Cessna 180 All New Panel

Whitney

Whitney

Ejection Handle Pulled
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May 9, 2022
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Whitney
If replacing everything in a 180, to bring it up to greatness, new glass panels IFR, radios, transponder, and the rest. Is it possible? Weigh a lot more? Wild guess at cost? Do i need another battery as well? Any help and guidance is appreciated. Been old school my entire life, strongly considering swapping it up to the latest and greatest.
 
Yes, No, A Lot, I don’t know, but probably not.

Seriously, pretty much anything is possible if you have the budget for it.
 
Really depends how much glass you want to put in and what if anything is staying.

Figure out what hardware you want in and double it. That'd get you a near ballpark number for hardware and labor.
 
You could expect $50,000 to $65,000 depending on the specific options.
 
Probably lighter weight than the original equipment. While you’re in there, pop in a Garmin GFC 500 autopilot.
 
@Whitney what year 180? Early models have much shorter panels and more difficulty fitting modern avionics into them without doing an entire gut and redo. Later models have more standard panels and you'll have an easier time retrofitting modern avionics into them without completely starting over.

Regarding the battery, you don't need a new one for an avionics upgrade, but you *should* get the Atlee Dodge firewall battery. You'll remove about a dozen pounds from the airplane, and have an easier time starting.

Picture added for a modern panel with a retro look.
PXL_20220424_000618693 (1).jpg
 
Mtns2Skies said:
@Whitney what year 180? Early models have much shorter panels and more difficulty fitting modern avionics into them without doing an entire gut and redo. Later models have more standard panels and you'll have an easier time retrofitting modern avionics into them without completely starting over.

Regarding the battery, you don't need a new one for an avionics upgrade, but you *should* get the Atlee Dodge firewall battery. You'll remove about a dozen pounds from the airplane, and have an easier time starting.

Picture added for a modern panel with a retro look.
View attachment 106838
Click to expand...

A 1975 J model.
 
I did a completely new panel in my ‘53. But I went old school. I kept all the mechanical engine instruments, but added an 830, 2 G5’s, electric turn coordinator, mid continent clock/usb, 430w, and left a space for the gfc500. I had a shop build the 430 to g5 harness, I did all the rest myself. It took me 6 weeks working full time, cost in parts was about $14k. With my panel layout, nothing bigger than a 430 would fit in the panel center stack.
 
Whitney said:
If replacing everything in a 180, to bring it up to greatness, new glass panels IFR, radios, transponder, and the rest. Is it possible? Weigh a lot more? Wild guess at cost? Do i need another battery as well? Any help and guidance is appreciated. Been old school my entire life, strongly considering swapping it up to the latest and greatest.
Click to expand...
The sky is the limit, literally. Just make sure to include your A&P in the process. You don't want to install something that may be a PITA to inspect/repair in the future. Also, if you intend to fly mostly VFR you don't need that much glass :p
Go to hangarflying.com You can look for a blank template of the 180 Panel and start adding stuff. It will give you the cost of the hardware and how it looks on the panel, but you'll have to add the installation costs to it.

We did a group exercise a few months ago:
https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/lets-build-a-panel.137576/
 
My ignorance is strong on modern panels, so the learning curve is steep, for this old (44) fashioned woman. I am used to old panels, with basics, and hopefully almost all of those work.

While I have not said anything up to this point, I will explain my thoughts more clearly.
I know where some of a 180J is parked, and has been parked a long time. I have considered buying the hull, and completely rebuilding it, including a panel I do not need, but want, and will last me till I am 70, and hang up my headset the last time.
Said plane seems to have no corrosion issues, but also has no engine, starter, alternator, baffles, exhaust, prop, panel, radios, orother stuff.

If I were to do this, it would be a complete rebuild, from interior, paint, upgraded to a 550 engine and new prop, all new cables, pulleys, controls, windows, tires, brakes, long range tanks installed, and everything else that one can expect needs doing. This would be a massive undertaking for me, and to find shops, specialists, and picking of brains, to get it to become a reality. The final big twist is the plane is in Mexico, I live in western Canada, and will winter in Mexico half the year.
For people who do this regularly, it may not seem like a lot, to me it is overwhelming. If, and that's if I do this, it would probably be my dream plane, and last plane. Just my thought process, as I work through this.
Again, all of you helping, means a great deal to me.
 
Between title transfer problems, transporting a non flying plane from Mexico that's probably corroded, all the SD's, ....

Got to be so much faster, cheaper and much better outcome with buying a 180 already flying and registered in Canada and redo the instruments and what not to your liking. You can choose to have the amount of work you want to put into this and at the same time not be trapped into having to put in more than you want or can.
 
WDD said:
Between title transfer problems, transporting a non flying plane from Mexico that's probably corroded, all the SD's, ....

Got to be so much faster, cheaper and much better outcome with buying a 180 already flying and registered in Canada and redo the instruments and what not to your liking. You can choose to have the amount of work you want to put into this and at the same time not be trapped into having to put in more than you want or can.
Click to expand...


Heard.

But saving that poor old 180 from the back yard, would also feel amazing.
 
Whitney:

I'm from the Southwest US (Arizona) and have a second home in Ensenada. My wife and I don't do the half-year thing, but moreso the couple of weeks back-and-forth thing.

Conservatively, I cross the border between the US and Mexico 50 times a year.

I cannot think of something more challenging, and less desirable than to take a Cessna 180, put in on a trailer and try to get it across into the USA. I have no idea what paperwork would be involved, but I imagine it's not going to be pleasant. I'd find a different challenge, optimally one that's located in the same country where you plan to restore it.

I'm sure my words are falling on deaf ears. I know what it's like to be in love with an idea.

You're not a Mexico novice, I get that. Be sure you're researching ALL the necessary paperwork prior to load-up and prepare for surprises.
 
Whitney said:
If replacing everything in a 180, to bring it up to greatness, new glass panels IFR, radios, transponder, and the rest. Is it possible? Weigh a lot more? Wild guess at cost? Do i need another battery as well? Any help and guidance is appreciated. Been old school my entire life, strongly considering swapping it up to the latest and greatest.
Click to expand...
Just for you to consider, it just showed up:
https://www.trade-a-plane.com/searc...model=180J&listing_id=2405503&s-type=aircraft
 
Rgbeard said:
Whitney:

I'm from the Southwest US (Arizona) and have a second home in Ensenada. My wife and I don't do the half-year thing, but moreso the couple of weeks back-and-forth thing.

Conservatively, I cross the border between the US and Mexico 50 times a year.

I cannot think of something more challenging, and less desirable than to take a Cessna 180, put in on a trailer and try to get it across into the USA. I have no idea what paperwork would be involved, but I imagine it's not going to be pleasant. I'd find a different challenge, optimally one that's located in the same country where you plan to restore it.

I'm sure my words are falling on deaf ears. I know what it's like to be in love with an idea.

You're not a Mexico novice, I get that. Be sure you're researching ALL the necessary paperwork prior to load-up and prepare for surprises.
Click to expand...
sounds like it could be easier to bring non-citizens over ;)
 
A worthy undertaking, Whitney! And no need to stop flying at 70.
 
Rgbeard said:
Whitney:

I'm from the Southwest US (Arizona) and have a second home in Ensenada. My wife and I don't do the half-year thing, but moreso the couple of weeks back-and-forth thing.

Conservatively, I cross the border between the US and Mexico 50 times a year.

I cannot think of something more challenging, and less desirable than to take a Cessna 180, put in on a trailer and try to get it across into the USA. I have no idea what paperwork would be involved, but I imagine it's not going to be pleasant. I'd find a different challenge, optimally one that's located in the same country where you plan to restore it.

I'm sure my words are falling on deaf ears. I know what it's like to be in love with an idea.

You're not a Mexico novice, I get that. Be sure you're researching ALL the necessary paperwork prior to load-up and prepare for surprises.
Click to expand...


That didn't fall on deaf ears at all.

Have considered getting the work done in Mexico, and leaving it registered in Mexico. I have dual citizenship now, so am technically at home in Mexico as well, despite being born in Canada.

I'm trying to keep an open mind, ask questions of the collective, and be as unbiased as I can be, since humans are all biased somewhat.


Should I buy it, who knows if for sure I'll make it the ultimate 180, or scale back my plans somewhat, such as engine, panel, long range fuel tanks, etc.
My 180 love is strong, and I have more 180 time, than any one other plane.
 
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