The International Cessna^® 170 Association

1948 Cessna 170 that has been sitting for about 30 years. Wings removed but still have fabric on them. I couldn't get a good enough look at them to see the actual condition of the fabric. All of the component parts of the airplane appear to be present with no obvious damage. The pilot/mechanic owner passed away last year before getting this project to the top of his To-Do list. Not an uncommon situation for those of us of a certain generation. The widow has asked me for advice on what the airplane might be worth as she would like to sell it.
Now most of you know that a project like this is a labor of love. Getting an airplane back into good flying shape is something we do because we care about them, not because we think it will be a cheap way to have an airplane. Considering the probable necessity of an engine tear down, inspection, and or overhaul. Complete interior refurbishment, and maybe wings recovered. Having looked at ads in the usual places, I now turn to this knowledgeable group for suggestions as to its value. Suggestions, ideas, and opinions requested!
Thanks very much, Bill

Looking at Barnstormers, there are 3 listings that may be of interest to you: A flyable Cessna 170 (fabric wing) $55k, A “project” Cessna 170 with metalized wings (“price slashed”) $20k, and a damaged Cessna 170 to be “ parted out”. If I were trying to determine how much this airplane is worth, I would start by evaluating the available maintenance records and, to extent possible, its actual condition. Then estimate worst case expense to reassemble it to airworthy condition. Ultimately, the value of a flyable early 170 would probably be between 50k and 80k. Maybe a little higher.

This reminds me of the time about a decade or so ago (while I was still working at DFW as a sim-I.P.) , of an email rec’d from a fellow down in Corsicana who was a close-friend of a widow who was left with four airplanes. He wanted an evaluation of them so she could sell them. He said the B-model was in “perfect” condition, and the rest were described as quite nice examples.

I agreed to go look at them on my way back down to the “ranch”.

The gaggle consisted of an out-of-license B-model which was “average” …with older, non-factory-scheme paint, “Herculon-Fabric” interior from about the mid ‘70s, and a mid-time engine, older Mk-12/ARC genre avionics.. (I saw a photograph of the airplane on the airport bulletin-board enthusiastically offering it for sale for $54K.) I thought it had a value in the low 30’s if it could pass annual.

An off-brand experimental with a ground service-cart engine, a fairly nice and original Luscombe 8A with all original logs, and a ‘48 C-170 “ragwing” in disassembled, engine and wings-off condition stored for decades in a dirt-floor shed, along with a “spare” engine/prop in undetermined run-out condition.

I came away with a completely different opinion of their first-described value than I had come to expect from his phoned-description of “excellent”.

I gave the Corsicana ragwing a value of $6K-$8K …IF…. it were complete…an undetermined matter in that particular case because it was scattered about the property. I thought it was a generous suggestion

Next thing that occurred, was a new thread in these Forums attacking me and my “motives” were described as being predatory…. accusing me of wanting the airplanes for myself …and at a cheap-price.

In my opinion, It is unreasonable to expect anything other than a “range of values” from an on-line evaluation of an unseen airplane which hasn’t flown or been inspected for airworthiness in years. It is worth little more than “scrap value”, IMO.

What I mean by that “scrap value” term is: If person who Already Has a “project” of the same model under restoration…. the subject airplane might have value as a “parts source” or for “authenthic-restoration-parts”….. but little else…. except a Lot of Work and Expenditure.

TIC170A Member Curtis Wright (9782) might be a good source for info on this subject airplane….as he presently flies a project exactly like the one described after spending his time/money/love on it.