1961 PIPER PA-24-180 COMANCHE, 3882 TT, GOOD AIRPLANE IN AND OUT, LITE DAMAGE, CHEAP!

THE PA-24 COMANCHE WAS PRODUCED WITH 1 BASIC AIRFRAME AND 4 ENGINE CHOICES:

180 hp 4 CYLINDER LYCOMING

250 hp 6 CYLINDER LYCOMING 

260 hp 6 CYLINDER LYCOMING

400 hp 8 CYLINDER LYCOMING 

THE 400 hp VERSION WAS A BEAST, AND EVEN WHEN GAS WAS CHEAP, PILOTS BALKED AT BURNING 20-22 GALLONS PER HOUR.

WHEN GAS WAS CHEAPER, THE 250, WHICH BECAME THE 260, WAS POPULAR, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT BURNED 15 or 16 GALLONS PER HOUR, IT WAS FASTER THAN THE 180.  ( THE 250's ACHILLES HEEL IS RANGE. IT CANT EVEN GO 4 HOURS ON ITS STANDARD TANKS)  

WITH THE CURRENT PRICE OF AVGAS, THE 180 HAS BECOME THE FAVORITE MODEL, AS IT WILL DO 138-140 KNOTS (due to the smooth, tapered wing), CARRIES 5 HOURS OR MORE OF FUEL, AND BURNS 8.5-9 GALLONS PER HOUR, WITH A BIG COMFORTABLE CABIN, SMOOTH CONTROLS AND GOOD DYNAMIC STABILITY!

THIS IS A  GOOD LOOKING 180 COMANCHE!

THE PAINT IS OVERALL WHITE, WITH RUST AND BLACK ACCENT STRIPES, AND LOOKS GOOD.

THE DASH IS FANTASTIC !!     UPDATED TO A CLEAN, MODERN LAYOUT, WITH SIX PACK INSTRUMENT ARRANGEMENT PLUS ROOM FOR BOTH RADIO INDICATORS IN THE STRAIGHT LINES, WITH A CENTER STACK FOR RADIOS!

NOTICE THE TOE BRAKES?  MOST 180 COMANCHES DON’T HAVE THEM, BUT THIS ONE DOES !!

THE SEATS THEMSELVES ARE A LITTLE TATTERED, SO THE OWNER ADDED VINYL COVERS, FRONT AND BACK. THE SEATS SIT FINE NOW,  I JUST THINK THEY LOOK A LITTLE TACKY WITH THE SAGS, SO IF IT WAS MINE, ID LIKE TO FRESHEN THE SEATS UP TO MATCH THE VERY NICE DASH!  THE WINDSHEILD HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO THE ONE PIECE TYPE, WHICH IS QUIETER, OFFERS BETTER VISABILITY, AND LOOKS LOTS BETTER!

THIS  AIRPLANE SUFFERED DAMAGE WHEN IT LANDED GEAR UP AT THE MARION, INDIANA AIRPORT, NOT BECAUSE OF A GEAR MALFUNCTION, BUT  BECAUSE THE OWNER/PILOT WAS DISTRACTED, AND JUST FORGOT TO LOWER THE GEAR!!

LIFTED UP CAREFULLY, THE AIRPLANE IS SITTING FINE NOW ON ITS COMPLETELY UNDAMAGED GEAR !

YOU HAVE TO WONDER WHAT THE PILOT HAD GOING ON, AS HE DIDN'T HAVE THE FLAPS FULLY DOWN EITHER, WHICH IS GOOD FOR THE AIRPLANE, AS THERE IS NO SERIOUS FLAP DAMAGE.  There is a light scrape to the inboard trailing edge of 1 flap, but it is just slight, and should not require any attention !!

HE MUST HAVE BEEN A GOOD PILOT, BECAUSE HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON THE CENTER OF THE BELLY ONLY, NO PORPOISING OR BOUNCING

THERE IS NO DAMAGE AT ALL TO THE LOWER COWLING, THE AIR SCOOP, THE NOSE GEAR DOOR OR THE NOSE GEAR WELL!!

THERE IS SCRAPPING ON THE BELLY, TO THREE SKINS, AND THE  SUPPORT RIBS UNDERNEATH THE OVERLAPS WHERE THESE 3 SKINS MEET.  

THE CENTER OF THESE 3 SKINS IS ACTUALLY A SEPARATE, BOLT ON ACCESS PANEL, NOT EVEN A RIVETED SKIN.

THATS ALL THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE INCIDENT!! 

ONCE AGAIN, LUCKILY PLACED ANTENNAS ON THE BELLY KEPT THE WINGS, FLAPS AND NOSE GEAR DOOR FROM GETTING HURT.

THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANY ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME ITSELF FROM THIS INCIDENT.  THERE IS A SMALL KINK IN THE RIGHT STABILATOR AT THE OUTBOARD REAR, THAT HAS BEEN HAND STRAIGHTENED AND OBVIOUSLY FLOWN THIS WAY FOR SOME TIME.

THE REST OF THE AIRFRAME, WINGS, MAIN GEAR, AILERONS, TAIL, RUDDER AND EVERYTHING YOU CAN SEE WITHOUT GETTING ON YOUR HANDS AND KNEES AND LOOKING UP IS UNDAMAGED!!

THE FIREWALL, ENGINE MOUNT AND COWLING WERE NOT AFFECTED AT ALL.

THE 0-360 180 H.P. ENGINE SUSTAINED A PROP STRIKE, AND HAS BEEN REMOVED, AND IS NOT INCLUDED HERE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MOUNT, ENGINE CONTROL CABLES, WIRING AND EGT/CHT HARNESS ARE INTACT AND UNCUT. READY TO SLIDE YOUR CHOICE OF DYNAFOCAL ENGINE BACK IN HERE !!!!  (I HAVE OFTEN WONDERED WHY NO ONE HAS PUT A LYCOMING 200 H.P. IO-360 FUEL INJECTED ENGINE IN A COMANCHE.  IT WOULD BE FASTER THAN AN ARROW DUE TO THE CLEANER WING AND FUSELAGE, HAVE MORE ROOM INSIDE, HOLD MORE GASS (60 GALLONS VS 50) AND BE A GREAT ALL-AROUND TRAVELING AIRPLANE!!  THE 180 COMANCHE IS AS FAST AS A 200H.P ARROW, HOW FAST WOULD A 200 H.P. COMANCHE BE?)  Of course the standard engine is a 180 h.p. 0-360

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE RADIO PANEL UNITS AND INDICATORS ARE NOT INSTALLED, AND NOT INCLUDED HERE, BUT THE TRAYS AND WIRING FOR A COMPLETE STACK ARE INCLUDED

THE TRAYS FIT A PS ENGINEERING AUDIO PANEL, KING DIGITAL NAV-COM, GARMIN GPS-COMM AND KING TRANSPONDER.  THESE UNITS ARE READILY AVAILABLE ON THE OPEN MARKET, FROM US OR OTHERS, AND THEY WILL SLIDE RIGHT BACK INTO THE INSTALLED TRAYS IN A MINUTE, OR USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INSTALL SOMETHING YOU HAVE AVAILABLE, OR GO ALL OUT AND INSTALL YOUR DREAM STACK !!  YOU WONT BE PAYING FOR THINGS YOU DON’T WANT OR NEED!  THE INSIGHT GRAPHIC ENGINE MONITOR (DIGITAL EGT/CHT) IS INSTALLED AND INCLUDED, ALONG WITH THE INTACT HARNESS, AS IS THE WX-8 STORMSCOPE SYSTEM.

TOTAL AIRFRAME TIME IS 6197 HOURS.

WE HAVE EVERY AIRFRAME LOGBOOK FOR THIS AIRFRAME, BACK TO BRAND NEW IN 1961 AND THE EQUIPMENT LIST AND WEIGHT AND BALANCE, PILOT’S OPERATING HANDBOOK AS WELL AS LOTS OF RECEIPTS, 337’S AND AD’S IN PAPER AND C.D.

THE FAA BILL OF SALE AND FAA AIRWORTHINESS ARE INCLUDED AS WELL.

LOCATED IN A T HANGER AT THE MARION, INDIANA AIRPORT. WE WILL PAY THE HANGER FEE FOR 30 DAYS FROM THE END OF THE AUCTION

THIS IS A GOOD AIRPLANE, WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE CENTER BELLY ONLY AND A GOOD OVERALL LOOK AT A VERY LOW PRICE !!

WHAT A GREAT WINTER PROJECT!!

BE FLYING BY SPRING!

BUY IT NOW BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES !!

GOOD BIDDING

AS WENTWORTH AIRCRAFT IS LOCATED IN CRYSTAL,MINNESOTA, NOT……........MARION, IN..... ..…….. WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PERSONALLY ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR OR MOVING OF THIS AIRPLANE

WENTWORTH AIRCRAFT DOES NOT OBTAIN REPAIR ESTIMATES, AS WE DO NOT REPAIR ANY OF OUR AIRPLANES. WE ONLY FACILITATE THE SALE OF REBUILDABLE AIRCRAFT TO THOSE DESIRING TO SAVE MONEY OR HAVE MORE AIRPLANE THAN OTHERWISE POSSIBLE FOR THE MONEY.

REPAIR OF ANY AIRCRAFT WILL DEPEND ON MANY FACTORS, SUCH AS AVAILABILITY OF USED PARTS, LABOR RATE OF THE REPAIR FACILITY, FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, ETC. AND WE WOULD NEVER PRESUME TO ESTIMATE THIS NUMBER FOR A BUYER. BEWARE OF THOSE WHO OBVIOUSLY GIVE UNREALISTICALLY LOW "ESTIMATES" FOR THE REPAIR OF THE DAMAGED AIRCRAFT THEY SELL.

THIS ITEM IS BEING SOLD WITH A LOW RESERVE, THEREFORE WE FULLY EXPECT THIS LISTING WILL SELL TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER AT THE CLOSE OF THIS AUCTION, SO BID EARLY AND BID HIGH. THERE WILL BE NO CHANCE TO BUY THIS ITEM LATER!!

AS WE SET OUR BUY-IT-NOW SO LOW, MANY OF OUR AIRPLANES SELL BY THIS METHOD BEFORE THE END OF THE AUCTION. DONT WAIT TOO LONG HOPING TO SNIPE IT AT THE END, AND BE DISAPPOINTED !

WENTWORTH AIRCRAFT INC IS THE #1 VOLUME SELLER IN THE USED AIRCRAFT MARKET!

WE ARE THE REAL BRICK AND MORTAR WENTWORTH AIRCRAFT YOU HAVE SEEN ADVERTISED ON PAGE 6 OF TRADE-A-PLANE, AT OUR BOOTHS AT OSHKOSH, SUN-AND-FUN, AOPA, AND ELSEWHERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS !!!!

WE HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SATISFIED CUSTOMERS OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, SO WHEN YOU BUY AN ITEM THROUGH EBAY FROM US, YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT WE WILL LIST ALL ITEMS AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT WE WILL ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS TRUTHFULLY.

PLEASE ASK ALL QUESTIONS THROUGH THE LISTING(ASK SELLER A QUESTION), BECAUSE THESE QUESTIONS GET ANSWERED IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER.

PLEASE DON'T ASSUME. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE ABOUT ANY FACET OF ONE OF OUR LISTINGS, PLEASE ASK !

SO THAT ALL BIDDERS HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION,WE PREFER NOT TO ANSWER DETAIL QUESTIONS BY PHONE. OUR PHONE SALES STAFF HAS NO DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF THE ITEMS ON EBAY.

DUE TO THE AUCTION FORMAT, IT WOULD NOT BE FAIR FOR THE HIGH BIDDER NOT TO BUY THE ITEM LISTED, SO TREAT YOUR BID LIKE A HANDSHAKE!!

YOUR BID IS NOT A RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL, BUT RATHER A CONTRACT TO BUY OUR AIRPLANE AT YOUR BID PRICE

SO BE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION, AND FUNDSIN PLACE.

A NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT OF $2,000 IS DUE WITHIN 72 HOURS OF THE BID CLOSING. WE PREFER PAYPAL FOR THIS DEPOSIT, BUT IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PAYPAL, LET US KNOW, AND WE WILL HELP YOU FIND AN ALTERNATIVE.

THE BALANCE OF THE PAYMENT IS DUE WITHIN 7 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF BID CLOSE. THESE FUNDS CAN BE BY WIRE TRANSFER, BANK OR CASHIERS CHECK, CASH, OR ANY COMBINATION. FULL PAYMENT IS DUE BY TIME STATED, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU HAVE VIEWED THE AIRCRAFT. BID ACCORDINGLY.

THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THIS LISTING, AND BE SURE TO CLICK "SEE SELLERS OTHER AUCTIONS" OR SEARCH WENTWORTHAIRCRAFTINC IN SELLERS,FOR MORE ITEMS YOU NEED OR WANT!