The International Cessna 170 Association

Still a strong market for upscale C 170s

There is an EBAY auction for a C 170B and I wanted to share the buzz. Auction closes in 4 hours

There has been avg 9 views per hour. That is a lot. Total views to date is 4476. That is equivalent to 4476 persons walking into a retail store to look at merchandise.

81 persons are signed in as "watchers"

Upscale C170B reported 2510 total hours, 800 hrs on LYC 0 340 Doryn conversion.


No bids, asking starting is 67,500.

The true value price should really be 92 -95,000 $$ . Then you could give a discount down to 60,000!

I think many C 170s sold at wholesale prices.

Grady, are you familiar with this 170?
If you are considering looking at this aircraft, make sure you pull an FAA file on it.

In my professional (That is Non Humble) opinion the Doyn Convedrsion using the Lycoming O-340 engine is about as valuable as a one pint pitcher of warm spit. It was WAY too much work and expenxe for a twenty horse power gain over the stock Continental O-300. I've flown them and the difference is in my (again) professional opinion not at all that good. As a matter of fact, givem my professional druthers, I druther have a Continantal O-300 for the additional smoothness.
If you arent spooked by a little of rather clever modification that is almost impossible to detect without an engine tear down, I've been told you can gain about that much horse power by installing Conintental C-85 pistons in your Continental O-300 engine. With the cylinder bore being the same, I understand there is a slightly greater distance, due to the engine stroke length, from the wrist pin to the top of the piston, thereby raising the compression ratio.I have no real personal experience with this modification, but that's what the big boys tell me.

I rather doubt that the Lycoming O-340 engine, due to it's relative obscurity, is any longer supported by Lycoming.

IMNHO $67,500 is wsy too high for an airplane with that conversion.

Does that O-340 have a constant speed prop??

I didn't see the "auction" but by the description it sounds like this machine is owned by a 170 member from Arizona. He's selling due to his medical, something a few of us might be battling with.
Is it too expensive? ; it's up there but it's damage free history makes it command a good price. The engine conversion is a plus but it's an old conversion utiling an old steel Hartzell prop so maybe a better conversion can be found. Lastly, the owner knew his plane and took care of it, so that's a big plus. I guess it sells when the new owner wants it.
I've been looking myself as both of my planes are in pieces and I'd like to fly this year. I've wanted to buy a Canadian plane to avoid the import disaster that seems to happen, to planes crossing borders. Although the swings in the dollar, swing back and forth with planes traveling back and forth, it seems the game is the same. I find Canadians valuing their planes based on the American market but in many cases their planes due to their condition could never enter that market hence I think what is their real worth? That may also apply to American planes heading North if they have numerous 337's based on acceptable data. What seems to be another constant in my opinion; American planes have better avionics. It seems many Canadian light singles still have KX170's as their number 1 radio or worse. I'm still looking but it's tough to find something that's for sale which reflects my market, (the one in my head).

I have been told that that O-340 Lyc is an orphan engine. Not popular at all. I personally don't know. I looked at a member's 170 back in 1989 that had the O-340 with a cs prop. I passed on it and have not regretted it. The price on the one at auction is (in my humble opinion) WAY over priced, but if its owner can get that figure for it, more power to him or her.

I have flown a 170 with the c-85 pistons fitted. It makes the the O-300 come alive . A external oil cooler had to be fitted though. When used economically we had great fuel consumption. The inlet and exhaust ports were polished also .however the Lycoming 340 makes a great anchor.

I have learned a lot from these posts. Thank you.

There is so much to learn; where we be without the forum?

MoonlightVFR wrote:There is so much to learn; where we be without the forum?

We'd all be repeating each others' mistakes!