Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

[Dano"T"]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

Question....is the 85hp version that much of a difference than a 65hp?[/QUOTE]

YES...Huge difference...I own 4 taylorcrafts...2-65hp prewars, 1 85hp BC12D, and 1-90hp BC12D....the 85 climbs like a dream....the 90 is a rocket....I compare it to the difference between the 65 and 85. If you can get a non-electric BC12D 85 HP you will LOVE it.

[d.grimm]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

Both are great airplanes, but you can only get 85 HP in a
Taylorcraft. The Luscombe models are all on one type certificate
and if you increase the horsepower to 85 you now have a 8E and
the new gross weight takes you out of Light Sport. A friend recently
got a field approval to put C85 cylinders on a A65 case so he could
get more horsepower in his Luscombe 8A and retain LSA.
Dave

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

Nick,
Come and kick tires and talk to T-craft owners when you are done with your turkey.
Mark - Bulverde - BC12-D, F-19
Doc - Bulverde - BC12-D
Rick - Castroville - BC12-D-85
Mike - San Marcos BC12-D with 75 hp mod
Buell - San Marcos BC-65
Terry - Waco/Lampassas BC-65, BC12-D
Doug - Boerne - BC12-D
Ron - San Geronimo - L-2
Others... nearby but brain lock happening now

The BC12D-85 is light sport, has an electric system, large baggage area, and will out run the 65 horse... but it is relatively rare.

[N96337]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

You want an 85hp, short mount, BC12-D (BC12-D-85). That's the hotrod of the series. They're not uncommon, and alot of Tcrafts were converted to that back in the day when you could field approve that, if your serial number wasn't listed on the TC as eligible. The other way is to go with Terry's STC here and build it that way. Then if you want to spend a few $$ you can do the engine conversion with the O-200 crank, rods and pistons, then you're gonna have way too much fun!! I used to fly with a guy that had an 85hp J3 and I was off the ground about as quick and usually had plenty of time to relax before he ever arrived. Another friend had an 85hp Luscombe and she cruised almost as fast, but the takeoff wasn't near as quick. I did like the Luscombe sticks...but ohwell.
Alot of times, people are comparing apples to oranges even when the same engine is installed, because of prop differences. When I first got my Tcraft it had a 46 inch pitch prop (cruise prop) and it would run about 115 all day long with 2 people in it ( you could plan on it and get it every time), but it was a bit of a slug getting off the ground. I pulled that prop and had it flattened to 43 inch pitch when I went on skiis (we couldn't get off the ground with 2 on skiis unless the snow was just right), and now it hops right off the ground, but I lost about 5+ in cruise. That doesn't bother me, as the whole point of my flying is to fly more, so I'm not worried about going fast!
Like Dano said, the step up from 65 to 85 in a Tcraft is substantial, and from what I've seen and heard (haven't actually gotten to fly the 85/O-200 conversion yet) that's another big jump. One of the biggest key factors is to keep it light! You're comfortable without all the electrics, so the short mount will work fine for you and that really seems to make them perform. Good luck!
John

[barnstmr]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

If you want bang for your buck... you should seriously come see us at Tick Hill Airfield XA47 near Temple TX. Go for a flight with me in my father-in-law's 1939 BC65. Takeoff and land performance nearly equal to a cub. Cruise at 90 mph at 3.5 gallons per hour. (2150 rpm) Cruise at 95+ mph at 4 gallons per hour (2250 rpm). He is asking $23.5K Worth every penny. Currently has Continental A75 mid-time engine. You can fly for 5 years then upgrade to a C85 sometime down the road. The fabric is in great shape should last many years with TLC. Where in TX are you located?

[barnstmr]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

[Doc]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

Terry! Say it isn't so....that is a very beautiful ship. Don't you have room for just "one more" at 69TE? Doc

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

Hey thanks ya'll. I'm actually getting ready to make a 5hr drive to my folk's house for Thanksgiving. Sure wish I could make it a flight in a T-craft at 100mph or so! I would take the Cub but I am having some work done on it.

Question....is the 85hp version that much of a difference than a 65hp?

climb performance mostly

[Acroeric]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

I have a 800' strip here on my farm- the approaches are not the best. I have kept a 85 hp BC12-D (short mount no electric) and a 160 hp Super Cub here. The 85hp Tcraft got out just as easy, was a little tougher to get in as short. I also landed a 65hp here once. It was a botany study getting out.
E

[DPKII]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

Nick,

I am fairly close to you as well. I would be glad to take you up in my Taylorcraft. She started as a BC12D in 1946. In 1948 she was certified as a BC12D-85. The run out 85 was replaced with a 65 before I bought it. I flew it for 20 years with the 65 but have gone back to an 85 with the new restoration.

I liked the 65 a lot. It flew very well and out performed the Cubs and Aeroncas in the area for climb and cruise. With the 85 it is a totally different airplane. It is superb! I would not want go back to a 65 now that I have been flying it with the 85.
David

[Robert Lees]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

It was a botany study getting out.

Nice expression, Eric.

Sometimes, one not only counts the eggs in the nest in the hedge, but also the toes on the feet of the hatchlings!

[TexasNick]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

Nick,

I am fairly close to you as well. I would be glad to take you up in my Taylorcraft. She started as a BC12D in 1946. In 1948 she was certified as a BC12D-85. The run out 85 was replaced with a 65 before I bought it. I flew it for 20 years with the 65 but have gone back to an 85 with the new restoration.

I liked the 65 a lot. It flew very well and out performed the Cubs and Aeroncas in the area for climb and cruise. With the 85 it is a totally different airplane. It is superb! I would not want go back to a 65 now that I have been flying it with the 85.
David

Thanks for the offer, I will keep you in mind. There seems to be a few in the SA area that I can look at but maybe I can do a XC in my Cub to see yours.

[TexasNick]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

Thank you everyone for your contribution to this thread. I'll probably pop in again in a few months once I get closer to selling the Cub.

Long story short....I bought my Cub to learn to fly. Since I was going the sport pilot route, I had a heck of a time finding an examiner that knew tailwheel AND was a light sport DPE. This was the most difficult part of my whole training--trying to find a DPE that was appointed by the FAA for light sport (finding tailwheel qualified DPEs are hard enough as it is). There were only a handful in Texas that fit this bill and so I had to fly about 125nm in some of the most isolated parts of Texas (from San Antonio to Brownwood). That was the closest one. I did not own a GPS and so was doing the flight via compass, watch and a sectional. You can say I was pretty confident once I took the checkride. It was actually the windiest day at what I was told the windiest airport in Texas. So bad that I had to sleep in the airport for 3 days straight until I got my instructor to feel comfortable enough to give me the checkride. It was a non-event. He just laughed the whole time as it was his first time in a little Cub in years and enjoyed the flight. After that, I began to make the preparation for the long flight home. Called weather brief and was told that strong gusting winds were coming in fast. Always careful about get-there-itis, I did a quick preflight and headed out....but about 5miles into it I hit some of the scariest gust and turbulence I had ever experienced. It was so bad I could not keep balanced control with ailerons that I used rudder to turn around and head back to the airport. I landed on one wheel and had 2 lineboys help me push the Cub into a hangar. I started a new job the next day so I HAD to get home at all costs. I left the Cub there and bummed a ride to SA. It took 5 days of weather watching before I was able to get a friend to ferry it back to SA. Fun times...if I remember correctly, the weather was winds at 25 and Gusting at 35.

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

Nick,
Impressive effort -- " Do whatever it takes.."

Hey, next time the usual suspects head for Deer Pasture airport for a fun/work day, you need to come along in the Cub. That goes for David in Victoria too.

[TexasNick]

Re: Thinking of selling my J3 Cub for a Taylorcraft....thoughts?

Nick,
Impressive effort -- " Do whatever it takes.."

Hey, next time the usual suspects head for Deer Pasture airport for a fun/work day, you need to come along in the Cub. That goes for Davis in Victoria too.

I looked up the airport and saw it was in the middle of nowhere! Perfect. I actually keep my Cub at Stonewall, Tx and am currently trying to get a job at Ft. Hood, which looks not to be too far from your strip.