I hopped from a C-172 to a Mooney 231, and 30-some years later, I'm still very pleased with the move. I had family about 700 miles away. In my C-172, it was over 6 hours, and a fuel stop. No autopilot. Minimal IFR package. Anemic climb rate, and pretty much out of ideas by 11,000 feet. With the very well equipped Mooney I found could leave my home in Ohio after breakfast, and have lunch overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Much easier to sell antsy kids an all morning ride than an all-day ride. It's a one-tank trip unless the headwinds are ferocious. If the summer buildups are ugly, an easy climb to 15,000 or 16,000 allows me to see and circumnavigate the tops in cool, haze-free comfort. Yes, it's a bit more expensive to maintain, but such a great cross-country machine it is. I can reach most of the eastern US from where I live on one five-hour tank of gas. And compared to asking prices for C-182s, C-210s, Bonanzas, etc, a really nicely equipped Mooney 231 can be had quite reasonably. They're much less thirsty than comparable airplanes, were built very well, and can be flown with fingertips. Yes, I like flying Cubs, and other 'fun' around-the-patch airplanes, but most of my flying is to get somewhere at a reasonable price, and for that, my Mooney fits my needs better than almost any other.
...
.
!!!!
I believe everything '67 and on has the camlocks on the cowling. Certainly makes it easier to preflight the lower engine compartment.
