I bought my 170B

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Kevin Pearce
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:03 am

I bought my 170B

Post by Kevin Pearce »

After nearly a year and a half of looking for the right 170B, I found my new aircraft. There were times that I nearly gave up, but articles and pictures posted here and on FB kept my focus on looking. The advert was on the forum and I had not paid attention to it as the price was higher than I wanted to spend. After some time my wife said would it not be better to spend a bit more and not have any work to do, and get a better example. After a while I looked at the advert again and the aircraft had all the options that I found desirable such as Horton STOL kit, shoulder harnesses, tail pull, Selkirk interior, a 8.33 Garmin Nav/Com and the Avcon Lycoming 0-360 conversion with a CS Hartzell propeller.
An email to the owner to see if it was still available was answered promplty with a pleasent surprise of yes, and I will email pictures later. Pictures arrived along with good information and I was pleased and excited. An exchange of emails with further questions followed.
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I arranged a good time to call and speak with the owner and covered all the questions I had. I believe that you are not just buying the aircraft but also buying from the previous custodian. Frank and Greg had owned the aircraft for five years, they had gone right through the aircraft sorting anything they were not happy with such as unplated holes, re-skinning the tail surfaces, interior strip out, new Selkirk interior and headliner. They re-wired the intrument panel, fitted new nav/com and intercom. Then complete panel was refirbished to a very high standard.
I made an offer on that call and followed it up with a email, it was accepted later that day.
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The annual was due within two weeks and also the propeller AD. The aircraft was based in a nice heated corporate hangar in Montana, but this was a more difficult place to get to from the UK. I asked if their engineer would be interested in taking the aircraft apart and putting it into a shipping container. The engineer Reed and his crew did an excellent job, taking hundreds of pictures, making detailed notes and labelling everything. They designed and built a wing rack that also housed the fin, rudder and struts. A crate was built for the horizontal tail.
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There was a delay in getting it collected, as it was mid December and a shortage of drivers and Christmas meant collection was booked for the 9th January. The container ship sailed from Seattle on the 18th and arrived in the UK on the 21st February. We had the container delivered to Dunsfold Airport where there was a container ramp, big open spaces and forklifts to help. Opening the container door was nerve racking, hoping that nothing had moved. Frank, Reed and the crew had done a great job making sure everything was protected and secure. This was also the first time I had seen the aircraft, a big day for me and I was not disappointed. Then loading onto trailers for the short journey home.
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Now unloaded from the trailer, I just need to find time away from building the hangar to rig the aircraft and get flying.
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170C
Posts: 3182
Joined: Tue May 06, 2003 11:59 am

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by 170C »

Congratulations on your excellent find and purchase. Send photos of your reassembly and how it performs for you. Have fun!
OLE POKEY
170C
Director:
2012-2018
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GAHorn
Posts: 20967
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:45 pm

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by GAHorn »

EXCELLENT, KEVIN!

This is quite a story and one that is a first-rate candidate for The 170 News!

Please continue to take pics as you reassemble and fly the aircraft and forward to us via headquarters and/or Bruce Fenstermacher who is talented at editing for the Quarterly! (and generous with his time!)


WELCOME TO One-Seventy Ownership!
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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brian.olson
Posts: 228
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:04 pm

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by brian.olson »

Congratulations, Kevin, and welcome to the club! Looking forward to hearing all about the re-assembly of YOUR aircraft and your experiences with flight.
Brian
1950 170A
N5762C s/n 19716
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johneeb
Posts: 1520
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2003 2:44 am

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by johneeb »

Very nice Kevin, What airfield are you basing the 170?
John E. Barrett
aka. Johneb

Sent from my "Cray Super Computer"
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JSwift
Posts: 63
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2017 3:01 am

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by JSwift »

Congratulations Kevin. Looks like a great bird. Thanks for sharing the beginning of the story...can’t wait to hear about flying your new plane. All the best!
N2594D, 1952 170B #20746
Near Enfield, CT
Let's go fly!
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Kevin Pearce
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:03 am

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by Kevin Pearce »

John - I am basing the aircraft at home, near Horsham in the South of England.
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bgiesbrecht
Posts: 95
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:51 pm

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by bgiesbrecht »

Wow, awesome, from one new 170 owner to another: congrats!
Former owner of:
1953 170B
N1977C
s/n 26122
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pdb
Posts: 466
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 3:39 am

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by pdb »

If you need a tailwheel qualified instructor out of Guildford, let me know by email (pdbrown170b@me.com) and I will send the contact information along.

Boy will you have fun flying around all of the local grass strips.

Best regards,

Pete
Pete Brown
Anchorage, Alaska
N4563C 1953 170B
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2366/2527 ... 4e43_b.jpg
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johneeb
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Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2003 2:44 am

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by johneeb »

Kevin Pearce wrote:John - I am basing the aircraft at home, near Horsham in the South of England.
Kevin,
We get to England every year at the end of October for the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. We are always looking for new and different places to visit perhaps we could get together one day this October?
Johneb
John E. Barrett
aka. Johneb

Sent from my "Cray Super Computer"
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Kevin Pearce
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:03 am

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by Kevin Pearce »

John

You would be very welcome to visit, I am restoring a Waco YKS-7 in my spare time.

Regards

Kevin
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GAHorn
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Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:45 pm

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by GAHorn »

I spent a week in Brighton in the late '80's... What a wonderful, beautiful place and the sea-side cliffs were mesmerizing. I must go back...
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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johneeb
Posts: 1520
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2003 2:44 am

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by johneeb »

Kevin Pearce wrote:John

You would be very welcome to visit, I am restoring a Waco YKS-7 in my spare time.

Regards

Kevin

Kevin,
I hope we can work something out, I will get in touch with you closer to October.

George work out a trip to London the first weekend of November and take in the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, it is a hoot, cars have to be 1904 or older and some of the most interesting ideas about what early motor cars were to be.
Johneb
John E. Barrett
aka. Johneb

Sent from my "Cray Super Computer"
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cessna170bdriver
Posts: 4059
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 5:13 pm

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by cessna170bdriver »

Welcome to the fold Kevin! Paul Wood (4583C), myself, and our wives were in England last May but only got as close to you as the Cotswolds and Bath. If you are ever on this side of the Atlantic feel free to look me up and come for a visit.
Miles

“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
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flyguy
Posts: 1057
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 6:44 pm

Re: I bought my 170B

Post by flyguy »

Great news and I know you will have a wonderful time flying this great plane. Keep us posted with the ultimate first flight. :!:
OLE GAR SEZ - 4 Boats, 4 Planes, 4 houses. I've got to quit collecting!
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