looking for T-Craft

[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

[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

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

[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

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!

[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.
Hank

[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?!

[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

[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.

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

[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

[MNJoe]

Re: looking for T-Craft

Jim,

I probably was not clear when I had to deal with Avemco a couple of years ago. Unless things have changed with them even without seeing pictures of your aircraft the cost to recover my hail damaged T-craft exceeded$20,000.00, the airplane had probably 15-20 holes in it and was insured for what I remember was $26,000.00 Unless you had yours insured for more than
$50,000.00 it will most likely be a total loss. Avemco gave me two choices with mine:

1. Total loss
2. Salvage value

With Avemco there was no first right of refusal like other companies have. Just be careful if you take salvage value make sure you have a buyer otherwise you will be stuck selling the airplane.

Alot of guys on this site will say you can recover one for alot less than what I said above and you can, however this is why we buy hull insurance.

Joe

[jim cooper]

Re: looking for T-Craft

I agree! I just want my insurance money (what I insured it for which was 26,000.00. ) I've been with Avemco since 1975, never had a claim. The airplane is of no use to me but to a GOOD rebuilder, its worth a good bit. The builder had it in trade a plane for 29,000.00 but the bottom fell out of the market last year, and he had borrowed a hangar to assemble it. (he builds them at home, takes the various parts to the airport-puts them together.) I'll NEVER find another like it! JC

[Mark Julicher]

Re: looking for T-Craft

We are just finishing up a ground-up restoration on an Aeronca 7AC and have kept extensive logs of the process. When we finish there will be about 600 man-hours in it plus about $6000 in parts and outside repair shop work. There is no engine work in these figures. We did not have to make new spars, and fuselage repair work was minimal.

So that is a $30,000 rebuild if labor goes at $40hr.

[cropduster]

Re: looking for T-Craft

Jim, I just listed my F-21 since I just purchased a Cessna 185 on amphibs. It has full electrical system, the fabric is recent with new struts. Just installed a new seaplane prop before putting it to bed for the winter. Beautiful airplane with wheels, skies, and floats. Currently on floats. Funny, I purchased this airplane not far from you a few years ago.

[jim cooper]

Re: looking for T-Craft

A 185 on floats almost makes me throw myself down the stairs! ALWAYS wanted either a 180 or 185 but never could scrape the money together! Now I have to fly LSA. (Still don't have the money anyway!) I've watched light aircraft being rebuilt. Done right, its alot of work and if life was fair, my T-Craft, if I had paid for the quality and care that went into it....it would have cost me 50,000.00. I am VERY impressed with builders who can do this type work. I've never understood how a Cub (which is real boring to me) can cost so much more than a nice T-Craft...or how a Super Cub (nice airplane) can cost more then a pretty nice Cessna 310! JC