I've seen a couple Cessna 170s with nice center stack radios, like on modern Cessna panels. Anyone know what STC's exist for this?

Got mine from Del Aire, (Harry Delicker). Good STC, as it will let you do alot of different set ups. You will also need to change out you control yoke. They also do that work, there are also different ways to do that. Jon

Is that because of the PTT?

Jon is referring to the control yoke (or column) that goes from the floor tunnel up behind the panel that the "control wheels" connect to, not the wheels themselves. The 170 yoke is a T-shaped affair, for most if not all center-stack radio installations it needs to be replaced by a Y-shaped yoke out of a later 172 or similar.
I do know a guy with a 1956 180 who did a center stack mod while retaining the stock T yoke. The radio's (kind of a "short stack") are mounted high in the center of the panel, he said there was just barely enough room between the bottom of the radio's & the top of the t yoke, and that it took some careful laying out to get it right.
Unless you are gonna fly hard IFR &/or really,really want the later-style "six-pack" instrument layout, the center-stack mod is a lot of work ( translate: time and/or money). I trained in a 152, then owned a 1969 150 for about 2 years before buying the 170. I missed the sixpack at first, but it didn't take too long to get used to the stock 170 instrument layout . Plus I really like the early (1948-52) "piano key" panel.
Like most mod's, including engine upgrades,it's easier & usually cheaper for most of us to buy one already converted than to do it yourself.

Eric

Zane, sorry about the confussion, 01V is correct. Also there is a U shaped column that Cessna used that can also be used. If you really like the piano key panel there is no reason that I know of that you couldn't use those in your new panel, (there is a sub panel with the Del Aire panel and I believe they would fit in there nicely). It takes alot of planning to do the panel right, Measure 3 times, cut once. You must always be aware of what is behind the panel. The good thing is if you get a good GPS, it has about everything you need and you don't have to buy several radios to do what you want. In other words keep it simple.

A friend of mine bought a 180 project not long ago. The deal included a U-shaped control column as well as a LH & RH instrument panel, supposedly all from Avion. There's no part numbers on them, and Avion's website doesn't seem to list prices for these items. He wants to sell them, what are they worth?

Eric

Zane

Try the link below, may have to type it in yersef

Trevor B Hoy, ( New Zealander ), has, what I believe, is the first / original STC for center stacks in general and specifically for the 170.

He got started after he did the original design in his own C-170-B with early Bush 180 conversion. I know because I did his original photo work for the advertising. I also did his first test fright. That is a whole other story. I just happened to salvage his bacon enough times that he just gave me a set of keys and only asked that I keep the tanks full.
I can always go down the road here a couple miles and keep an eye on your order in case you decide to go with him.

Nice Guy Too.

http://www.avion.com/

Chris C.

Thanks Chris. I started this thread in August 2005 though, Eric was just bumping it to find prices.

I'm not a huge fan of the Avion conversion because i think the 170 should retain a fair amount of its classic look, while still have a few modern features. The Avion has those puffy yokes.

Zane, the yokes are an add on, at least for the 180. We have the stock yokes in our 54 180 with the Avion panel. I think I have a picture of our 180 in my photo gallery.

I have never found the lower RH & LH panel mounting of radio's in a 170 to be a problem, so I never thought center-stack radios were worth the trouble. However, I do think that the "six-pack" flight instrument configuration is a good thing. You can get used to the 170's standard spread out arrangement ... but you can get used to being poked with a stick too, that doesn't mean you gotta like it.

Eric

Avion Research panel the previous owner had installed in my 170 A.
I know it's a long way from original but I love it.

Fishdoc...BMP image format is not supported by the forum software...can you convert to JPG?

There we go.....

Zane,

I finally decided to revamp my panel this last winter. After a lot of thought, and considering what I'd get for the (obscene) amount of money I'd have to spend to convert to a U type yoke and a new panel, I simply ripped out the shock mounted panel, and fabricated a replacement overlay panel to attach to the sub panel via rivnuts. This was a relatively simple mod, and didn't cost an arm and leg (just an arm). I really just wanted to clean things up some and this permitted the 396 to be mounted via a docking port top center in the panel, and adding an artificial horizon. Still not IFR, but...

One of the problems with these original panels is that the instrument spacing is large. By moving things closer together, you can add an additional instrument in there.

I'm really happy, both with the outcome and with the cost, which is WAAAAAYYYYYY lower than any of the full out panel mods.

MTV

I purchased Avion control wheels a few years back. I like the wheels, but Avion was very hard to get ahold of after my purchase. It worked out ok, but they were delivered about a month later than they said and the lack of returned calls made me nervous at the time.

Jack