Much as I love homebuilts and vintage aircraft, a reality check of my budget suggest that I might want to tackle restoring and updating a modest 1960s-1970s GA aircraft, especially if I want to take more than one family member at a time or much baggage up in the air with me. Not that I will stop dreaming and perhaps buidling a single- or two-seater on the side, but that's another thread. ;-)
I would think that you could start with a time-worn but airworthy Piper Cherokee and then overhaul and update it so it's actually lighter and better performing than it came from the factory. I don't mean putting in glass panels or anything radical, just complete inspections and overhaul, a thorough tear-down and cleaning, new interior and exterior, new lightweight electronics to replace the boat-anchor period ones, removing unwanted IFR equipment for a basic modern VFR panel, lightweight starter and battery, etc. Of course, the mechanical bits would all need to be done and the whole project overseen by an A&P, but there is a lot of elbow grease work that I could do myself.
Does anyone have any links to sites or articles documenting this kind of restoration and update on a modest budget?
I would think that you could start with a time-worn but airworthy Piper Cherokee and then overhaul and update it so it's actually lighter and better performing than it came from the factory. I don't mean putting in glass panels or anything radical, just complete inspections and overhaul, a thorough tear-down and cleaning, new interior and exterior, new lightweight electronics to replace the boat-anchor period ones, removing unwanted IFR equipment for a basic modern VFR panel, lightweight starter and battery, etc. Of course, the mechanical bits would all need to be done and the whole project overseen by an A&P, but there is a lot of elbow grease work that I could do myself.
Does anyone have any links to sites or articles documenting this kind of restoration and update on a modest budget?
