Ercoupe project wanted

wby0nder

wby0nder

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Matt Michael
Hey folks, I've got a pal who's looking for a project Ercoupe. If you know of a plane that is sitting with flat tires and covered with dust, in need of AD's, annual, TLC, and whatever please let me know. Probably not too interested in "basket case" projects but if they are complete and cheap it might be worth a look. Good hunting and thanks!

Matt Michael
 
hmm someone was talking to me the other day and said there were several on Barnstormers. I think I told him to email you but who knows if he did.
 
Someone was telling me they are becoming harder to find as they meet the LSA limitations. I don't know if this is true or not but it would make sense with another person saying they can't be found as cheap as they used to be.
 
tonycondon said:
hmm someone was talking to me the other day and said there were several on Barnstormers. I think I told him to email you but who knows if he did.
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The trick is to find the ones that aren't already on Barnstormers.

LSA regs seem to have boosted the value of the qualifying Ercoupe models but I wouldn't say it's made them harder to find. May have made them easier to find.

MM
 
I believe there is a dusty older Ercoupe at Kezer Airport near Ft. Worth. At least it was there a year or so ago, and looked like it hadn't flown in a few years. It was in an open T-hangar, and didn't look bad except that it had been sitting for a while. I have no idea if it is for sale or who even owns it, but you could call the owner of the airport (Joe Crosswell) and I bet he could tell you.

Oh yeah, if you go down there, you have to walk accross the street to "The Wild Onion", a decent little country resturaunt. Have a burger and some peanut butter pie. It sounds awful, but it is really great.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/61TE
 
SteveR said:
I believe there is a dusty older Ercoupe at Kezer Airport near Ft. Worth.

Thanks Steve!

Hot on the trail of a project 3 hours from my house but will keep that one in mind.

MM
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If you get really interested & talk to the owner, I know a few guys in the area who could probably check it out a little & take a bunch of pictures. Let me know if you get that far and I will talk to them.q
 
I called and got the former owner John Weiland. It was an interesting call.

He said the coupe was flying again after changing hands. When the guy was serviceing the engine he pulled a push rod and didn't realize the lifter dropped down into the case. He put the pushrod back and when he ran the engine the lifter banged around and trashed the motor. Drag!

Anyway, we got to talking and he said he was from Iowa (where I live) and had at one point flown the governor around. I asked which administration and it turned out to be the same one my step-dad was treasurer for in the 60s! He actually remembered my Step Dad!

Small world
 
Interesting. Sorry it didn't work out for you, I'll keep my eyes open for 'coupes. I hate to see a good airplane rotting away.
 
SteveR said:
Interesting. Sorry it didn't work out for you, I'll keep my eyes open for 'coupes. I hate to see a good airplane rotting away.
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No kidding. It will drive a guy insane!

There was an Ercoupe sitting in a farmyard next to I80 near Des Moines for years and years, wings off, weeds growing up around it. Dozens of people stopped in to talk with the "old coot" who owned it including myself. It made people around here crazy. Eventually, a couple years ago it and the barn and house vanished. Word is his son has it a few counties away probably rotting. What a waste.
 
Here at the local airport there must be 5-10 of em collecting dust, weeds and such.

It is usually cheaper to buy a flying plane than one that has sat for more than 2-3 years, but hey.... to each his own :)

The airport is Brookhaven (HWV) in the center of Long Island, NY

If ya want, I can write down the n#s for you.

Remember that not all coupes are light & you can't just make em light.
 
Eamon said:
Remember that not all coupes are light & you can't just make em light.
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I don't care if it's light. I just want one that's pure energy.

MM

"It's not the bullet that kills you. It's the hole"
L Anderson
 
I think Eamon is referring that not all Ercoupes are light enough to qualify under the sport pilot rule. If Joe is looking to fly it as a sport pilot this will be an important consideration.

and god knows an Ercoupe would break into pieces before it got going fast for its matter to start turning into light particles!
 
tonycondon said:
and god knows an Ercoupe would break into pieces before it got going fast for its matter to start turning into light particles!
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Fast you say? You must mean fast for a bicycle :) :)


And Yes.... Not all coupes can be Light Sport..... you cant chang the AW so you need to be careful if Light Sport is your intention
 
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I think they should have called it "Sport Lite".

Seriously, thanks for posting the whereabouts of these launguising Coupes. After I get mine squared away I'll post to the Ercoupe owners club.
 
Ercoupe has Continental 85 HP I believe Dave
 
Inspected 2 Ercoupes today with my I.A. buddy. Both are currently on Ebay by the same guy.

The "project" is a pile of corrosion and the "airworthy" example is a marginally flyable project with so many sketchy paperwork glitches it's almost comical. My I.A. looked under the cowl and in 3 seconds said "spray paint overhaul"

Buyer beware!
 
Contact Joe Rankin CFII A/P IA at maryville MO He did have a couple he was working on. He owns the Rankin Airport on the east side of Maryville. Fun place to fly into also.

Jon
 
dogman said:
Contact Joe Rankin CFII A/P IA at maryville MO He did have a couple he was working on. He owns the Rankin Airport on the east side of Maryville. Fun place to fly into also.

Jon
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Thank Jon,

Joe is a nice guy. Doesn't have anything that needs a new home at the moment but took my phone number down.

MM
 
I don't know who owns it, but there is a C model sitting in a hangar in Albany, MO. Story is that the owned passed away and left it to his nephew. Plane was last flown in the mid to late 90s. The airport is run by the city of Albany, no manager on site.
Good luck!!!!!!!!
 
Eamon said:
Here at the local airport there must be 5-10 of em collecting dust, weeds and such.

It is usually cheaper to buy a flying plane than one that has sat for more than 2-3 years, but hey.... to each his own :)

The airport is Brookhaven (HWV) in the center of Long Island, NY

If ya want, I can write down the n#s for you.

Remember that not all coupes are light & you can't just make em light.
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I would like to have those N numbers when you get a chance. Thanks!
MM
 
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