If you can ascertain that the prop change was not due to a strike, and that the "major" was a real overhaul by a real shop (like Mattituck, etc), and have room for the hulk, and can stand the time to part out the airframe, you could save maybe a few grand. The avionics aren't worth nothin'. I find it easier to just buy a good core and rebuild your own. It just takes less space & you know exactly what you've got.
 
A factory new IO-360 from Van's is less than $26k. Can you spend $35k on the Mooney and sell enough parts to get it under that? Even so, you will still have a used engine, not a factory new engine. I'm skeptical.
 
1959 M20A

My friend has a 1959 M20A with an O-320 for $16000.00. It is currently in annual and flys great. If anyone is interested I can get more information on the engine and prop.
 
A lot of the older Hartzel Propellor Hubs coming off of some of those Mooneys have AD's on them and require Eddy Current inspections. Some used planes will have these props. Nothing like a new blended foil prop from Vans if you are going CS. Just another thing to consider.
 
A wrecked one may be Better...

flion said:
A factory new IO-360 from Van's is less than $26k. Can you spend $35k on the Mooney and sell enough parts to get it under that? Even so, you will still have a used engine, not a factory new engine. I'm skeptical.
Click to expand...

A Mooney was wrecked landing just short of our airpark about 6 years ago with a lack of fuel in it's tanks.

The engine obviously had a prop strike, but wasn't producing power at the time...:) The prickly pear cactus slowed it down well, and the damage would have been less except for the tree trunk it hit at a slow speed - all occupants and their dog were uninjured.

It went for around $16,000 and had a fairly new Garmin stack in it as well as the IO-360. I would have bid on it if I knew it would go for so little...:mad:

If you check with the type groups, I'm sure there are some parts that can be salvaged for a large amount of $$ - you just need to find out which parts are in short supply for that model...:)
 
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I built my first airplane (a Long-EZ) by parting out a flying Tomahawk that I learned to fly in. Cost of the entire airplane was less than the engine. If you can find a good deal, it can be worth your while but you have to be able to sell the parts. Mine worked because the local flight school wanted a bunch of the parts.
 
I bought a wrecked 8A when I was building, it had a superior kit 0-360 and a new hartzell with less than 200 hours when it ran out of fuel and landed off airport.

It was a huge savings, and I would do it again. After the engine/prop teardown/inspection/repair, I had less than 20k into it.
 
Be careful!

There are a lot of Mooneys out there..... a fair number have been geared up. Make sure there are no blank spaces or torn out pages in the logs... and get details on any removed prop! I'm doing a 100 hr inspection on a 68C Mooney right now. The prop has issues.... it's a 5 yr/1500 hr overhaul schedule... whichever comes FIRST!!!!! Not do an overhaul every 16-20 yrs, I say that because you CANNOT SEE THE CORROSION ON THE INSIDE OF THE HUB. The eddycurrent inspection is every 100 hrs on some hubs. With the Overhaul and new hub, then I think it goes to 2000 hrs and 7yrs. So choose wisely my friends.... If you buy one for the engine.... it could be a great deal... you get some tires, avnx, an engine, a prop etc... storage to part it out could get expensive....
Best
Brian
 
Donor Mooney

dadroot said:
My friend has a 1959 M20A with an O-320 for $16000.00. It is currently in annual and flys great. If anyone is interested I can get more information on the engine and prop.
Click to expand...

I thought the M20A Mooneys had O-360-A1A 180hp engines. I'm going the donor plane route. It is just a matter of price and usable/sellable materials in the donor. Now that I have the donor in hand, I'm studying it to see how much can be reused. Keep in mind that when you buy a donor you are getting an ELT, radios, transponder/encoder, baffle, hose ends, reservoirs, and lots of other good stuff.

Will the Mooney plenum fit under an RV-8 cowl?
 
I paid $2,600 for a Tri-Pacer fuselage and prop incuding instruments just to get the engine. TRADED the prop and fuselage and sold the instruments. Rebuilt the engine to new specs for the first flight of my RV-6. First flight was September 1997. In the 15-years since I got that deal, the prices have gone up but if you have the space and know what you are getting or can afford a loss, there are good deals out there.
 
Another thing to look at with that engine is the cylinders. See how long they went between OH's, because many,many an older Mooney regularly lunched cyl's on a regular basis (like hundreds of hours).

Not sayin it's a horrible deal, but the fact is you can get a brand spankin new 360 built by a number of excellent companis (Barrett, Aerosport, etc..) for the low 20's. A parallel valve 360 is an excellent fit (the best in my opinion) for most of the RV's and can be pumped up a little bit without sacrificing the engine. For less than $30K you can have a brand new engine with a warranty, new prop, etc.. and that's the way I'd go if it were me!

My 2 cents as usual!

Cheers,
Stein
 
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