looking for T-Craft

[jim cooper]

Re: looking for T-Craft

Hank, Go to Taylorcraft aircraft photos.com and scroll to #6. It should show 95916 at Mayville N.Y. last summer RIGHT after it was delivered. I'll mail down acouple of photos. The Hangar fell over, damaging the wings pretty badly. Hangar is resting on roof front. House type roof, hangar open in front and rear. This prevented roof from totally destroying aircraft. Chain saw, two hours its out and on a trailer with a winch. Avemco 's appraiser says they will appear first of the week, held up due to snow problems. I've never had a claim, been with them since 70's! T-crft was insured to the hilt. Insurance companys make me nervous! (Its red white and blue, same with wheel pants, with 4.95 NAPA exhaust extension! ALL logs since new plus pictures of rebuild are with aircraft.JC

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: looking for T-Craft

This really sounds like a plane Dennis (the guy who did all the weld repairs on mine) might be interested in buying. Can you send me some photos of the damage I can show him (and some before the damage too). Maybe I can convince him we need to come up and see it.

I will shoot for a finders fee of a ride in her when he gets it repaired. :joy:

Maybe even to bring her up and show you she has risen from the dead.

It sounds like way too nice a plane to be parted out and I have NEVER seen an artist like Dennis with a welding torch. He taught welding to the Nuke Sub guys in the ship yard. Bit of a perfectionist too.

My email is Aeroapplications at yahoo dot com

I agree. When you get to our age you just don't have the time to skip flying to rebuild (in your case rebuild AGAIN). Sometimes you need to pass a project on and go for one ready to fly. That's why I bought the 41. I was afraid by the time I got the 45 in the air I wouldn't pass a medical any more!

Hank

[MNJoe]

Re: looking for T-Craft

Speaking from experience two claims (two different T-craft) in less than 9 months with Avemco, one was a hail storm and the other was a broken tail wheel resulting in a prop strike on landing. Avemco was more than fair with me on both claims. On the Hail damage since the airplane was on floats I got them to waive the deductible if I gave them the landing gear (something I just thought of in discussing the claim since I was on floats and not on wheels) they agreed!! in the end I took salvage value for the aircraft since the mechanic on the field wanted the airplane. They should give you what you had it insured for less the deductible. I assume you have already contacted Avemco if not you should immediately, they do not handle the loss a third party does for them. The Insurance adjuster will come out and inspect the loss. Remember if you have anything that is portable it is not part of the claim (ie portable radio, headsets,etc)

Joe

[jim cooper]

Re: looking for T-Craft

Hi Hank, Yes if I were a good rebuilder I'd grab this T-Craft. The fellow who built it was a stickler for detail, IE: plastic mouldings in cockpit, PAINT JOB!, headliner custom made....etc! BUT...who would rebuild it? How long would they take? Forever? Can they paint like this man did (I mean its PERFECT!) I've NEVER seen one like it and everyone who looked at it both in NYS or in Maryland said something like "Holy Sh...! who built that? Its GREAT! Engine, which he also did runs like sewing machine. Cockpit is beautiful, Seats are red cloth and leather, white headliner. My problem is age. By The time someone repaired it, I'd be ready for a bib and the rest home. (you oughta come up and see it. I-95 thru baltimore, off at first exit called Joppa, mountain road, 15 miles north of City.)Best, Jim C. 443 909 0176 (The Builder, Russ Hardy who is near Buffalo, cannot do the rebuild as he is doing another one right now and has no room, (works at home) He is a great person and is available for comment on what he did in building it, from 2006-2008.) What do you think Avemco will do Hank? Total it? or leave me hanging?!

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: looking for T-Craft

Pass it on Roscoe! I LOVE my wood prop. Maybe my wife catching me running my hands over it is what causes that jealousy.:rolleyes2:
Hank

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: looking for T-Craft

Dang it Jim. Baltimore isn't that far from Virginia Beach. You are giving me an itch that my wife will scratch with barbed wire if she finds out you have a wrecked Taylorcraft. We have to find someone to rebuild it before I do something that will severely shorten my life.
Hank

I DO have a guy who did all of the welding on my 45 who has been bugging me to sell it to him. He might just jump on it for the right price. Find out what the insurance company wants for it!

[rammon3]

Re: looking for T-Craft

FWIW - Hank, I'm with you on the wood prop. Mine came with a metal one, but that will be changing when I get close to being airworthy again. Sometime I'll have to tell you a very funny (and true) story about a comment made by an engineer at Sensenich regarding metal props.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: looking for T-Craft

Your damage sounds like what my 41 went through. Mine was flipped over by a wind storm and the top surface of the wings was flattened (didn't look to bad at first, till you get the fabric off and EVERY RIB is bent over). The cabin roof was crushed down and the struts were buckled. Prop was off so the only damage cowl forward was mud in the end of the crank and the nose bowl was nicely pressed into the cooling fins (try tapping THAT out!). The fin and rudder were bent over too.
Find out what the insurance guy wants to buy back the wreck. It sounds like it is VERY rebuild-able. If I didn't already have two projects I would JUMP on a plane like that.
A J-3 with a Franklin was wrecked in a windstorm near here years ago and the insurance company nearly gave the wreck away. They were just going to load it on a truck and haul it to the local auto wrecking yard to crush up. Nice airplane that went for just a few hundred dollars. I hope it is flying again somewhere. I heard about it the day of the storm and it was sold before I could do more than take pictures.
Even if no one here wants to rebuild it, get a good price for the remains for parts. If you don't want to mess with it, one of us will! DON'T let them haul it off!!! Insurance companies have NO idea what they have after an accident. You should have a right of first refusal on the wreck. At least swap across the best parts onto your new bird.
Hank

[jim cooper]

Re: looking for T-Craft

I agree with Hank! Many log books are fairy tales for kids at bedtime. Notice that many "inspections" are signed by some linthead who purposefully scribbles his name so its illegible and his number is also impossible to read. BE CAREFUL. My airplane, ruined by a hangar collapse 3 days ago, has a great engine, 65 hp with 290 hrs on it since major, done by man who rebuilt airplane. Also metal mccauley prop, polished and looking good. Neither was injured as engine compartment wasn't touched. Wings are totaled and landing gear probably is toast. Trailing edge of wing back is perfect. Fusalage over right door is buckled a little. interior, very good, panel ok, it was a trophy winner! Rebuilt in 2008 it has many nice parts including beautiful wheel pants, hand made. Insurance adjuster has not arrived due to weather. I hope I don't get any crap from them. I don't want the airplane back, for me its ruined! I had a Stearman and the first thing the AI said was get rid of the damn wooden prop and put a metal one on it.( This is personal preference.) I did and it did make a difference. JP

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: looking for T-Craft

Hey! Watch it! I have a perfect metal prop in our guest bedroom and a wood one on my 41. I don't care that the metal is smoother and better power. The wood one is like a beautiful woman. It makes me happy just to LOOK at it! The fact that the metal one works better and is more expensive doesn't enter into my decision. I'm in no hurry to get anywhere anyway.

As for the struts, there are a LOT of original ones out there. Check to see if he has sent them to Wag and gotten them sealed. Those are just as good as new ones and that is what I am doing.

Your points are well taken and you DO want to look for a restoration on the cheap, but the prop may not be a good indicator. I would look at the air filter, bungees and items fixed on the last annual as an indication of how the owner does his routine maintenance.

There ARE cheap rebuilds out there. When I bought my 45 it had a freshly majored engine in a crate with it. When I finally started working with the crated engine (the plane was wrecked when I bought it) I found out it had gotten an "Aerosol Overhaul" (everything had been taken apart and cosmetically cleaned up and painted, but no actual work had been done). The papers were signed by an IA who didn't exist and the IA's ID number was for a different person in a different part of the country. The whole log was a forgery (and a pretty good one too, my IA didn't catch it till we started de-preserving the engine.

Is the seller a Tribe member? If so, you are in much better shape from the git-go. We all know each other here and any dishonest person would be known.

Hank

[3Dreaming]

Re: looking for T-Craft

Jim i think i would be careful. He cut corners using a wood prop and did not buy new struts. I wander what else he went cheap with. Marv

I wouldn't consider these items to be cutting corners. I would choose a wood prop over metal anyday. For the sruts early on no new struts were available, so testing was the only option. He may have chose to test and keep the original size struts. I can see both choices being made to keep the airplane as original as possible for a show plane. Tom

[Marv]

Re: looking for T-Craft

Jim i think i would be careful. He cut corners using a wood prop and did not buy new struts. I wander what else he went cheap with. Marv

[Robert Bradbury]

Re: looking for T-Craft

How much is this worth? 1946 T-Craft, rebuilt 10 yrs ago, Ceconite, poly. Painted scheme of deluxe '46, very light creme, red trim. Wheel Pants, Panel is very clean with basic instruments and elect. system for nav. lights. Engine is 65 cont. 600 hrs since Major. Under hood is VERY clean! Exhaust redone last year. Struts xrayed and lower fittings inspected at this time. ALWAYS HANGARED except for overnight at 2 airshows where it won first prize, one at Sentimental Journey. The builder taught shop at public schools for 28 years. Wooden Prop in very good cond. ( I do not like them) Airplane is VERY clean and comes with fresh annual and all logs, and Icom, push to talk mounted left side of pilot. Knowing that this is a tough call without seeing it. Price range please! Let me know hat you guys think its worth. Thanks! JC

My guess that it would be worth around the 22K mark if all is in working
order. Assuming the engine was rebuilt as well ?

[jim cooper]

Re: looking for T-Craft

How much is this worth? 1946 T-Craft, rebuilt 10 yrs ago, Ceconite, poly. Painted scheme of deluxe '46, very light creme, red trim. Wheel Pants, Panel is very clean with basic instruments and elect. system for nav. lights. Engine is 65 cont. 600 hrs since Major. Under hood is VERY clean! Exhaust redone last year. Struts xrayed and lower fittings inspected at this time. ALWAYS HANGARED except for overnight at 2 airshows where it won first prize, one at Sentimental Journey. The builder taught shop at public schools for 28 years. Wooden Prop in very good cond. ( I do not like them) Airplane is VERY clean and comes with fresh annual and all logs, and Icom, push to talk mounted left side of pilot. Knowing that this is a tough call without seeing it. Price range please! Let me know hat you guys think its worth. Thanks! JC

[Robert Bradbury]

Re: looking for T-Craft

Robert,I e-mailed my cell number.

I didn't get your cell number . Email me at the following

[email protected]