The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Does anyone know if another model cessna top cowl will fit the 1953 cessna 170b? Thanks

1954 and 1955 top cowls are the same as 1953. A 1956 will fit, but it doesn't have an access door on the right side, but can be modified for one.

And it is a pain in the neck not to have that right side access door IMHO. No access to the voltage regulator, etc.

Thanks for the info. Has anyone tried using a top cowl from a Cessna175 or a straight tail 172? I have the 180hp engine conversion in my plane so the cowling has been changed a bit . Does anyone know of a person or company that could make a new modified top cowl?

By your name in guessing you live in AK? There's a guy named Simon in Alaska, he goes by Denalipilot on this site. Anyways he just put a lycoming IO-360 in his 170 and had a new cowling built for it by the guys at Chena Marina. It looks like they did a really good job on it and that may be something for you to consider for your cowling. Simon, if you're reading this maybe you can help him out.

Alaska_5 wrote:Thanks for the info. Has anyone tried using a top cowl from a Cessna175 or a straight tail 172? I have the 180hp engine conversion in my plane so the cowling has been changed a bit . Does anyone know of a person or company that could make a new modified top cowl?

The 175 cowl is going to have that ugly bump in front to fit around the nose of its GO-300 geared engine. The early 172 cowls are going to be the same as the 1956 170B cowl until whatever year they stepped the firewall.

There was someone up in Alaska working on an STC for a carbon fiber cowl specifically for 180HP Lycoming-converted 170's. I don't know where they are in the approval process.

cessna170bdriver wrote:There was someone up in Alaska working on an STC for a carbon fiber cowl specifically for 180HP Lycoming-converted 170's. I don't know where they are in the approval process.

This STC?

n2582d wrote:

cessna170bdriver wrote:There was someone up in Alaska working on an STC for a carbon fiber cowl specifically for 180HP Lycoming-converted 170's. I don't know where they are in the approval process.

This STC?

That would be the one.

Thanks for all he info. I saw a 170 with the 175 cowl on it , but didn't know how difficult it would be to make it fit. I have a home in Homer Alaska and in Ashland Oergon. In Oregon now. Used to live in Fairbanks so Im familiar with Chena Marina. If some one knows of the right 172 or 175 cowl for sale I would be interested depending on price. Thanks again!!

Alaska_5, what is it that you want different from what you have now? Any cowl intended for an O-300 will have to be modified to fit around a Lycoming.

The upper cowl that is on the plane is in poor shape. I am wanting to paint the plane and don't want to do so when the rest of the plane is in such great shape. Yes the cowling i have has been mortified .

OK, that makes sense. They are out there, you just have to look. For reference, another forum member found this one from a '56 B-model for me Alaska. It was $500 for everything except the lower skins, and it still needs some cosmetic work, as well as the addition of a right door.

Alaska_5 wrote:... Yes the cowling i have has been mortified .

Your landings must be like mine -- scary!