The International Cessna 170 Association

Engine conversion cost depends on WAY too many factors to give a ballpark.
Are you able to do the work yourself or will you have to pay a shop?
Are you using a decent mid-time motor or do you plan to buy factory new?
The same with most of the other parts too. Serviceable or new?

The STC kit is probably the only constant in the equation unless you can get a field approval and make your own mount.

So, you can guess on anywhere between $25 to $85K for a conversion

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I don't know how a guy could spend $65K installing a new engine on a C-170. When I put the IO-360 on mine, I think I spent about $25K to $28 k but I did all the work myself. Maybe if you hired out all of the job it might cost $65K with an expensive Mechanic.
Shawn Holley, did you ever try to come up with your cost?

Thank ya much for the replies. No crystal ball here but I'm pretty sure there will be no 180 conversion in my future if I get lucky enough to own a 170 to begin with (looking hard). That seems just so unbelievably expensive and I thought the health care system way out of hand.

I'll just pray I can find a 170B I can afford and have enough wisdom to know it is a good plane. Just seems there is so much to worry about and look for. I'm honestly scared I may spend my last penny on a plane I think it is awesome and I'm not looking at the right things.

Thanks again,
Justin

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Justin,
If you're having a hard time justifying $40 or $50k for an airplane but really want a classic taildragger, have a serious look at a Cessna 140 or 120.

You don't get the four person capacity of a 170 but the 140's are just as pretty and more than half the cost.
It all depends on how much airplane you need, of course. But if you don't need four seats and the useful load is enough, they are great planes for the price.

Either way you go, spend the money to have a REAL ANNUAL inspection done by YOUR mechanic before signing the paperwork.

Good Luck!

-David

Oh, its not that bad....

Cheap O-360 core $6,000
Overhaul $18,000
Someones Conversion Kit $10,000+
Prop constant speed (because we want 80" and 2700 on take off) $8,400
Prop Governor $1,350
Oil cooler $245
Where we at: $43,995
Then there's the stuff that may or most likely not come with the conversion kit like, Lord Mounts $324 and a boost pump $300, and gauges (fuel flow, manifold pressure maybe others cause its a different model engine). Then there is all the stuff you may as well replace since your putting a new engine on like new cables, wiring, scat hose, and hardware, hell may as well put on a light weight starter, and alternator (cause we want performance).

I don't have any regrets

Paul

Thanks Paul for the pep talk and reaffirming that fact that I won't every upgrade to a 180 horse engine if I get lucky enough to own the 170 in the first place. I am not speaking bad of all you folks out there hat have the green to make that type of conversion possible or sacrifice all of your other toys to survive the conversion. My past airplane (Cessna 152) was my biggest toy and my future airplane will be my biggest toy I just can't play at that level as much as I fantasize about it. My kids would have to read by the old coal oil lantern and my earthly mode of transportation would likely be a dumb or dumber moped. I might could swing the low end Ford Festiva model. No offense if anyone has one of those, that was my first car with A/C, nice ride.

I'll stop with the crazy talk now but you get my drift. I want the best of both worlds and I can't. I just want to be in this game with the best flier that I can afford that will allow me to include my family of 4.

I have traveled over 4000 miles in the past 5 weeks looking at planes. Stinsons, 170A's, and 170B's. I really want a B model I think but have seen an A model that is hard to get out of my head. With my financial limitations I need some guidance. 'bigrenna' mentioned that I could lean on you guys as much as I needed. Maybe you don't want to hear the word Stinson on this forum but it's in the price range and gets me flying with my family. So with that said I am really looking for guidance on what I can do with a B model that I can't do with the A model, or maybe I can but it will take more money to make it happen. Such as the shoulder harnesses, it's my understanding there are factory slots where those can be fitted on the B model. If I want those on an A model what am I looking at to make this happen. The climb prompt mentioned and the sportsman stol kit are things think I could swing. I would like some bigger tires as well. However I was thinking the sportsman stol kit did not have an STC for the A model. Help is what I am looking for. I have been provided that before with my Airplane loan question a few weeks back. Lots of info there and I thank you. If there is another thread that address these type questions i don't want to reinvent the wheel.

I have high jacked this thread enough I sure so I will probably start a new thread to bring up my questions and see if you all will have enough patience with me to lead me in the right direction.

Thanks

By the way tri-cycle gears are not an option right now.

How long of a runway and at what altitude will you be taking off at?
A stock 170 at gross weight is still a very safe airplane. You don't need a STOL kit and seaplane prop to fly with four people.

I've taken off with full fuel, four people and two cases of oil out of an 1800 foot strip and that was no flaps and a nothing special prop.
It's not a rocket ship and it took a while to climb we were never in any danger.

A STOL kit will help you approach slower land shorter but a 170 can already land shorter than it can get out of.
For a few hundred bucks, you could flatten your prop to get a little better takeoff performance but you'll lose a little in cruise.

Bigger tires are a personal choice. Myself, I'm a wheel pants kinda guy.

The performance numbers between an A and B model are so close, it's not really worth worrying about.
Money for money: I'd be more interested in the condition of the plane.

We currently have a 1700 foot grass strip at about 1250 MSL and recently added around 300 foot to the strip but not yet usable (need a little heat to get the grass growing). A second strip is around 1600 and around 950 MSL.

Any idea how much you lose in cruise speed with the climb prop? I like big wheels and I like pants, not sure that is normal but just always concerned that I would tear up the pants on the rough grass strips.

With that said me and my Uncle would like to not be stuck to those two strips. I know there is limitations but would like make a run to Alaska some day. I know I can't have everything so we would have to be vigil in which strips we picked. But any reasonable additions to help with performance would be considered.

Thanks

I don't think you'd have much problem with 1700 feet unless it was really hot and there were tall trees at the end.
A 170 will do pretty much exactly what the book says it will do. They didn't exaggerate the numbers.

I re-pitched mine from 53 inches to 51 inches and lost about 7mph on the dial. Not enough to worry about and I prefer a little more climb to a little more cruise. My home field is 2400' @ 168msl and Im off the ground by mid field.

On rough grass, I might take off my pants but the grass I land on is pretty smooth.

Regarding extra money to do big motor conversions...keep in mind that a lot of people talk about it (me included) but not many have put the green down to make it happen.

very soon we will not have a choice about doing a conversion due to Continental not supporting the o-300. In my part of the world they are nearly impossible to obtain. I used a Superior engine PMA parts and used 100% all new parts and built up a engine as a Lycoming 180 hp. Total cost was $24,000 and used Harrys STC which was $12000. I didnt know about Sttots STC for the 180 hp at that time . Harrys kit included all the bits needed for the conversion.This included the exhaust system ,spinner and back plate, nuts and bolts ,just about all the works needed. I used a fixed pitch prop [Sensenich] to keep costs down and simplify everything. The C of G was also an issue with having a constant speed. Am I happy with the result after all the blood sweat and tears? YES!! What a machine. I now can get out of places that I land in .

ghostflyer wrote:very soon we will not have a choice about doing a conversion due to Continental not supporting the o-300. In my part of the world they are nearly impossible to obtain...

The O-300 is one of the most prolific engines of all time, although perhaps not down under.
Any support you might need is readily available on the US, and all you need do is order from
the appropriate sources.
But doubtless, you enjoy the 180 hp.

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