54 B model project

Lopez · Post by **Lopez** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 11:56 pm

I bought this project in December 07 from my buddies up at Beegles. I've been working on it on and off ever since, in between rebuilding 2 185's, building a bunch of cargo pods, and helping maintain a bunch of other birds, not to mention flying a full airline schedule. It was flipped on takeoff in Arco, ID, so it needed A LOT of love.

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Lopez · Post by **Lopez** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:02 am

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Lopez · Post by **Lopez** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:08 am

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Lopez · Post by **Lopez** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:15 am

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Lopez · Post by **Lopez** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:16 am

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Lopez · Post by **Lopez** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:19 am

I had to test fit everything prior to disassembly for stripping and paint. We stripped it by soda blasting it. My dad learned sheet metal in Miami, so we are a little neurotic about corrosion, which leads us to dislike chemical strippers.

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Lopez · Post by **Lopez** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:23 am

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Lopez · Post by **Lopez** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:32 am

Painted it in pieces and brought it home on my trailer.

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Lopez · Post by **Lopez** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:41 am

We wanted to stay original on the outside, so we went with an original paint scheme. I hate polishing so we did it on white instead of bare aluminum though. I couldn't find any details on the original red, so I just consulted my girlfriend, and together we picked Flag Red in sherwin Williams jet glo.

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This is my dad's favorite part of the whole paint job. The "Cessna" logo and N number are PAINTED on, not decals. Even the little R "registered trademark" under Cessna is painted.

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bigrenna · Post by **bigrenna** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:42 am

delete

Lopez · Post by **Lopez** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:47 am

It had a prop strike on the o-360, so we did an overhaul on it.

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Then hung it on new purdy new firewall and powdercoated mount.

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Then I violated the Hartzell overhaul manual and painted the prop black.

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Lopez · Post by **Lopez** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:52 am

Nowadays it looks like this, I haven't touched it in 2-3 months, but I think I'm taking January off so I can finish it.

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blueldr · Post by **blueldr** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 1:10 am

Congratulations. I sort of lost count, but I'm quite sure you have a few more clecos than Boeing.

hilltop170 · Post by **hilltop170** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 1:59 pm

Lopez-
Beautiful job! And a good way to spend time with your dad as well. It's always good to see another 170 saved and brought back to another life when it could have just as easy been sent to the salvage yard. Congratulations!

rusty · Post by **rusty** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 2:08 pm

I think Flag Red is the best. I picked that for my 1964 Skyhawk in 2003. Picture of the plane under title #5 and #6 baffles in the Hangar section. The 170 in the back is 2935D. And you are correct paint is best. Everyone loves the polished plane, if someone else is doing the polishing. Your plane looks GREAT keep up the good work!!!!!!!

The International Cessna^® 170 Association