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Re: Why are there always more Chiefs avaible than Tcraft and at lower prices?
It would be nice if they sold for more, I have noticed a trend where they are asking more, low to mid 20's, but I am afraid they aren't up to my expectations of what they are worth. The most expensive Taylorcraft I ever saw was a former member's BC-12D. He had invested tons of money to make it as if it had just rolled out of the Factory in '46. He wanted in the range of $67-$68K. Yup, that isn't a typo. It sold for around $27-$29K, (been several years ago and I considered it but it was almost a museum piece). I don't believe his wife was happy.
I think a lot of it is how well they are taken care of and originality. Taylorcrafts are sort of the bastard step-children of the airport. The last one I personally saw had a roughly cut wood instrument panel. I tried to steer the buyers away but now they have a hand-full of problems getting it through annual. They are good cheap flyers, but they all don't get taken care of as well as they should. I look at it as though I am the caretaker of a piece of history, an airplane that was well-built and performed well for its time. I hope the next person will continue that care so it 'lives' on. Some folks look at it like a tractor, use it, abuse it and get rid of it when they are done. That seems to be the life of many of our airplanes. Its a mindset. J-3 owners seem to revere the Cub and the Cub legend and it shows in pristine airplanes and higher values.
It would be nice if they sold for more, I have noticed a trend where they are asking more, low to mid 20's, but I am afraid they aren't up to my expectations of what they are worth. The most expensive Taylorcraft I ever saw was a former member's BC-12D. He had invested tons of money to make it as if it had just rolled out of the Factory in '46. He wanted in the range of $67-$68K. Yup, that isn't a typo. It sold for around $27-$29K, (been several years ago and I considered it but it was almost a museum piece). I don't believe his wife was happy.
I think a lot of it is how well they are taken care of and originality. Taylorcrafts are sort of the bastard step-children of the airport. The last one I personally saw had a roughly cut wood instrument panel. I tried to steer the buyers away but now they have a hand-full of problems getting it through annual. They are good cheap flyers, but they all don't get taken care of as well as they should. I look at it as though I am the caretaker of a piece of history, an airplane that was well-built and performed well for its time. I hope the next person will continue that care so it 'lives' on. Some folks look at it like a tractor, use it, abuse it and get rid of it when they are done. That seems to be the life of many of our airplanes. Its a mindset. J-3 owners seem to revere the Cub and the Cub legend and it shows in pristine airplanes and higher values.
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