I’ve been searching intently the last month for a nice straight 1956 182. Like most on this site, I love the tall gear. However...

In the last couple days a 1958 182 has showed up on my radar. It has had only 2 owners and the second was literally a rocket scientist. The scientist died 12 years ago and the aircraft has sat in a hangar the entire time and never been moved or started. I can get it for and amazing price. The aircraft has 3171 TT and 243 SMOH with chrome cylinders. I know I have a very long laundry list of things that will need checkout. Fortunately the paint and interior are great. The airplane was not left full of fuel so I’m guessing the bladders will be toast. I plan to find an excellent AI and bring him with me to see it. I’m in Boise and the aircraft is in the LA area...far from the ocean.

What can I expect? If I drain the oil and replace, what should I replace it with? Add MMO? CamGuard? Change oil...run...change again? Can I even imagine that if I take a new battery, drain the tanks and add fresh fuel, that the aircraft might actually start up? I’m sure that before that attempt the mechanic should pull the plugs, clean and borescope the cylinders. We can look at a couple lobes of the cam through the oil filler tube with a flashlight...maybe more with a borescope? What about the prop? Is it safe to run/cycle it after 12 years? It sounds like the best thing about the scenario may be that it was never started during that time.

Can anyone recommend a great AI down in the Burbank/Van Nuys area? Thanks so much for any ideas to stick in my toolbox!

Phil

Sounds like the deals I used to find and jump on. I have been 'down that road' more than once. From my experience, they are never the deal one thinks they are. They usually cost me about what they would be worth in flying condition, unfortunately all the time I spend fixing and repairing them ends up being free labor for the next guy. A person is generally much further ahead by buying a plane that is in current annual and in flying condition.

Really depends on how it was stored though. I properly stored my 172 while we were stationed overseas for several years. Came back stateside and put in a battery, fresh fuel, annual done.....flew like it was never stored.

Now the not so good story, I bought a plane that had sat for 11+ years and it has had to have the cylinders replaced due to very excessive oil usage, fuel tank leaks due to dried up seals, and a list of other none-ending issues. Luckily I have the 172 to fly since this ongoing project seems to be a never ending repair/replace project. Now it has an ignition issue and to be honest, I haven't touched the plane in several weeks. It has been a money pit and I should have spent the money on a nice flying example instead of investing all my work and cash on a project.

I'm getting to old and too busted up to continue working on projects. Actually, I'm just getting back into flying after an injury nearly two years ago. Gave me lots of time to think about how valuable my time is. No more projects for me (maybe) LOL.
Now you have my advice.....it's probably not worth what you paid for it.

If the price is really that good and you really want THAT airframe, pull the engine and immediately PPONK it. Replace all the hoses/bladders/rubber/seals etc that have aged. I'm not sure if you are able to do much of the work yourself of not. That is the big variable that determines if this is worth doing or not. But you need to enjoy and want to work on it, not fly for the next several months.

How much does a pPonk run these days? O-470L. Gotta get it home from SoCal first!

Mine from Lawson Aviation was $28K in 2015, excluding Mags & Harness, prop governor, alternator, motor mounts, new baffles, install labor, C58 prop and several months to get field approval for the latter. It was less expensive than a OVH from Continental, and Lawson does good work.

I don’t think the tall gear 182 has any advantage and in fact is a disadvantage if you run tires larger then 8.50. The short gear on 29” tires gives the airplane a bit of a wheel barrow effect. I wouldn’t at all limit a 182 quest to tall gear.

Your engine could be ok but no doubt it’s high calendar is a huge negative unless preserved.

Hangar space around LA is very expensive. The small 60+ year “T” I’m in at Torrance is about $7000.00/year that’s $84,000 for 12 years. Who paid for the 12 years? Why wasn’t it put up for sale 12 years ago? Interesting scenario. I don’t like it.

Sounds like it could be a good deal. Given that the plane is low time, hangared in a dry climate, Good paint and interior and possibly well maintained by someone who could afford to have it well cared for. You could always figure worst case scenario when making your offer. As you said the bladders and fuel hoses might want to be replaced and some seals or gaskets might possibly need replacing. You could change the oil, put fuel in it, run the engine and check for leaks. You might be surprised!

IF you can buy it “right enough” to afford an engine Overhaul right soon, and still come out okay, you might be okay. As others have said, you’re potentially going to have other issues, but the engine is the real deal breaker.

So, yes, you might get it home safely, then overhaul the engine, plus work on other stuff, and come out okay. And, there’s a chance you could run that engine to close to two......but I sure wouldn’t bet on it.

I’ve been looking at a plane that’s had similar treatment. Seller opted to tear down engine prior to sale, due to corrosion in engine.

MTV

When I bought my Maule it had not flown in 5 years. It had been annualed every year. It still ate the cam at 900 hours. I think there was a small spot of corrosion on the cam which grew over 900 hours. That put metal through he whole engine. I did a major over haul on it.

If the price is right, that is key IMO. Figure worst case scenario with AP doing the work. Don't over pay.

Cheers...Rob

WWhunter wrote:.....It has been a money pit and I should have spent the money on a nice flying example instead of investing all my work and cash on a project.....

I talk to people all the time who talk about buying a project airplane.
People that have not been involved or around many projects don't realize how much work can be involved,
how things can snowball, and how much money everything costs and how much time it can take.
A buddy of mine's advice is always "just buy the very nicest flying one of those that you can afford, and you'll be money ahead".
Jughead's comment about needing to want to work on it -- instead of flying it-- for several months is right on the money.

The OP's target airplane might be one of those you can just out fresh gas & oil in, and go fly.....
but it might not be. 12 years is a long time.

8GCBC wrote:Hangar space around LA is very expensive. The small 60+ year “T” I’m in at Torrance is about $7000.00/year that’s $84,000 for 12 years. Who paid for the 12 years? Why wasn’t it put up for sale 12 years ago? Interesting scenario. I don’t like it.

Seen this happen a number of times, just at my own airport.
A guy gets sick, or just old, quits flying, eventually quits annualling the airplane or even coming around the airport.
Sooner or later he tips over.
His family doesn't know anything about airplanes,
so they put off doing anything about his airplane other than keep on paying rent on the hangar.
Eventually, maybe after the owner's widow dies,
the family decides to sell the airplane.
After all this time, it's usually a big deal to even get it running -- let alone airworthy and in annual.
Even at a podunkish airport, like mine, where rents are relatively cheap,
a hangar is gonna cost ya 2 or 3 thousand a year.
In hindsight, they probably would have been money ahead just giving the airplane away the day after grandpa died.
We should all keep this in mind....when the time comes to hang up the headset,
just sell the airplane and get things squared away so your survivors won't have to.

All the comments are very good. Thanks so much. The scenario that happened was closely parallel to one poster...owner quit flying...died...son was supposed to get the airplane...dinked around for a few years without flying it then he died...the daughter and her husband have it and would have done something but wanted to do right by her dad’s love for the plane...procrastinated...then they got burned out of their home above Burbank. Been the last couple years dealing with that. Shit happens. I’m getting the airplane so cheap that I can do almost anything to it and still be ahead. I hope way ahead. I sent out 150 letters to 1956 182 owners around the West last month from the Aircraft-Data.com database. Searching the database I “goofed” and accidently got their name (this is a ‘58) on my mail list and they called be. Guess I wasn’t wearing my reading glasses. Hopefully a pretty good “barn find”.

Well, I did buy this airplane. It has some deferred maintenance but the mechanics are working on it now after I spent the last 3 days with them. All is going well. I’ll do a complete briefing on the project after I fly it back to Boise around the 22nd of June.

Say, do any mechanics out there know if the muffler on a ‘58 182 should have “flame cones” in it? Anyone with a straight-tail out there who is running 8:00x6 mains and a 7:00x6 nose wheel on an Airglas fork. I’d love to see pics of that.

Phil

BirdyinBOI wrote:Well, I did buy this airplane. It has some deferred maintenance but the mechanics are working on it now after I spent the last 3 days with them. All is going well. I’ll do a complete briefing on the project after I fly it back to Boise around the 22nd of June.

Say, do any mechanics out there know if the muffler on a ‘58 182 should have “flame cones” in it? Anyone with a straight-tail out there who is running 8:00x6 mains and a 7:00x6 nose wheel on an Airglas fork. I’d love to see pics of that.

Phil

They should. But I know of a shop that overhauls exhausts and leaves the tubes out. I prefer them that way.

Well, according to my mechanic it’s easier on the muffler if they’re in there but I guess they get blown out on occasion. They keep the hot air from blasting so hard on the ends of the muffler. Sort of breaks the blast up.
That’s an unknown area for me but it would be nice to know if I’m headed for a new muffler in the near future.

Phil

Congrats on your purchase Phil! Keep us apprised of the progress with your new machine.

BirdyinBOI wrote:Well, I did buy this airplane. It has some deferred maintenance but the mechanics are working on it now after I spent the last 3 days with them. All is going well. I’ll do a complete briefing on the project after I fly it back to Boise around the 22nd of June.

Say, do any mechanics out there know if the muffler on a ‘58 182 should have “flame cones” in it? Anyone with a straight-tail out there who is running 8:00x6 mains and a 7:00x6 nose wheel on an Airglas fork. I’d love to see pics of that.

Phil

Here is mine on 8.50 mains and 8.00 nosewheel.

BirdyinBOI,
CONGRATS!! I truly hope it works out and it ends up needing little in the way of repairs/work. I do occasionally here of the guy that gets lucky and I sure hope you end up being that guy!

Well thanks WWhunter. I’ve got great mechanics working on it thanks to Bill Reid (stingers61b) on this site. Without him I would have never found the expertise and extra parts availability that these guys have. Many thanks to the network of “old-timers” at Whiteman Airport. You guys are the best.