First flight for 9986Y is scheduled tomorrow. I have been working (not very diligently) on a complete rebuild of 86y (which is the last 7EC built by Champion Aircraft Co.) for the last 7 years. It was actively flown in the Sacramento, Cal. area from 1963 until 1975 when it was disassembled and put in storage. The owner moved to Texas and brought it with him to Smithville, Tex. where I found it and bought it 7 years ago. The rebuild was complicated by the fact that I did a Wagner O235 Lycoming conversion (requires improvised engine mount, exhaust system, and engine cowling) and a toe brake conversion. I am pleased with the way it turned out. I hope it flies as nice as it looks.

Nice looking plane! Show us the interior!

good job

Awesome.

Here you go. The seats are elk skin. I had a couple of elk hides sitting around and figured I might as well use them.

Great job! Looks Great!

I've never heard of a plane with elk hide seats. That alone makes your resto unique! I need to update the seat covers on our Decathlon but I'm thinking more prosaic - lambs wool...

Very nice looking interior.

Too bad you had to lose the Champ nose bowl with the O-235 conversion, you could always tell the Aeronca in the line up just by looking at the nose where as Piper used the same nose bowl on many different models.

Dad an I restored N82153 s/n 779 back in the 78-81 time frame, had a lot of fun doing it, wonder how I always ended up doing all the bad jobs though, I got to sandblast the frames, I got all the paint stripping work, Dad just turned the wrenches....

Looks great, have fun riding low and slow

Looks great!

I really want to start working on mine.

Also, what did you do with your old engine?

I’m looking to upgrade my a65 to an c85 or c90.

The prior owner had already disposed of it when I bought it. It came with a Lyc. O-235 C2C which is another story. It had almost no time since overhaul but it had been in storage probably at least 30 years. I expected the worst but we removed the accessory case, sump and a cylinder and it was like new internally New mags, caurb OH and it runs great. Not even an oil leak so far.

With the light weight of a champ and the power of a 7ECA it must have a pretty short takeoff run and initial climb out. Any estimates for either?

That’s great, hopefully it lasts a long time.

It weighs 1,030# up about 30-40 from 7ec configuration. Dont know the typical e.w. of a 7eca but a 7eca has a max gross of 1650. My 7ec 0-235 conv. is 1450 max gross. I havent flown it yet but my mechanic has 2x. He said it climbs 1,250 fpm and flies real nice-- nose heavy but he was close to max fwd cg.

A 7ECA would be about 100lbs heavier. Have fun with your new plane!