Here’s an old thread with some additional considerations. All these little mods add up. If several have been done and done well already, you’ll come out ahead. And being in Canada you could add Wing-X to this list.
Good luck,
-DP

https://backcountrypilot.org/forum/thin ... -170b-7405

A 170B is Canada with the structural provisions for $60K cdn is a reasonable starting point. From what you've describe so far and the pictures shown I'd push forward with a pre-purchase inspection, maybe put a "first rights, refundable deposit on the table and be prepared to "open" the negotiations. The structural provisioning for the floats represents approximately a $15K cdn value and as MTV said the corrosion work is invaluable.

The 170B on floats properly loaded is a very capable airplane; one word, patience. You will learn a lot on how to "manage" a float plane and massage it off the water.

Is the B on a standard C of A or an OM C of A ?

All 170's are great fun. I have had two 55's B's , a 49 A and currently have a 54 B with a 180. My current 170B will be my last airplane as long as I can find a doctor in Michigan who will do basic med . The panel that is in the 55 you show is not even close to factory stock, so I would want to know that there was documentation acceptable to the mechanic who is going to do your airworthiness inspections. Extended baggage is not available for the "A" because of control cable routing. What would worry me the most about the engine on the "B" would be corrosion in the forward part of the oil sump where when on wheels the oil never completely drains and moisture collects. Those sumps are becoming extremely rare, and to complicate things there are 3 and 5 bolt sumps where they attach to the accessory case which means that if you find one it may not be the correct one. All of that said, you can probably tell that I would lean toward the "B" though on wheels I didn't notice much difference in what a stock engine "B" would do over an "A". I only sold the "A: I had after I got a deal on the 180 hp "B" Normally if you had an "A" and a "B" equal in condition and times the market in the US would have the "A" selling for around $10,000 US dollars less. That is not a indicator of the usefulness or capabilities of the "A" model but an indication of the market perception of the value and the feeling that newer models offer improvements. The 53 and newer "B" heater is the one improvement that seems significant to me and a few individuals have installed later model heating duct work on earlier model aircraft. I would consider the tail wheel steering on all years of the 170's to be "suggestive" in nature. The real question that only you can answer is wither or not you can afford to take the risk of the 36 year old engine. It does no good to dream about buying floats, etc if the money you were going to spend on up grades has to go to overhaul the engine. You see a lot of airplanes with low time freshly overhauled engines up for sale because it is no fun own an airplane that you are not flying because you are strapped for cash do to a engine overhaul that stretches the budget. Best of luck and have fun with your choice. (no I didn't tell you which one to buy)

Tim

I’ll say it, get the B but full disclosure I may be a bit bias

mtv wrote:There is no such thing as "Float compatible". The B you're looking at has a factory float kit. That means the internal blocks are there in the back, AND the airplane was corrosion proofed at the factory.....that's huge, whether you put it on floats or not in future. The factory really did a good job of corrosion proofing these factory seaplanes back in those days.

MTV

If I remember, they zinc chromated the interior of the wings on the float models. That is such a huge value for these old airframes. My B was LOADED with surface corrosion on the wing interior.

Mapleflt wrote:A 170B is Canada with the structural provisions for $60K cdn is a reasonable starting point. From what you've describe so far and the pictures shown I'd push forward with a pre-purchase inspection, maybe put a "first rights, refundable deposit on the table and be prepared to "open" the negotiations. The structural provisioning for the floats represents approximately a $15K cdn value and as MTV said the corrosion work is invaluable.

The 170B on floats properly loaded is a very capable airplane; one word, patience. You will learn a lot on how to "manage" a float plane and massage it off the water.

Is the B on a standard C of A or an OM C of A ?

Hoping the owner will budge a bit more on the price. I had a pre-purchase inspection done on it already and it revealed only a few snags.

It's under a standard C of A.

Zzz wrote:

mtv wrote:There is no such thing as "Float compatible". The B you're looking at has a factory float kit. That means the internal blocks are there in the back, AND the airplane was corrosion proofed at the factory.....that's huge, whether you put it on floats or not in future. The factory really did a good job of corrosion proofing these factory seaplanes back in those days.

MTV

If I remember, they zinc chromated the interior of the wings on the float models. That is such a huge value for these old airframes. My B was LOADED with surface corrosion on the wing interior.

The airframe is primed on the B I'm considering

This 170B just keeps getting better and better. If you don't snap it up I've got a pal that will be there tomorrow grab it.

Mapleflt wrote:This 17s0B just keeps getting better and better. If you don't snap it up I've got a pal that will be there tomorrow grab it.

I'll be picking it up! My plane

Zzz wrote:

mtv wrote:There is no such thing as "Float compatible". The B you're looking at has a factory float kit. That means the internal blocks are there in the back, AND the airplane was corrosion proofed at the factory.....that's huge, whether you put it on floats or not in future. The factory really did a good job of corrosion proofing these factory seaplanes back in those days.

MTV

If I remember, they zinc chromated the interior of the wings on the float models. That is such a huge value for these old airframes. My B was LOADED with surface corrosion on the wing interior.

Yes, they really seriously corrosion proofed the entire interior surface back then, wings, tail and fuselage. It’s a big deal in my opinion.

MTV

The Cessna factory corrosion proofing, priming of the airframe was like a $125 option new. Why didn't every person opt for it???? I wish mine had it.

Get the B. It sounds like a good one. [emoji1360]

I’m late to a well established direction, but I’d be heavily biased towards the B with factory float kit.

The value of the corrosion proofing, and the fact you are considering floats down the the road, make it the clear option between the two.

PS... do the floats. In our country, they’re a passport to all the good stuff.

Did up buy the plane? Pictures please.

If you didn't an address, please & thank you

Looks like he did a nice write up for Lightspeed on his trip home with it:

https://www.lightspeedaviation.com/blog ... e=hs_email

Follwed the link in the above article to a film of his flying to some aggressive mountain biking.