The International Cessna 170 Association

For the last several years I have referred to my 170 as "The Eternal Project" and I am pleased to announce that status should now be entering the final leg. I bought her in 1982 when the essential elements of aircraft ownership, time and money were more plentiful than they have been for the last twenty or so years. In my youthful ignorance I had a "pre-buy" done by an a&p who as it turns out was not all that competent and quickly had to do a top overhaul which was NOT in the budget at the time followed by the broken tailwheel spring which messed up the lower rudder skin and a perfectly good pair of shorts. I survived the rest of my checkout time with neither the airplane or I suffering any more damage and flew the plane when there wasn't some sort of personal disaster going on. In 1991 I convinced my wife that we needed to fly to our first convention in Jennings, Louisana. I still can't believe that we had that much fun in south Louisana the first week of July. That trip was the start of many close friendships that we still enjoy today. The next summer the boys and I flew to Iowa for our second convention … a trip we still talk about. I last flew the plane April 15,1993 and shortly thereafter pulled the engine because of a recurring low compression problem. Sent the parts out to be inspected and 5 of the 7 cylinders I had were condemned because of cracks and the crankcase had cracks repaired as well. This was before there was competition in the cylinder market and I couldn't afford a new set of jugs at the time. Over the years I sold the crankshaft for nearly enough to pay for a runout O-300D and had it overhauled with new millennium cylinders. Work has progressed in spurts over the last ten years with a part time IA who finally went to work for an oil company 60-70 hours per week. I met Del Lehmann while he was working on Richard Pulley's A model and decided he was the guy I wanted to complete " The Eternal Project" . After all if he could make George happy he had to be good! Del and his partner Brett Hamm came down May 18 and started early the next morning and were gone by 2:30. Work has begun and either Del or I will try to post pictures and keep you updated. NO, I don't know when it will be completed. Del knows how long I have messed around with this and I wouldn't feel right pestering him to hurry.

I left to check some cows and returned to find the wings and tail feathers already removed. Things go quick when you know what you're doing.

This is the only part I got to do anything useful. I have moved a lot of things with a a loader but this was a first. With Dell and Brett "flying" the nose into the structures front and rear this operation went way easier than I envisioned.

Way late and not the way I intended 83C left the ranch for the first time since April 15, 1993.

Paul, its called PROGRESS Looking forward to the progress photos & updates.

I just checked the ground temperature and it would seem hell hasn't frozen over. I was worried for a minute.



Paul, I remember your outgoing Presidents message. I'm so glad to see your able to move forward finally towards getting 83C back in the air. I think you've chosen you mechanic very wisely.

Nice loader BTW. I've been looking for a small tractor with a loader myself of late and have thought about you and others on the ranch who take this equipment for granted. Oh and Teresa and I are mulling over the trade of our '08 Ultra Classic for a '14 Heritage Classic which all started with our ride in Branson in '08.

Get Del to post pictures.

Paul,

I've read through your first post at least three times and fail to find the new name. May I suggest something along the lines of "Phoenix"?

I think I figured it out Bruce; How to post direct from my phone, except they posted in opposite order than what I had intended.

Bruce's note: Great Del. I always place the photos backward from what I think they will be then end up rearranging the order I placed them. I've reversed your order. Why your images are 90 counter clock wise till they are clicked is a puzzle probably having to do with your phone.

Some of the cleanest carry thru channels I've seen

Paul-
After all this time it's really great to finally see the 170 in Mena actually getting ready to fly! Congratulations!



Hey Del-
Is that "hatchback" in the fuselage a new extended baggage access door? Not a bad idea!

hilltop170 wrote:Paul-
After all this time it's really great to finally see the 170 in Mena actually getting ready to fly! Congratulations!



Hey Del-
Is that "hatchback" in the fuselage a new extended baggage access door? Not a bad idea!

Yes it's a poor picture, bad angle. You can't see the latch mechanism. We used a Door Steward on it, so when you press the latch release button, the hatch slowly opens itself. Just trying to bring the 170 into the post space age era. Still waiting on the field approval, and waiting, and w................

Wow, you work fast!
You might be done before I even get mine delivered.

Del, did you apply that light green to the fuselage or is that just the light old aluminum verses new?

What paint are you using on the carry thru spars?

BTW I've now rotated my computer screen 90 clockwise to accommidate your pictures.

Well darn. They were upright on my phone. I get to work and they are sideways???? Suggestions on correcting this appreciated. If I held my phone horizontal instead of vertical to take the picture would that do it?
Bruce, that is Sherwin Williams Aerospace Coatings MIL-P-23377 epoxy primer (Speed Green) on the carry-thru's.

wingnut wrote:If I held my phone horizontal instead of vertical to take the picture would that do it?

That should! Keep 'em coming!