150 C/S Decathlon for sale

[Bob Turner]

This one should be regarded as a project, but only because it has been parked outside and not flown for four years. 1979 model, with metal spar factory covered wings - they are ok, except the red is faded (of course). New lift strut attach fittings three years ago.
Fuselage was retaped and painted with Aerothane five or six years ago - prior to that it had had some form of electrical tape over cracks along the stringers. It is airworthy but needs new fabric. I will post photos of problem areas. Good Garmin 300 Com/GPS, transponder with encoder, no ADS-B.
It flew great the last time airborne - it is faster than my 180 Decathlon, not sure why. I have not had it upside down for over six years, so assume the shuttle valve needs cleaning. I may charge the battery and start it up, but it will not be getting an annual. Bring cash and a trailer? Or a ferry permit? Or an IA?
I am not going to name a price, but we do have a low number in mind. If you meet or exceed that number, it is yours. I would buy it myself, but I have a Cub to cover in the next three or so years, so don't want the complexity.
PM me.
Photos:

 

[Dbourn]

Dm sent

 

[Bob Turner]

I am going to respond to PMs, but also post answers. Parked outside behind the big Stearman hangar at KMYF San Diego. Should have total time, SMO, etc., this week. All logs are around somewhere - I will capture them.

Edit: Logs are at the airport. Last annual was April 2019, with minimum corrective action, in an FAA repair station. Total time engine/airframe is under 1700 hrs. Will get photo of interior when I start it up - maybe this week.

 

[Bob Turner]

Looking at comps - they seem to run from 30 K to maybe 75 K. None feature metal spar wings. I have been reluctant to name a price, hoping that someone might offer me more than I am contemplating. But I personally ignore sales without asking prices.
So this is not an offer to sell at the price I am going to tag it with, since I think there may be more value in the wings - but I am thinking the aircraft as it sits is worth $35 K, and I am thinking that 30 would do it. That should give potential purchasers an idea of where we are. I believe covered wings are more than that, before crating and shipping.

 

[Bartman]

i wish you and her the best. even the nicest 150 hp Decathlons don't demand prices that reflect what was probably spent to make them so nice so that's got to be built into the asking price for something that needs a lot of work.

 

[Bob Turner]

Thanks. Don't hesitate to offer advice as to whether I am too high in expectation. I will not be offended.

I heard that a kit is available for inverted oil from ACA - $20 grand!

 

[Joe]

Bob, having spent the last few years looking I'd say you are in the ballpark. If I hadn't found one this one would have got my attention.

 

[Bob Turner]

Thanks. I need that input.

 

[Rwill234]

Thanks. I need that input.

DM sent

 

[Bartman]

If it were me, I'd restore the plane, all new fabric, aluminum gear and lose the constant speed prop. With the new wings and gear you'll get the full 150 hp added to the utility category max gross weight limit and by losing the heavy constant speed prop you'll lose maybe 25 pounds from the empty weight. Combined with the 14 pounds that you save with the aluminum gear, the empty weight will drop by around 40 pounds. Put a light weight battery in, consolidate the instruments and you're maybe losing another 10 or 12.

In the end you'll have a lighter weight (lower empty weight) weekend acrobat (1800 lb GW limit) with inverted fuel and oil as well as a more useful all arounder (1950 lb GW limit) for going places that will still be pretty economical to own/operate. Resale value won't compare to the 180 hp Super D's but you'll probably do better than comparable 7KCAB's by a decent margin. The value will depend on how well you can explain what it's got going for it when it's done, most buyers won't know by looking at it.

 

[Bob Turner]

If I keep it I will recover the fuselage and go through the engine with an eye for camshaft corrosion. That's all it needs.

Sitting outside, there is a possibility of fuselage corrosion - not sure how Bellanca prepared the tubes. My cub got restored in 1969, with epoxy on the tubes, and spent a quarter century outside with no tube corrosion.

 

[Dbourn]

Is the engine fixed pitch or constant speed prop ?

 

[Bartman]

It's listed as a 150 CS, the CS stands for Constant Speed. It could have been built as a CS and then converted to a fixed pitch in which case it would still technically be a CS but I'm guessing it still has a constant speed prop.

 

[Dbourn]

That’s what I was wondering if the prop controller was still installed with a MP gauge

 

[Big Ed]

Tear down and IRAN the engine, reseal the prop, inspect the frame for corrosion, and fly it for a few years. Should be able to get it airworthy for $10K. When the cover gets too bad to overlook, get a factory resto. Definitely keep the CS prop.

 

[Bob Turner]

What he said - except covering it yourself is easy and relatively inexpensive. Sounds like, from the response so far, I am not going to have much trouble unloading it.
Yes, constant speed. Yes, I am an IA. No, I am not going to do the annual - you do know that IA insurance is 4 grand a year? Cheaper to have it done by a shop - my guess is well under 3 grand. We have resources that can do it for less - let me check. If I sell it in license I think 45 is a better number.

 

[Bob Turner]

Went over today, pumped the tires up, and they stayed pumped up! Always a good sign. Battery, of course, dead as a doornail - we will put it on the $3000 analyzer Monday. The guys will resurrect it if that is possible. Interior is in better shape than I remember, but still needs some work. Got a couple photos which I shall share in a moment.

 

[Bob Turner]

Forgot - I tried some 3D "Speed 425" on the faded red - Wow! The red just jumped out at me! It is a compound/wax mix that the local pros use.

The wings have three blemishes - looks like some asshole walked by with a Maule tester. They used to do that to my Cub about once every two years when I parked it outside. Don't do that to random airplanes - it is against federal law!

 

[Dbourn]

Forgot - I tried some 3D "Speed 425" on the faded red - Wow! The red just jumped out at me! It is a compound/wax mix that the local pros use.

The wings have three blemishes - looks like some asshole walked by with a Maule tester. They used to do that to my Cub about once every two years when I parked it outside. Don't do that to random airplanes - it is against federal law!

Interested in the interior pictures. New fabric doesn’t get tested like that that’s for cotton and linen not polyesters

 

[Bob Turner]

Agree - we do not test Dacron at all - requires a 14x1" strip to be cut out of your $10,000 paint job. There are always a few potential buyers out there who carry a Maule tester - fortunately they are few and far between, and never go in hangars. I bet they never actually buy airplanes!

Back to the subject at hand - here are four photos. I did not get a photo of the shiny area - I was on my bicycle, checking the tires and heading to the Stearman hangar for a "Torpedo."