardrop window. Going to make it look more like the later C window. Perfect time to do this work is before putting the tail cone back on. 
David

[Jerry Pressley]

Great job of disassembly and loading. 

[Sabremech]

Catching up a bit to the current status of the M20. Here’s a few more pictures of this bird. I love the old avionics switch which is a choke cable attached to two switches tied together on the engine side of the firewall. Simple but works. Also a few other pictures of the wood wing along with the instrument panel and aux fuel tank. 
David

[hammdo]

The wood looks immaculate… I bet she flys great…

-Don

[Sabremech]

On 8/23/2024 at 8:47 AM, outermarker said:

I flew 5261B for 10 years. A good wax will keep the wings very slippery! There is another wood wing in a hangar at Hinkley Airport in Illinois, just west of ARR. It's ready to be picked up. The guy bought it for the engine.

 

Any information for the guy at Hinkley you can share? Not that I need another Mooney, but you never know what parts might be needed in the future. 
Thanks,

David

[AJ88V]

This is awesome, David.  6 hours to disassemble all by yourself???!!!  I'm really impressed.

FWIW, my own plane almost suffered this fate.  I was given a notice on October 31, 2022, that Washington Executive (Hyde Field/W32) was closing and all aircraft needed to be removed by the end of November.  Thirty days was not much time to get a ferry permit, an aviation medical (which I failed - hence no BFR, no ticket), then trying to find a Mooney-rated ferry pilot with DC3 FRZ clearance approval.  We did get her moved about 4 days before closing.  It was pandemonium on the field and I saw 3 aircraft in various states of disassembly to be trucked out of there.  Interesting to see how a Mooney comes apart!

Looking forward to your progress and seeing '06 Bravo take to the skies again!

 

[Barneyw]

Hi David

That looks like a fun project. Is that a standard field break position of the empennage on all Mooneys or just early models?

Cheers

Barney

 

[Sabremech]

34 minutes ago, Barneyw said:

Hi David

That looks like a fun project. Is that a standard field break position of the empennage on all Mooneys or just early models?

Cheers

Barney

 

Good morning Barney,

This is the standard break apart position for all Mooney’s. The number of bolts to hold the tail cone on has increased over the years by model.

Thanks,

David

[Kelpro999]

On 8/26/2024 at 12:55 PM, Sabremech said:

Going to make it look more like the later C window. Perfect time to do this work is before putting the tail cone back on. 

 Somewhat depressing to hear, that iconic look first begs attention to the vintage m20 then as one approaches the wings become a true focal point.

It’s your choice of course but you do have a rare condition early Mooney.

[A64Pilot]

In my opinion, especially as your wanting to sell, I would do NO mods.

I think your best chance of getting a good price is to someone that wants a Vintage Mooney, and those types will pay more for unmodified AKA “unmolested” aircraft.

Maybe some old guy with money that would love to have his old Mooney back. Me for example I would love to have my 1971 Westfalia camper again, just can’t bring myself to part with the 40K a good one costs. I think I sold it in about 1985 for two or three K, now it would be worth 40K. I may as I get older part with the likely 50K one would cost then, I’ve missed the thing ever since I sold it.

Just like old cars modifications or improvements usually decrease the value of the car.

[Andy95W]

On 8/26/2024 at 3:55 PM, Sabremech said:

I’m planning to rework the back windows as I absolutely dislike the teardrop window. Going to make it look more like the later C window. 

Not my decision, obviously, but I really hope you leave it original.  My first Mooney was a 1967 M20C.  When I was shopping for my current one, I specifically looked away from anything pre-1965 just because of the windows.

Now I’m glad I got my 1964 in spite of the old window shape.  It’ll grow on you, I promise.  If nothing else, it’s the way Al Mooney himself envisioned the airplane.

[MikeOH]

I'll be the next one to pile on:  DON'T mess with the design!  Go for a pristine classic, not a resto-mod.  Please and thank you!

[201er]

5 hours ago, MikeOH said:

I'll be the next one to pile on:  DON'T mess with the design!  Go for a pristine classic, not a resto-mod.  Please and thank you!

So, no GTN 750, G5s, sloped windshield, or sabremech cowl mod? 

[hammdo]

That push button starter reminds me of some of the 50’s cars my Dad had when I was a kid - some were on the floorboard!

-Don

[Hank]

6 minutes ago, hammdo said:

That push button starter reminds me of some of the 50’s cars my Dad had when I was a kid - some were on the floorboard!

-Don

I thought they were all originally on the floor before some moved to the dash, 9nly to be replaced by keys in the dash (which mostly moved to the steering column).

New cars have returned to push button start--my car on the dash, my truck beside the shifter o pn the floor (I think).

[Sabremech]

1 hour ago, 201er said:

So, no GTN 750, G5s, sloped windshield, or sabremech cowl mod? 

I can’t tell at this time! Will have to be a surprise!

David

[MB65E]

Great project for you David. We all figured your last airplane wouldn’t be the last. 
I’d leave it original and invest the effort in better things. Hope you bring it to Oshkosh!! How’s the corporate gig and Warbird? 
-Matt

[Sabremech]

7 hours ago, MB65E said:

Great project for you David. We all figured your last airplane wouldn’t be the last. 
I’d leave it original and invest the effort in better things. Hope you bring it to Oshkosh!! How’s the corporate gig and Warbird? 
-Matt

Hi Matt,

Good to hear from you. It’s going to be impossible for me to leave it 100% original. I do have an interested party that I talked to about my plans and they love it. They feel the same as I do in regards to the rear windows. We’ll see what does or doesn’t get done! I’ll have to post pictures of the fuselage covered under a sheet now! 
The corporate job is crazy busy as always. That’s why the Mooney progress is much slower than I thought I could get done by now. As for Warbird, we have the jets for sale. It was in our plan to sell them about now. The P-40 IRAN is coming along nicely but still expect it to be two more years before ready to fly again. How’s everything out West? 

David