- Joined
- Dec 18, 2007
- Messages
- 510
- Reaction score
- 249
I finished my Skybolt two years ago and have sense rebuilt a ground looped Thorp T18 together with my friend Ron. We installed new landing gear, new cleavland wheels and brakes, a new radio, some new instruments, rewired the entire aircraft, had the engine rebuilt and upgraded to a lycoming 320 from a O290 lycoming by adding O320 cylinders to the O290D. We also rebuilt one wing, installed a new air box, reworked the cowling, installed a new led headlight, got rid of the vacuum system and added a digital artificial horizon. We installed a new propellor which we discovered does not have enough pitch. So we ordered a new prop from Sensenich propellors a 68/72. The thorp is cursing at 170 mph at 2600 rpm with the prop we have now but only pulling 19 inches man. pressure. We also got rid of 40 lbs and the aircraft now weighs 896 lbs. It was tail heavy so we removed the battery from behind the seat and
put a new PC680 battery on the firewall. We also repainted most of the aircraft and added wheel pants and fairings. We also recovered the seats and refurbished the interior not shown in the pictures.
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