Looking at buying a project F-19 on Floats --> Need help with a monetary evaluation

[ewehrle]

Hey all,
I'm new to the forum and looking for your wisdom. I am a fairly new pilot located in western Canada. Currently I own a 172 with a couple buddies but am looking to buy something on floats so I can start flying to the family cabin. That said I got a call the other day from my cousins wife, her father passed away a couple years back and he was an avid bush pilot. They are now looking to sell his plane. Which drum roll...... is a 1976 F-19 with Aqua 1500's. So with the all the research I've done looks like an awesome little plane and was cared for meticulously why he was alive. However it was pulled out of the water when he fell sick in 2012 and has sat in dry dock ever since. Plane has 1500TT on original engine and prop is newer with 875spoh. All cylinders have been replaced in the last 500hrs. So with that all said I firmly believe this is a project plane it will need extensive engine work and probably all new fabric. So my questions for you pros are:

1) What is it worth as it sits? (Just what the floats are worth???)
2) If it had new fabric and an overhauled engine what would it be worth with a current C of A?
3) What are the key things outside of fabric and engine that should be inspected closely when I go to look at it? IE. under side of tubing at tail and end of fuselage?
4) What is it worth to have a plane re-skined via 3rd party?
5) Any other insight would be appreciated.

At the end of the day I don't mind a project, but when I'm done with it, I can't have more into it than its worth. I should note my uncle is a retired A&P mechanic and is willing to help me restore this plane. So I will have lots of expertise on my side when I go to look at the plane and through the restoration process. Picture attached below. Also when commenting if you let me know US or CDN dollars it would be much appreciated. 30% spread right now on currency.

Thanks again in advance for all the insight!
Best regards,
Eric

[waltermrich]

When I attended a fabric recovering class at Oshkosh back in 2018 at the Poly Fiber forum, The instructor said its about $25,000 to recover a fabric airplane and that was having a shop do it. But of course if you and your uncle do a majority of the work you could greatly reduce that cost. I have recovered two wings on my own and the material costs were probably $ 1500 to $2000. With oversight of a friend A&P.

[ewehrle]

Thanks for the information! How many hours did it take to recover those wings on your own? Was it difficult or just more tedious?

[waltermrich]

It takes time if you are not doing it daily, I would guess I had about 50 to 60 hours labor in each wing , that would be removing old fabric repairing damaged ribs cleaning all the ribs still attached to the spars , and doing the fabric work, not including getting them off the airplane removing the ailerons and setting them in a suitable work place. Of course getting all of your supplies also take a bit of time

[astjp2]

The recover is the easy part, its all of the repairs under the fabric that take time...

[waltermrich]

That is true

[astjp2]

Most cubs are in the 60k to 120k to recover if you have a shop do it, that includes an overhauled engine and prop, new wiring, etc. that is fly in, fly out in 6 months.

[N96337]

Just the cover will run you as stated above, $20,000 or more in a shop. I figure 200 hours in recovering and painting a set of wings, and am usually right in that area if there's not a bunch of work to do to them. Realistically you should figure $3500 to 4000 dollars for all the material and paint. It's a great way to learn about your airplane and will give you a certain pride in it when done.
That's a nice looking bird in that pictue!!
John

[ewehrle]

This is great info. Thank you guys! Any rough range or idea on what this plane would be worth as it sits and what it would be worth with a zero time engine and new fabric?
Also a little off topic but are there any gross weight STC's for the F-19 to bring it up to a F-22B gross weight of 1750lbs? If I'm going to replace the motor and do all this work I might as well look at all my options.
Thanks,
Eric

[astjp2]

Well if you are out for value, you need to buy a Cub, not to be rude or disrespectful, its just the nature of owning a Taylorcraft, they are not as valuable as a cub, Cessna or Aeronca on floats. You will never recoup the cost of the recover in the value of a Taylorcraft. Most of us either love them or at least find them affordable to fly and that is reason enough to own one. I hope this puts a realistic approach to your potential purchase. Also the F-19 vs F-21 is a Lycoming and different fuselage structure so it may not be eligible for a Gross weight increase. The F-21 has adjustable seats and the structure to support them. Good luck. Tim

[ewehrle]

Tim,
I appreciate the candid feedback its exactly what I'm after! I know it may not be possible for a gross weight increase, but thought it was worth kicking the tire to see if there was an obviously STC I had missed. Also the lack of F-19's for sale make it extremely hard to find fair market value for these aircraft even before you figure in the kicking aircraft prices are going to take in 6-8 months once this covid fallout starts to really come to light. So I appreciate the insight, thanks again.
Eric

[Project101]

ewehrle,

I'm curious did you end up with the F-19? That's a sweet plane. If so what did you end up paying for it? and what did you find and what are your plans?