Thinking about a taildragger. Mission is fun to fly, hamburgers/pancakes, occasional VFR cross country (say under 250nm a few times a year)

Specs

1) Can live outside
2) Fits 6'3" me
3) Carries 400# of people and 2.5 hours to tanks dry
4) under $75K

That means no fabric, though there are hundreds of fabric airplanes tied outside in Alaska, of all places.


That eliminates the metal 2-seaters.


Piece of cake.

This is a Cessna 170 mission! Or, keeping in the BT tradition of overspending other people's money, let me be the first to recommend a T-6.

+1

(especially the T-6 part)

C180 Nuff' Said.

170 was my thought. Any reason not to?

Vfr fixed pitch RV-8

180.

Rgs

Patrick

I've known many citabrias and champs that live outside, even in snowy climates.

Can you get a good 170 or 180 for 75k?

https://m.ebay.com/itm/CAP-10B/18320088 ... %7Ciid%3A2

This is half priced I used to own something similar . These are great airplanes and can easily do this mission. Somewhat shameful to leave outside but at this price who cares.

You can get an outstanding, highly, modified 170 for $75K. You can get a really nice early 180 for $75K as well. Both are outstanding machines; the 180 is more capable, but the 170 (stock) is simpler. The 180 requires a bit “firmer” hand to fly and is not as light on the controls as a 170. Both are excellent cross country platforms, comfortable with great visibility. The 180 will be quicker, but for your mission, I doubt you’d see much difference between the two. They both do well on grass or pavement, and both are pretty good in a crosswind, but my nod goes to the 180 there. More mass, and (my perception) more powerful rudder and ailerons.

Unless you’re looking for an excellent IFR platform, my bet would be a shiny 170 example, install ADS-B, and have the leftover funds for 1,000 hours’ worth of avgas. I think the larger panel of the 180 and constant speed prop make it a little more stable IFR machine, but it can and has been done in a 170. I love both airframes, but the 170 is my “first and last” airplane having grown up with it my entire life. I’m lucky to have access to an early model 180 and if I weren’t so damn attached to the 170, logically, I’d be all over a 1950s 180. It is a better airplane all around, but the 170 is a beautiful airframe and is a delight to fly.

I wouldn’t get too mired in the different 170 models if you go that route. They all fly pretty similarly, though the B model is the most produced and by virtue of being the last iteration of the design, the most modern. There were differences between the B models as well; cowling design, panel layout, gear legs, cabin heat, tailwheel steering being the largest among them. That being said, with anything that old, they are generally imbued with the personality of previous caretakers for longer periods of time and you’ll find that very few are bone stock, fleet wide. Some have been repaired with parts from donor airframes of different year models, and others have simply been modified. I would look at a later through 1955 model for the better cowling/gear/panel/heater.

If a VFR hamburger runner is your thing, nice A models can be had for less coin, and are all metal. The ‘48 has fabric wings and I would likely not want that outside long term. My own airplane is a 1952 B model. Same panel as the 1948-1951 (Art Deco piano keys; I love it), softer gear legs, smaller cabin heater manifold, barn door cowling (à la Bonanza or Cherokee) with different baffling, but has the same basic wing that Cessna produces on 172s today minus the electric flaps and LE cuff.

For this mission... Cessna 170 - hands down... and thumbs up! ($25-40K) Fits the requirements nicely, and won't eat you out of house and home. Lots of smiles per mile. ~ ME

For extra credit, find a 170 that has the 180 hp Lycoming.

And polished!

Experimental ... I like it. What's a reasonable budget for such a machine with cosmetics that won't scare a layperson?

Any particular reason you picked the 8?

Is there a Neal Scwhartz of RV's

second the RV, 7-8-9 any of them.

Join the vans web board and ask around for a ride and trial fit - you won't have a hard time finding someone willing to show you theirs