Number one: Corrosion!!
Everything else is easy and normal everyday stuff. Corrosion will make a parts piece out of your new to you early Mooney. A good prebuy MUST check for this.

The 1966 - 1967 models are considered the best of breed. There is a service bulletin for the inspection of the tube cage around the cockpit area. That and corrosion, particularly around the wing spar, are trouble areas due to Mooney’s inconsistent and often incomplete corrosion proofing of the airframe.

Other notable trouble spots are leaking fuel tanks (as others have mentioned). This is thought to be exacerbated by owners not replacing the landing gear pucks as often as recommended. Rebushing the landing gear can be another pricey event. My Dad had to get that done on his 1964 C model.

The C and E models will provide superior cruise performance for a relatively economic fuel burn running a 4 cylinder Lycoming. No production plane will surpass it in this regard. I believe that my Dad’s M20C trued out as high as 171 mph at high speed cruise. He used 150 mph for flight planning on trips and that worked out pretty well for planning purposes.

The controls will feel heavy relative to say a Grumman Cheetah which has a very light and responsive feel to it.

The seating position is more like a sports car than a sedan. You’ll feel like you’re sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you compared to a more upright seating position like in a Skyhawk, Sierra or Rockwell Commander. That is part of the price for speed, I guess.

You’ll get worn out removing the cowling pieces and touching up the paint on all the screws.

They are great cross country ships.

No Mooney ownership experience here but was very, very interested in becoming an owner so did a lot of research and a few test flights. All points raised in previous posts are excellent.

On the point of handling qualities, the C and E models I've flown felt like lead sleds, very heavy on the controls, particularly the ailerons. This wasn't a deal-breaker for me, but nearly so.

The deal breaker for me was the seating position. My legs just plain and simple fell asleep after less than an hour in the seat. Some folks love the feeling of the Mooney, like a sports car that one straps on. For me, my bum wasn't far enough above my feet in cruise so I just couldn't proceed into ownership - I quite literally got cold (and numb) feet!

I had a 1965 M20E with Aspen 1000 PDF , G430W, JPI830.

On it's second to last flight (Feb28) I was going 152TAS at 11,000 ft burning 7.6 GPH... with a GS of 198KTS going from GPN to NEW. That translated to 26.2 MPG I also had the Johnson Bar Gear. It was a perfect aircraft.



ROP I managed to get the GS to 208kts.

Plane had just come out of Annual Feb 14.



My last flight in it was NEW to JWN 1-MAR-2020



HIGHLY recommend the M20E (or any Mooney honestly.) Just look how well those wings help up while fighting a direct hit from a tornado.

I might have had the only aircraft there that was a transient aircraft. Had to fly AA home back to DFW.

Most of the Mooneys listed for 40k are VFR airplanes that haven't flown too much.
there is a C for sale on mooneyspace that has everything. Waas GPS, New audio panel, new interior, nice exterior, a ton of speed mods, and a fully coupled Auto pilot. its about as nice as it gets for a C.

https://mooneyspace.com/topic/33624-1975-m20c-for-sale/

As for airplanes. they are about the cheapest 4 seat certified airplane per mile to operate. IMO a decent amount cheaper to fly than a 172 or a PA28 since you're going 45% faster on the same fuel burn.

William. Welcome to BeechTalk!

Our Mooney's were probably close to each other at some point on the assembly line

...and ouch

Glenn

I went from C150/C152's directly to my Mooney so I didn't really notice it. After flying my Aerostar which had pretty much perfectly balanced controls I know this to be true. Sometime ignorance is bliss

Glenn

Had mine since '04. 66E.

Simple systems, fast for the power. Unlike a 2 seat RV, you can actually carry something if you have to. Keep it hangared and the fuel tank sealant should last. Mine were done in 2001 and still tight. You can do it yourself, it's just a nasty job, that's why it costs so much.

Love mine but I'm toying with moving to a 231 for better high altitude performance. But the simplicity of the manual gear airplanes is hard to argue with. It's basic IFR, ADS-B and has a 3-axis Brittain autopilot. Good traveling machine, especially if your average trip is within 600 nm, which for me covers most of my trips. Can do those easy without a gas stop.

Yes, I bought Tim Urban’s E — just a great airplane. It’s a 1965 model, clean airframe, with bladders, and updated panel with a Garmin 650. For the mission you describe, it would be hard to find a better fit than a vintage Mooney. I absolutely love the manual gear and flaps.

In addition to great speed (near 150 knots) at about 10gph, you can also land and takeoff in short runways without any problem. The only downside is that the prop is a lot closer to the ground than a Bonanza, so you will have to be careful on grass or unimproved runways. Unless I know the grass strip is in perfect shape, I would probably not chance it.

Great airplane, but make sure you have a good inspection before purchase and, as others have said, watch out for corrosion of the roll cage. Go over to MooneySpace as others suggested. Good luck.

Fernando

Oh man that is bad sorry to see that.

Wonder if those ruddervators are any good.

Wow... makes you wonder how high your Mooney got before it slammed down.

Since we are on a Mooney discussion, back in September of 1969 I flew an M20D fixed gear from Opa Locka to Key West and back. I wondered if there were any that were not switched to retractable gear. ( registration on the one I flew 6099U is on an Air Tractor now)
And , Google is your friend...
https://www.hangar67.com/aircraft/1964- ... ster/11830

I believe 3 still exist.

We owned an M20F for 14 years, loved it.

The E model is the fastest in the short body fleet, C model body and 200 hp injected engine.

I saw 140-145 KTAS routinely, 9.5 - 10.5 gallons/hour (only flew ROP). The J model is closer 155 KTAS.

Due to poor prop balance, had a cracked case, after overhaul of engine and prop, flew turbine smooth for over first 300 hours.

Eventually upgraded to 430W, Aspen 1000 and STEC 30. Great combination, flew it all over eastern US.

The spar runs wingtip to wing tip. IO-360A1A is virtually bullet proof. Spar goes under flooring, so seats slide all the way back to the back bench seat.

Really a two person airplane plus whatever you want to haul, I had 4 adults a few times for short flights, doable but not comfortable.

Leaky fuel tanks, landing gear biscuits, and very tight cowling are the drawbacks.

Butch

Pay close attention to the nose gear, it's easy to damage if turned too far while towing. Unfortunately, fuel leaks are common. Make sure the gear is rigged properly, even the manual gear Mooneys can fail if not rigged properly. My buddy has one parked in front of his shop, the right main folded on the first flight after purchase. Gear is repaired and rigged now now, but other damage awaits repair after owner returns from overseas. If you plan on doing much of your own work, get used to laying on your back on the floor, they sit too low for a creeper unless you jack it. If you have farmer hands, make friends with someone with long, slender fingers. I helped a buddy remove a prop governor not long ago, we had to undo the motor mounts and shift the engine forward about an inch and a half to get it out. It really is tight back there, made worse by owner add-ons like engine monitors etc.

If you're a perfectionist, have a supply of #8 screws and tinnermans and nut plates. Most older Mooneys have been butchered with 7 different sizes and types of Home Depot screws in all those belly panels. You'll also want a collection of screwdrivers, some screws can be devilish to get at, esp around the nose gear doors.

not a quick job but you can put a one piece belly pan mod on and get rid of alot of screws in exchange for about 30 (i think) 1/4 turn fasteners.