Tadpole's Stinson project
I said I'd make a thread here for my project, so it's time to get it started. I have threads a few other places and had been putting pictures on the ISC page on Facebook, but hopefully we can keep going on this forum and bring more activity.
Anyway, the back story. In 2010 I bought my first plane, a 108-2 project. I had made quite a bit of progress but ended up being medically retired from the USAF sooner than I expected. I took a job that required a move, and I ended up selling that project to a friend. Fast forward to 2012 and another friend of mine had an incident with his 108-2 w/220hp and the insurance company totalled it. He bought it back from them with the intention of rebuilding it, but decided it would be too much for him so I bought it and get got a 180.
For about the first year it sat. I put together a plan, but I didn't have the free cash to fix it up. Slowly I started getting repairs done and scrounging up parts. Now, I sit with it in a very nice insulated / heated hangar, with all the cash I need to finish it, and work has just been too busy to really do much to it. I have to change that, period.
If the pics don't show, let me know.
Here's how she looked before her accident
She flipped over on her back, the vertical was crushed and the left wing took quite a bit of damage
220hp PZL / Franklin pulled off so I could get to the fun repairs
I had three busted tubes in the forward fuselage that needed to be repaired. Both the left and right tube that run horizontally and another snapped off at a mount pad cluster
structure repaired, including straightening some bent tubing
New Airtex firewall pad intalled when I got a replacement firewall on it
Engine rehung so I could move it to my hangar
Uncovering the left wing to find out the extent of the damage
My new rental hangar was ready for me to move in, so I temp installed the replacement vertical stab to move it
And finally, how she sits today waiting on me to come spend valuable time getting her back in the air
Jason "Tadpole" Tepool
N247C 108-2 w/220hp
A big project there, Jason.
Thanks for posting. It does not look like you have spar damage in your wings unless it is at the butt end. I may have some good ribs back in Indiana, but they are not the easiest to remove and replace since they are riveted in. Was the 220 damaged?
You have a lot of the tough work done with the tubing repair in front and the firewall replacement.
Please keep us posted for the progress. Looks like you have a good place to work now.
While it is basically complete, maybe some would be interested if I posted photos on the Franklin to Lycoming 180 that I did, 3 yrs ago now. It does not seem possible that it has been that long. I have not flown it very much. Wanted to fly it today, but too much wind.
Larry Wheelock
Larry Wheelock, A&P/IAStinson 108 N584LW 180 LycTexas in Winter; Indiana in Summer
No spar damage. There is a little bit of a bend on the spar cap where the left fuel tank sits but I've already straightened it. This plane has the Demer droop tips on it and I've got some repair to do to those and the "extra" parts for that installation and the left forward spar tip extension is bent. I think if the spars had been jacked up I may not have bought it.
As for ribs and all, I was able to go to Chuck Avon's place in November and cann most of the ones I needed off a bad set of wings he had laying around. The rest of the ones I need I'll get from Univair. I work 20 minutes from there.
The 220 luckily escaped with no damage. The prop is on the edge of being repairable, I need to get it to a shop of prop pros to determine what I'll do there.
The new rental hangar is nice. Plenty of room, fully insulated and heated. I went out yesterday for the first time in months as I finally got some time. But after about an hour I got calls and texts to evacuate since a rare event was happening for here....a strong storm with tornadoes was heading straight to the airport, so I wrapped up and left for the safety of home. We lucked out though. Going to get back out there today after I keg up some beer.
Jason "Tadpole" Tepool
N247C 108-2 w/220hp
Cherrymax's all over the left wing tip. Grrrrrr. What a pain to remove those and there's everywhere! 😡
Jason "Tadpole" Tepool
N247C 108-2 w/220hp
Jason,
Sounds like it had prior wingtip damage, or is that how the droop tips were mounted?
Larry Wheelock
Larry Wheelock, A&P/IAStinson 108 N584LW 180 LycTexas in Winter; Indiana in Summer
Jason,
Sounds like it had prior wingtip damage, or is that how the droop tips were mounted?
Larry Wheelock
Larry Wheelock, A&P/IAStinson 108 N584LW 180 LycTexas in Winter; Indiana in Summer
Sorry about the double posting.
Remove one if you can, Brian.
Larry Wheelock
Larry Wheelock, A&P/IAStinson 108 N584LW 180 LycTexas in Winter; Indiana in Summer
Larry, it looks like there was prior damage. The other tip isn't over-rivted like this one and zero cherrymaxs in it.
Jason "Tadpole" Tepool
N247C 108-2 w/220hp
Thanks for all the pics, Jason. A lot of damage but it looks like you're making good progress. A lot of us older guys don't do FaceBook so I was glad to see you followed up with pics on this site.
Dennis Crenshaw. N6102M.
Sorry about the double posting.
Remove one if you can, Brian.
Larry Wheelock
You should be able to. Look at the message upper right side. You should see a small 'x' next to the "edit". press on that to delete your post.
Brian
1946 Stinson 108-1, Franklin 165, at one time NX8306K
Brian,
I never got the X in a box next to the edit button, just a box with the ! (exclamation point) in it. Maybe that is reserved for only the administrator to have access. I tried deleting all the text and subject and that was rejected with the post staying in place.
Larry
Larry Wheelock, A&P/IAStinson 108 N584LW 180 LycTexas in Winter; Indiana in Summer
Looks like you only get the "x" right after posting. I'm looking back at my older posts and I can only edit, not delete them.
Jason "Tadpole" Tepool
N247C 108-2 w/220hp
Looks like you only get the "x" right after posting. I'm looking back at my older posts and I can only edit, not delete them.
Huh, didn't know that. Actually, I wonder if it is only available until someone else responds. Otherwise, you could have fun making people look foolish by having them talk to themselves... 🙂
Brian
1946 Stinson 108-1, Franklin 165, at one time NX8306K
Order going in for the fabric, paint, and supplies for the wings. Woo!
Jason "Tadpole" Tepool
N247C 108-2 w/220hp
Red paint is expensive! 😯
Jason "Tadpole" Tepool
N247C 108-2 w/220hp
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