Price for 180 hp 170B

[GAHorn]

The BEST reason to convert a 170 to a larger engine is to keep that classic round tail and wonderfully simple little airplane ... but give it some lifting capabilities that will keep up with our load-hauling desires. (I'll put up with a little tail... but I want her chest filled out!

[Joe Moilanen]

AMEN

[beeliner]

I agree! I occasionally think it would be nice to have a big climb rate and a little faster cruise. I know I could sell the 170 and buy an old 180 for less than converting to a big engine. But beyond the beauty of the 170 tail is the lighter handling and low panel (great visibility). A converted 170 is still a 170. For now, I'm enough of a flatlander that the little 145hp works just fine and is very smooth. And I just completed a very thorough annual for $500 (cause I do all the grunt work).[/u]

[Jr.CubBuilder]

Frankly if I lived somewhere more flat and below 4000' a motor conversion wouldn't make any sense to me at all, I've really come to love my C145. It's easy on the gas, seems to be built like a tank, it's the easiest starting plane motor I've ever experienced. The bummer is that it makes enough power, but you just can't harness it with a fixed pitch prop. It's rated for 143hp at 2700rpm sea level, and that's plenty for me, but even with a 76/51 I'm usually only turning 2300-2400 at the begining of the take off roll. That's only about 100hp, so when the DA is hovering around 3000' it's not exactly frisky getting off a grass strip and climbing over the trees at the end. It'll do it but there's not much room for error, maybe that's making me a better pilot, but I want a little more power for taking a passenger and my dog with me. The visibility is one of the reasons I decided to upgrade the 170 instead of pursuing a 180, or Maule. The cabin isn't any bigger on the 180 anyway, it just looks bigger because of that huge cowling and panel.

[cessna170bdriver]

For me the biggest advantage to a bigger engine in the 170, or choosing a 180 over a 170, would be the extra performance margin in high density altitude and/or short field situations, and that's about the only reason, IMHO. The older 180's I've seen that would compare price-wise to a big-engined 170 don't really offer much in the way increased legal useful load over the 170. The majority of the higher gross weight is taken up by the higher empty weight and higher fuel capacity. Once I get inside, I don't detect any extra cabin volume either. I think the 180 only looks bigger because the longer gear legs make it sit higher off the ground. Sure, it might be a few knots faster but not enough to justify the higher operating costs, IMHO. If you REALLY have the need for speed, buy or build an RV.

Bottom line is that I'd rather pay 70-80K for a decent O-360 Lyc or IO-360 TCM- powered 170 than a similar amount for a plain-jane older 180. And, I agree with George et al, that there's no substitute for that big round tail. (No disrespect at all intended to you ragwing drivers, but after almost 24 years of being involved with 170's I STILL have trouble distinguishing an original ragwing 170 from a 140 at a distance on the first try ).

Miles