Need some sense talked into me.....

The funny thing is, scrap metal guys hate airplanes, you actually have to cut the rivet lines out to get a good price for the aluminum. I was using a multi cutter blade on a 4" pneumatic angle grinder to cut the clean metal panels out from between the rivet lines otherwise it sold for the same as the riveted aluminum that was half the money. Since the plane in question was a Cessna 411, that added up to a fair amount of value, and cutting. Took me a week and a half to tear it down and get it cut up.
 
We (the American Navion Society) had tons of Navion scrap that was either donated to us or were left over from when we acquired one of the earlier Navion manufacturing operations. It's been stored for a long time but really they're not of much use. Mostly wings that have some level of damage to them (and not worth salvaging parts from). We got some kids to haul them to the scrap yard, and it was hardly worth their time for what they got.


Now on this plane there may be some parts worth having, so parting out is an option. It's hard to see from the few pictures, but rebuilding it could be an option, but not starting at over $30K. I already detailed the things that are certain to be a problem. That presumes nothing else was damaged in the crash and that the airplane didn't have issues before.
 
I've been through a similar experience. It's difficult to tell a recent widow that what she has is worth only a fraction of what she thinks it is, despite how much her dear departed husband may have cherished it. It's a delicate situation considering how she probably feels vulnerable and may have been taken advantage of in other matters by unscrupulous types but the fact is she needs to get rid of that thing.

Unfortunately I'd say follow the advice given here and walk away because even if you could get her down to an acceptable price there's a chance the deal might end with hard or suspicious feelings. It's not worth it on your end.
 
Okay “The plane was declared salvage by the insurance company.” That means it is worthless and the insurance company knows it. However, they want to try and get a little return on their loss. I have restored many cashed aircraft as an A&P and this aircraft is worth maybe between 5 and 10K tops sight unseen. After looking at it may be worth even less than 5K.

These aircraft can be rebuilt, but they are very expensive excluding the engine and propeller there is a lot of structural work to do maybe even more with the corrosion. You can write the engine and propeller off they have to be replace or overhauled if they can be.

Just setting on the ground has taken a huge toll on all the instruments and interior again they should be replaced or overhauled.

If the insurance company will not give you the aircraft of almost nothing you really need to walk away there are better aircraft out there you could upgrade at a lot less money than it would take to restore this man cave project.
 
The widow of the old owner has it, which means it was either uninsured, or he bought the salvage back.
 
Correct Henning. The way i read the situation is he landed gear up, and planned to fix it (was an A&P), and then took ill and died about 5 years ago. I may end up telling her it's worth about 500 bucks to me and then go from there. I'm sure she will tell me to f off, but with the new engine, prop, avionics,and instruments, i will be in it for a LOT more than 40 large.
 
Grum.Man said:
Way Way Way over priced. It may be worth 5k as you could likely part it out and make that much but not a dime more. It will never be worth what you will have in it to fix it either. Having a salvage history really hurts resale.
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I don't even think it is worth that - the core on the 470, maybe $2,000 and some parts here and there - it will cost you more than $5k to part it out...
 
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