Refurbishing A 1961 Bonanza

[Wyandot Jim]

Hey Guys,
Since quite a few of you enjoyed the post of the refurbishing of the "Mighty Mouse" Camaro. I thought I would post about my refurbishing of my 1961 "P" Model Beechcraft Bonanza.
So lets start with a little history. Along about 19 and 64 I realized the only way I was going to be able to have an airplane hobby was to find older planes that needed a lot of TLC to fix and sell. So this has been my first love since that first Aeronca Champ I bought and rebuilt in 1966/67. I had ten hrs of flight time when I bought it. After enjoying flying it for 2 years and 6 months of rebuilding it was time to sell it and find a better plane to rebuild, and so on and so on. Well in 1989 I had just sold a Cessna Cardinal that I had redone and made a few bucks on. So time to upgrade to another that needed some TLC. I found this Bonanza that the owner had to sell to pay his taxes. HMMMMMMMMMM I'm liking this. Oh by the way he is a lawyer that didn't win on this one.
The plane's airframe was in good shape with low total hours, but needed an engine overhauled soon and updated paint, interior, new glass, and other small items. Not to many buyers out there for one like this. If the work has to be farmed out it is better to go buy one already done.
Son and I flew the plane for 3 years then he was transferred to Norfolk and I decided it was time to do my thing. So for the next 6 months it was go to the hangar after work and weekends, yea I was still working at the time, and get after it. Yea I love taking old crap and making it new again. Well I'm not to wild about stripping off the old paint, but it has to be done for a good paint job. It still had the factory paint with one more new coat on top of it. What a pain in the arsh that is to remove. You buy paint remover and lacquer thinner in 5 gal cans and lots of it. You just haven't lived until you have stripped the belly and bottom of the wings of an airplane. Well maybe you have so skip that part and trust me on that.
OK Lets stop with the BS and get on with the pictures and project.

This is what it looked like in 1961 with that Turquoise Paint that was so popular at the time YUCK. Remember the Fords and Chevys of that time period???


Getting off some of the last paint.

OK Now the old paint is gone and ready to install new windows

New glass and ready to go to paint. Notice all the controls, gear doors, and all the parts that can be taken off have been. Now I will acid etch, alyodyne, wash primer, epoxy prime, then urethane paint.



Well that didn't take long. Lets pull off the tape and paper. By the way I used 25 rolls of 3/4" tape and 2 rolls of 2''. There are 4 different colors used. Main colors are Red, White and Blue. plus Silver inside of gear doors cowling and gear plus grey in the interior. This was the hardest paint scheme I have ever taped. Because everything tapers or is rounded and doesn't line up with the rivet lines.



Now It's time to paint all the interior so we can get rid of the 50s color and install the new leather interior. I had the local hot rod guy do the seats and side panels but I cut and mounted the panels and head liner and other stuff.








Hey WHO stole my Eng.????


Missing a few of the big parts


Oh Crap I hope I can remember where all this stuff goes.


Doing a little painting of eng parts



Well I had to call in help to get it back together Mech in training


Looks like most all the big parts are back on.

Well I guess all the stuff fits.


Well here is the finished project. Notice the red is the same as on the Trans Am. That is the only color Red that I now use on Cars and planes.
It took me 25 years of buying rebuilding and selling to come up with the BEST single engine airplane ever built so I have stopped on selling. This is the one I will die with.
I hope I didn't bore you to much. If any interest in this I will post the building of a Two Winger :wink: :wink: :wink:

 

[Zeus]

That is a great looking bananza! Man that's a lot of work! Yeah, if you weren't certified to do the work, that would be a no go I haven't flown in a v tail yet. I see them from time to time.

The strangest plane I've seen locally was not long ago. There was one recently that was prepping to leave that looked like a spaceship. Had the engine in the rear of the fuselage. Can't remember the name but it was definitely different!

Thanks for sharing the pics, it turned out great!

 

[Anonymous]

I'm almost speechless. I love stuff like this, but I'm no more capable of doing something like this than I am of walking to Los Angeles and back tonight. This is great. And by all means, show us what you're doing with the biplane! Congratulations on a beautifully well done job. You should be proud.

 

[pyth0n]

Great job. I love that plane.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Thanks Guys

Zeus I'm not certified to do this work, but I have friends that will sign off my work Hell the FAA signed off my work when I built my Two Winger :wink:

That is a great looking bananza! Man that's a lot of work! Yeah, if you weren't certified to do the work, that would be a no go

 

[RSIno1]

Strange UFO plane was probably a Vari-ez. Real swept back wings toward rear and little wings (canards) up front. Probably as fast as the Bonanza but a lot less comfort.

 

[Jim Puke]

Great story, great craftsmanship/workmanship and very nice classic plane.

I do have a question though...How do you like the throw over yoke as compared to the dual yoke?

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Great story, great craftsmanship/workmanship and very nice classic plane.

I do have a question though...How do you like the throw over yoke as compared to the dual yoke?

Jim,
Most all Beechcraft had the throw over yoke. From the first Staggerwing to the latest Bonanzas. The reason being is the Beechcraft was never meant to be a trainer so did not require a duel yoke. Some passengers are uneasy when they have a yoke in front of them so that problem was eliminated. You can pull a pin and it will swap over to the passenger side so they can fly.
Now me I like it that way much easier to get into and tune radios without the yoke in the way. Wifie also likes it since she doesn't fly. If I need help flying I turn on the auto pilot which is rare

 

[eric conrad]

This is great Jim. Please keep it coming. I bet your wife never wondered what you were doing at night and the weekends. :lol:
I'd love to go for a ride in a open bi-plane.
Eric

 

[Zeus]

A biplane would be fun!!!

Speaking of yokes, have any of you flown a diamond with the stick? I have been going to try it but for long flight with the family, I just can't see the wife or kid really liking to have to deal with the other passenger side in the way the whole time. I like the look of the swing yoke. The other I like is the design of the Cirrus with the stick on the side. Looks like it would take some time to get used to but would really free up some room. I was amazed at the leg room that was gained going from a steam gauge cockpit to a glass cockpit. For the life of me though, I can't watch the screen air speed indicator when landing, I have to look at the old round one off the the side. The computer screen changes too much, I find it to be a pain.

Now lets see the two winger!!

 

[mhblaw]

Verrrryyy nice! Four Alpha Alpha just rolls off the tongue...

 

[WendyZXZ]

Looking good there!

 

[Colt Hammerless]

Very nice Jim! Being a 1961, that must be one of the earliest P-models made. My dad has had a 1961 N-35 for about 18 years now. If I remember right, it was made later in the year. Yours and his must only be a couple months apart at most.

Paul

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Paul, Yes it is an Early model did it's test hop in 11-61 #16 built. The N model was the first to have the rounded rear window and the P was the first to have the center stack radio panel with no piano keyboard switches.
The Centerfold in the 1961 Beechcraft Brochure for the P is an N Model with a P paint scheme .
It is painted the same colors as mine. I think they only made the N for less than a year 280 made and the P for 3 years 467 made. I have had mine for 24 years.

 

[Colt Hammerless]

Yep, it was the first of the "long look" Bonanzas. Correct, 1961 was the only year of production, and 280 made. You must have Larry Ball's book. I thought your paint scheme looked like the factory N-models. I recall reading about an N35 being used in the advertising literature for the P35. I like the art deco look of the piano keys, but I'm jelous of your 165mph IAS normal operating gear speed!

Paul

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Yep, it was the first of the "long look" Bonanzas. Correct, 1961 was the only year of production, and 280 made. You must have Larry Ball's book. I thought your paint scheme looked like the factory N-models. I recall reading about an N35 being used in the advertising literature for the P35. I like the art deco look of the piano keys, but I'm jelous of your 165mph IAS normal operating gear speed!

Paul

Paul,
Don't all Bonanza guys have Larry's book The N model paint is not the same as mine. Mine is the stock P Paint. Mine cruises day in day out at 165 Kts. at 7500-8500 @ 2450 and burns 13-13.5 at 75%
Even with the higher gear speed I always slow down to pattern speed 100-120MPH before dropping the gear, just a lot less strain on it
A small world story. About 6 years ago I talked with the owner of the Centerfold N to see if he new what he had. It is also the picture in Larry's book. Of course he didn't so I made copies of it and sent to him. He lives in Midland Texas and the plane picture was taken over Dallas. He also has some relatives in Norfolk VA close to Son who was stationed there at the time. He flew to Norfolk and he and his family got together with Son and Family. The N # is N9899R and he still owns it at this time.

 

[Jared]

Very nice! I hope do do something like that in the future.

 

[Colt Hammerless]

I see now, that is a P35 paint job. I had to go look at Larry's book to remind myself. That speed and fuel burn sounds on the money. We typically fly between 8500 and 10500 pulling around 60% power and 2450. Depending on density altitude we're burning between low 12s to 13 GPH and trueing around 155-160 kts. We typically drop the gear around 130-120 mph. There's a LOT of student traffic at our home airport in Archers and 172s and sometimes we have to fit into the flow sooner than we'd like, and don't want to risk shock cooling the engine. I just saw the pic of N9899R in the book. Aviation can be a very small world.

Paul

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Paul,
I got ya. My approach is a weeee bit different than yours for sure.
Since I live on the airport I'm a little freer than you. Most of the time there isn't any one around. So I can do a cruise power flyby down the runway pull into a tight 180 bank to pull Gs and slow down the plane into downwind. GUMP on close downwind and 180 turn for a high approach to final with full flaps. Just a lot more fun than flying LONG slow patterns. Son also flies the same approach with the Baron and at his day job with the T-45s. His speed into the break is a little more than mine :lol: :lol: :lol: About 350Kts.
It is pretty much the same as a Carrier approach and you don't spend a lot of time in the pattern. :wink: :wink:

 

[Colt Hammerless]

We fly out of DVT in the Phoenix area, which is the busiest GA airport in the country. Definitely no freedom to do anything like that. We're usually sandwiched between slower aircraft doing touch and goes. You get used to it, but it's always shocking when we go to other airports and see how laid back and easy going everything is. We used to fly to San Angelo, TX to visit family about once a year. We'd do an initial call at around 15 miles out, and more often than not they'd clear us to land right then. They would even give us the winds and ask which runway we'd like.