Well, lots of you fellows have followed me through the process of choosing, finding, and refurbishing my "retirement" airplane: a Cessna 180 Skywagon.

So, I had the airplane inspected before purchase by an IA in California. Flew it home and had it inspected by my shop, then annualed, everything fixed we could find that needed fixing. Had another IA take out the interior and go through it again. Put in a new Selkirk interior, new panel, and interior and headed to the paint shot.

THANK GOODNESS, I went to Del Lehman to do some "cosmetic" structure issues before going to the paint shop.

That's when it started. Del and I went over the airplane on the ramp and he pointed out what were obvious, or should have been, issues. Some would have been "hidden" to the untrained eye, but Del's eye is mighty damn trained on aircraft structures. Without going into detail, we decided to reskin all seven control surfaces for a start. Found that the brake lines were undersized, brake calipers installed backwards with incorrect bolts and about to fall off. The list goes on and on, and on, and on.

Controls surfaces done, some other cosmetic issues and a handful of structure issues found during the process, it goes to the paint shop next door to Del's.

When it comes out, Del is to install the wheel pants, that turned out to be a parts nightmare as well: the USED mounting brackets cost over $2500 if I recall. You don't even want to know what Cessna wanted.

But, my annual had run out because my shop drug around before I took it to Del's so now, I have to ferry the airplane. No.

Del doesn't like to do annuals, but he did for me so out comes the interior and his guys go through the airplane with a fine tooth comb: very fine tooth: 46 discrepancies. 20 or so "significant". All with detailed descriptions and pictures.

These are not minor "nit pic" items. Electrical wires from the A/P installation wrapped around fuel lines, no wiring stand offs, no chaff protection, wires drawn taut. A cracked spar in the tail.

Rudder rigged 7 degrees out of specs.
The rudder cables wrong length.
Rudder system supposed to be closed with rudder trim. The whole damn assembly is missing. Del is looking for the parts now.

Del has nicknamed my airplane the "Psycho Billy Skywagon". Said it reminds him of the Johnny Cash song about the fellow building his Cadillac one part at a time.

Oh, did I mention that Del determined that the airplane was wrecked and rebuilt without documentation?

But you should see the interior, the panel, the incredibly beautiful paint. Of course, when Del gets through, it goes back to the paint shop to get "touched up".

The good news is that when Del is finished, I'm going to have a really nice 180.

Del is busting his butt to try to keep the $$ damage to a minimal.

Did you get the points above that this airplane was inspected by 3 IA's before I went to work on it.

Rocky has Lazarus. I've got Psycho Billy.

Del and I are both laughing our ass off: to keep from crying.

I'll post pics when I get her home. Damn gorgeous airplane.

The moral is: NEVER TAKE YOUR AIRPLANE TO A COMPETENT SHOP. JUST FLY THE DAMN THING.

Jg

Great Post JGG!
It's a Dam good thing that there are a Few Del Lehmann's around, to get a Few of these Birds straightened Out

Way to go Del!

Can't wait to see the Photos JGG!

*sigh*

Makes me wonder if I need to find me a Del.

Looking forward to the photos and more details.

It only took seventy three years to get my Bird into it's current condition
Probably take a Del, or Michael only a Month to sort it out

But at what cost? More than my Bonanza is worth?

Wow JG!
This certainly gives the “for sale with a fresh annual” line a whole new twist. “New paint and interior” almost sounds as frightening

My V-Tail had an extensive annual / refurb at Del's shop, Mountain Airframe in Mena AR in 2008, a few years before I bought it. I am very thankful to the prior owner. It gives me great confidence in the plane's structural condition.

Pics! I want pics!

Can I use your “review” of Del’s attention to details ... as a review/testament on his website?

Oh wow! Jg, you know I hate to be the bearer of bad news. We've discussed this, and is just one reason I don't like doing Annuals. Pictures are worth a thousand words, especially with this case, but that's your call.
We will make it right, and thank you for receiving the bad news with such class. You made me feel appreciated for finding these faults. This is not normal.

Doug...........in case many here don't know, my website crashed several months ago. I posted about it here, asking for help/advice. Doug sent me a PM. I sent him some info, and Doug had a website up and running, literally hours after he received my info. I can't explain nor express my thoughts/thanks for Doug in words, so I'm going 'Sidney' here

Doug,

Honestly, I've got so many pictures it would take a day to get them posted. Del is damn near as detailed with his pictures and explanations as he is with his work.

Unless Del yells "NO!" I will post s few of the most egregious. To be honest, it kind of gets embarrassing.

Jg

Doug and Del,

I have no reservations at all about being quoted as a reference for Del. I bought my first airplane in 1972 and will say, without reservation, that I have never, NEVER, had such a positive experience with aircraft maintenance as with Del. If the "Psycho Billy Skywagon", as Del has so aptly named it, were anywhere else, I'd be sweating bullets and losing sleep right now.
Instead, I don't give it a thought. I know it will be done correctly and for a fair price. I'm not rich, but I try to NEVER own anything I can't truly afford.

Every time Del has called or emailed with more bad news, he's expected me to go bonkers. Too damn late for that. I just want it fixed right. If anyone but Del was on the other side of that "news", I would be going bonkers.

Jg

Yuck. AC power wrapped around a metal fuel line.
Servo arm restricting elevator travel.
I've got a video that I don't know how to post that shows my control yoke slamming up against the primer line every time the elevator goes full down, which is every time you let the yoke go to full down.
I've got photos of the brakes and wheel mounts but that would need Del's explanation as to all the incorrect fittings and attachments.

Jg

Post some pics of the skywagon.

Jg,

Thanks for posting this. As painful as it is, it's a learning point for all of us, or at least this guy anyway. So many pilots/owners just don't know what we don't know. I appreciate all of the information you're providing, especially with respect to what right looks like and the pics that just scream - that ain't right....

Thank you!

Cheers,
Brian

Doug,

Honestly, I've got so many pictures it would take a day to get them posted. Del is damn near as detailed with his pictures and explanations as he is with his work.

Unless Del yells "NO!" I will post s few of the most egregious. To be honest, it kind of gets embarrassing.

Jg

Thanks, JGG and Del.
Wow, I've learned a lot just here, on some of the little things we all need to look out for. It is obvious to me now that the the first thing to do on a prepurchase is to rip out all the interior and go through everything in fine, fine detail.
And brake calipers installed backwards? How could someone be so creative?
Good luck, JGG. And well caught, Del.