@Eman1200 said I should do this...

FlySince9

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Display name:
Jerry
I kinda already announced this in another thread but @eman1200 said it deserved its own thread, so here we go...

I've read a lot of threads and also did a lot of research, but it wasn't until I got a$$ deep in the process before I realized how nerve racking buying an airplane can be. Especially if it's your first.

I found this plane online and immediately noticed it was out of annual since May 2018 (about 4 months) Red Flag, Right? But I contacted the owner anyway and he seemed like an honest guy that was over his head and just lost interest. He gave me the name and number of the mechanic who did the last annual. The mechanic told me that it was the cleanest vintage Mooney he'd ever seen. But being this mechanic was based at Madisonville, TN, I wondered how many he'd actually seen, much less worked on. He later actually refused to do an annual if it was going for a pre-purchase anyway. His reasons were unreasonable and I'm boring you enough already.

So anyway, I decided to go look at the plane and was amazed at its condition. The paint was impeccable and the interior was in great shape (both done in 2011). The Seller agreed, reluctantly, to fly the airplane down to Joey Cole, a Mooney Service Center at KDNN, since he, after all, had bought the airplane, unseen, just 2 years ago.

After 2 weeks of bad weather and dealing with the FSDO for a ferry permit, the plane made the 50 mile trip to KDNN. Two days later, Joey called to tell me that the airplane was, basically a mess. It appeared the last 7-8 annuals were, well lets just say less than adequate. The mags hadn't been inspected in over 1000 hours, the nose truss was bent, airbox was cracked, my God, even the tires were dry rotted. To make a long story short the estimate came to over $11K. Over $7K was needed just to cover stuff considered airworthy items. I told the seller he would have to cover at least all those airworthy items. He initially refused, but he did have an airplane on jacks, un-airworthy, and stuck 50 miles from home (I warned him that could happen before he flew it down there). He was gonna have to deal with that one way or another. So 2 days later he, ultimately, relented.

So Today at 12:30PM I became the 4th owner of Mooney N960GS...a 1965 Mooney M20-C (Mark 21). The extensive work will take about 3 weeks... UGH!

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Sweeeeeeet! Congrats!
 
Congrats! She does look good, and will soon be as good as she looks.

Have fun, get training from someone who knows Moo eys, and fly safe!

Join us over on MooneySpace . . . . . eman knows the way . . . . .
 
...Two days later, Joey called to tell me that the airplane was, basically a mess. It appeared the last 7-8 annuals were, well lets just say less than adequate. The mags hadn't been inspected in over 1000 hours, the nose truss was bent, airbox was cracked, my God, even the tires were dry rotted. To make a long story short the estimate came to over $11K. Over $7K was needed just to cover stuff considered airworthy items. I told the seller he would have to cover at least all those airworthy items. He initially refused, but he did have an airplane on jacks, un-airworthy, and stuck 50 miles from home (I warned him that could happen before he flew it down there). He was gonna have to deal with that one way or another. So 2 days later he, ultimately, relented.

So Today at 12:30PM I became the 4th owner of Mooney N960GS...a 1965 Mooney M20-C (Mark 21). The extensive work will take about 3 weeks... UGH!

...

Niiiice! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
Congrats!!

And a good example of the difference between a pre-purchase inspection and an "annual". Frankly $7k and three weeks for airworthiness items doesn't sound too terribly bad for a plane of that vintage and complexity. Buying an older used airplane is like starting a home renovation; before you start opening things up you never really know what you'll find.


all I have to say is, it better not be faster than mine...

The red ones just look faster. ;)
 
I’m not sure if I should congratulate you on the airplane or give you a virtual smack on the head for taking advice from @eman1200.

What the heck. Congrats!! :cheers:

Do both!

I admit, I was concerned about the thread title. It perhaps calls into question your judgement...

But, sweet airplane! Congratulations!

John
 
Congrats! Joey ain't cheap, but when it's done you'll have a by the books annual you can trust. Did you happen to see a lonely 201 off in the corner? Ours is there awaiting the new engine to ship and be installed.
 
Congrats! Joey ain't cheap, but when it's done you'll have a by the books annual you can trust. Did you happen to see a lonely 201 off in the corner? Ours is there awaiting the new engine to ship and be installed.
Nope... haven’t seen it since it left home base... not sure I want to in its current condition... LOL
 
Look forward to flying with you! Glad we'll have all those pesky little airworthiness items taken care of before flying it over the mountains :)
 
So he covered the $7k...are you getting the other $4k? Or delaying/defraying? Oh, and congrats!
 
Nice airplane!!! Sounds like a good deal. Magnetos pilots, keep after those magnetos.
 
Nice airplane!!! Sounds like a good deal. Magnetos pilots, keep after those magnetos.

Yep... there are about $20 worth of small plastic parts that need to be replaced on that 500hr, that if allowed to wear out and break will trash the whole mag.
 
Look forward to flying with you! Glad we'll have all those pesky little airworthiness items taken care of before flying it over the mountains :)

Thought of that... going around those. And staying close to airports on the way home...
 

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When I first saw the thread "eman said I should do this"...I prayed for you.

Joking aside (not that I was really joking), Congrats on the new bird! And seeing as how we live in the same town, would love to see it when you get it home!

P.S. Don't let @eman1200 talk you into basing it at JQF, that's for rich people....
 
Congratulations, fellow Mooniac! Glad to hear a Mooney is being restored to airworthiness! :)
 
Does this one have the dual mag (single housing)? I had half of one of those fail over Lake Okeechobee in a 201. Made it to Ft. Lauderdale Exec and had it fixed. Shop said the other one was toast too and we rebuilt the whole thing. Don't really care for that design.
 
Does this one have the dual mag (single housing)? I had half of one of those fail over Lake Okeechobee in a 201. Made it to Ft. Lauderdale Exec and had it fixed. Shop said the other one was toast too and we rebuilt the whole thing. Don't really care for that design.

We are re-engining right now, and two factors that swayed us towards going with the Lycoming factory overhaul:
  1. We will be going from flat tappets to roller tappets.
  2. We will be going from the Siamese single housing mags to two real independent mags.
 
Does this one have the dual mag (single housing)? I had half of one of those fail over Lake Okeechobee in a 201. Made it to Ft. Lauderdale Exec and had it fixed. Shop said the other one was toast too and we rebuilt the whole thing. Don't really care for that design.
its funny, my mechanic has had this plane for several weeks, much more time than I have (which amounts to about an hour), so I cannot answer your question... I don't think it does, though.

Any updates?

Mags are back but not installed...shoulder harnesses are installed, Laser has shipped the nose-wheel Truss... Other stuff progressing (tires, brakes, Air-box parts are in and will be installed next week... But no scheduled completion date yet)

Turns out airplane was not w&B after paint job, MSC is going to install a digital EI Carb temp gauge too... I hope I live long enough to fly this thing some day...:rolleyes2:
 
its funny, my mechanic has had this plane for several weeks, much more time than I have (which amounts to about an hour), so I cannot answer your question... I don't think it does, though....:rolleyes2:

I 'think' it does
 
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