Things to look for - M20C

[Bkohler]

This is my first post, and my first time beginning to look at Mooney's. I am about to sell off my Cessna 152 and get something a bit faster. One of my business partners and I are looking at the M20C for the manual landing gear, and lower than comparable purchase price. My average mission is 250-400nm xc trips with 2-3 people and time building in the process. 

Is there anything in particular that we should be looking for as we dive into the search for a vintage Mooney?

My primary concern is getting a bird that is in good shape, but I also want an avionics suite that is IFR certified. I am willing to spend a bit extra to fulfill those needs. 

[DXB]

20 minutes ago, Bkohler said:

This is my first post, and my first time beginning to look at Mooney's. I am about to sell off my Cessna 152 and get something a bit faster. One of my business partners and I are looking at the M20C for the manual landing gear, and lower than comparable purchase price. My average mission is 250-400nm xc trips with 2-3 people and time building in the process. 

Is there anything in particular that we should be looking for as we dive into the search for a vintage Mooney?

My primary concern is getting a bird that is in good shape, but I also want an avionics suite that is IFR certified. I am willing to spend a bit extra to fulfill those needs. 

Welcome! It's a terrific plane that fits your mission. There's  TONS written here about prebuys here on the Vintage birds.  Google Mooneyspace prebuy (or similar, the search function for the website sucks).  Make sure key components of the airframe are corrosion free first (wing spar, steel cage for cabin).  If it checks out, then move on to evaluating the rest.  If you can find one with good avionics, it will save you a ton of money and time upgrading, but focus on the basics first when assessing a plane.

[cliffy]

This is what you need to pat attention to-

If you have more questions ask away right here on MS  Welcome  We all hope you find a great Mooney for you

(BTW  The Johnson Bar gear really is the best of the 2 :-) Shields up awaiting the incoming flak!!!

 

Check that all the model numbers and serial numbers match on everything with the log book, engine, prop, airframe, I do radios also. Actually read the data plates and compare to the logs. Check that the parts actually installed match what is contained in the TCDS and/or the logs show an STC change for the big stuff and changes for radios and electronics. Anything added like engine monitors, fuel flow gauges, etc should show an STC listing in the log books. 

Pull the rear seat bottom and open up the inspection holes to check for corrosion on the spar caps. Look at the spars real well in the main wheel wells for same. 

As noted fill up fuel tanks the night before and look for leaks the next day.

If you can jack the airplane do a gear over center torque check. Make sure the A&P has the correct tools to do it.

While on jacks, move the main gears in and out toward the wing tips for excessive movement. Lift the main wheels to check for play in the donuts. The donuts should expand enough after 5 mins unloaded to not have much movement. Check the mouse boots for condition in the main wheel wells. While down by the main gear look at the spar bottom between the fuselage and wheel wells. Look for smoking rivets there. The rivets that hold the spar sandwich together. That can be a big $$$$$$. I found one in AU with almost every rivet loose on the bottom of the spar. It was grounded by the owner when Kerrville said it had to be repaired. 

Nose gear area - if on jacks this is easy- twist the nose wheel left and right to check for excessive play in the steering linkage. More than about 10-15 degrees either side of center before tightening up on the linkage is too much. You will see the slop way at the top of the nose gear on the rod end linkage up there.  

Most important on the nose gear! Look and feel for dents where the steering system touches on the tubing for dents where it touches. Turn the wheel by hand and you will see where it touches and stops. MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO DENTS THERE!

The limit is 1/32" depression. Any dents and the nose gear comes out for repair $$$$

On the tail surfaces grab the tip of the stabilizer and try to move it up and down and fore and aft. If it moves or clicks you might have work to do. Limits are about 1/10th of an inch either way. Usually fixed by changing out the "close tolerance bolts' in the hinge. As noted lift up on the rudder to check for play in the jackscrew. Same limit about 1/10 of an inch. Lots of times it is wear on the 2 bolt hinge bracket at the aft end of the jackscrew and not the jackscrew it self. I found one stabilizer that moved 1/2 inch either side of center!

Look over the outside surface of the entire airplane for dents, filliform corrosion, hangar rash (the elevator tips seem to be especially susceptible to this damage and NO repairs are allowed to control surfaces (no patches, partial skin replacement, etc). The FAA in one case here on MS made a big thing out of this stuff on a routine ramp check on one of our posters. Basically they said it didn't come that way from the factory so fix it. 

I check all the exterior control surface rod ends to see if they are loose enough to move or if dry and frozen. If dry and frozen I start looking at the logs real close to see if the lube and gear swing AD had been being done. 

One item missed almost always due to the effort but it can cause big headaches, is pulling the sidewalls inside and actually looking at the steel tubing frame for rust. If the windows are not sealed well, water gets in there and runs down inside on the tubes and rusts them. The insulation SB aside. There is actually a SB describing how to check for leaks by pulling the sidewalls and directing a water hose at the windows looking for leaks. 

Make sure everything, and I mean every switch, knob and button works as designed! Put power to it and try all radios in all modes, all lights, all warnings (landing gear warning horn, stall warning horn, etc), all exterior lights, everything that can be turned on or off or moved in and out. There was one write up on here a while back where someone bought a Mooney and the stall warning didn't work nor did the gear warning (IIRC). That makes the airplane unairworthy. 

If on jacks (and it should be) do a gear swing and make sure the gear works properly. I've seen them signed off 3 months ago and they hang 3" from the wells when sucked up. If its electric gear do a manual drop also to make sure it works. Had a couple on this board recently that went in for annual and the manual gear drop didn't work. So check it out. Look to see if the gear actuator has ever been removed, cleaned, checked for proper gear lash and relubed. If it hasn't you may be doing that on the next annual yourself  It's that important. Disregard if its a manual gear.

It goes without saying that a full log book check is required for all applicable ADs and required inspections even though the annual has just been done. The logs tell a story and knowing how to read them is a skill. Make sure you know what to look for or have someone that does. 

The engine stuff is the normal stuff. Compression check, oil filter inspection, looking for leaks, cracks, anything not normal. Pull the plugs and read them, they too have a story to tell. 

My caution to any whom I help buy an airplane? Trust no one selling an airplane period. Take nothing for granted. Don't trust anything even though it just had an annual. If you do, it will bite you in the arse. Check and verify everything before money changes hands. Once you pay for it , its yours!

Good luck and show us pictures even of the prebuy!   :-) :-)

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[Hank]

You will not "build time" in a Mooney. Flown responsibility, I get ~145 knots true in my C, despite being told by everyone that my Hartzell 3-blade prop is slowing me down. This is about 5-1/2 hours flight time available. 

Yes, the Performance Tables show an endurance setting that will give more than 7 hours at reduced speeds (130-140 mph = 113-122 knots true) at 5000' or less, but I don't travel that low unless headwinds are strong.

For instance, I just returned to Alabama from Houston (505 nm) at 9500 msl at 125 knots indicated = ~149 knots true, with groundspeed varying from 135 - 170 knots as the winds went from left crosswind to right quartering tailwind.

Landing at home was fun. Runway 18 - 36; winds were 260@8G14, winds varying 240 to 320. Mooneys handle crosswinds well! I was a little long due to gusting, but had no issues holding centerline.

You'll like a Mooney, and C models are great. But compared to a 152, if you want to build time, you'll have to travel a lot further.

Have fun, and check back with questions. Just as important as finding a good plane is finding a good instructor to teach you how to properly fly the Mooney you purchase.

Please note that all Mooneys received electric flaps and gear beginning in 1969, and Cs were made up through 1977.