Piper PA-18A Project

[nhayes]

Hello, i am on the road of restoration of my new 1956 PA-18A, it was used for Ag for about 20 years and before just like a normal airplane, it will need a lot of work to do, but after 10 years of not being flying we could start it up and fly it 500 miles to his new home in Argentina.
I will upload some pictures and hope to get some help from you folks.
It flies super nice, never had a crash so the shape of the airplane is very good.

 

[sj]

Now that is a cool old airplane! I like the panel!

sj

 

[Waldo M]

In agricultural operations, the most important instrument is the spray pressure gauge. The pilot might glance at the oil pressure / temperature gauge during procedure turns and the tachometer during the takeoff. The remaining instruments are surperfluous.

 

[rsrguy3]

A local school uses an a model to teach with... cool niche ac.

 

[nhayes]

In agricultural operations, the most important instrument is the spray pressure gauge. The pilot might glance at the oil pressure / temperature gauge during procedure turns and the tachometer during the takeoff. The remaining instruments are surperfluous.

You are right, the last time when it was still spraying it did not have the air speed indicator working (bend tube) or the tachometer (broken cable). but it flew with 90 gallons..

 

[Waldo M]

The PA-18A is one of the few airplanes that will fly with a payload equal to it's basic operating weight. It doesn't fly very well at that weight and you need to be very gentle with it, but it will fly.

Of course the airplane flies much better as the load gets lighter while you're working it.

 

[Farmer Ted]

 

[Farmer Ted]

seems I’ve seen a panel like this before………..

 

[Farmer Ted]

Of course mine wasn’t in as good as shape as this one, but it’s getting better. I also still have the tank

 

[Farmer Ted]

The PA-18A is one of the few airplanes that will fly with a payload equal to it's basic operating weight. It doesn't fly very well at that weight and you need to be very gentle with it, but it will fly.

Of course the airplane flies much better as the load gets lighter while you're working it.

Our family can attest to that! I can still hear My uncle kindly asking us to make sure we shovel the urea more to the front of the hopper so he didn’t have to lock his elbow just to keep the nose down. It would fly very heavy.

 

[daedgerton]

Can't wait to see this project come to light, especially as an proud owner of an A model!

 

[WhiskeyMike]

Amazing how much room the original internal hopper takes up. You can’t bring you arms back beside the seat, becasue the hopper takes up every inch of space behind.

 

[nhayes]

View attachment 107122

Brother from another mother! is pretty much the same panel, do you know if beside the cross bar that goes in the top of the rear set there is mandatory to have the rear seat installed?? I have a lot of work to do in the airplane and that's a good thing
Your wings look really nice!

 

[Waldo M]

Amazing how much room the original internal hopper takes up. You can’t bring you arms back beside the seat, becasue the hopper takes up every inch of space behind.

That was the downside of the PA-18A as a cropduster: crashworthiness. The load was behind you, the fuel lines inside the cockpit, the engine just over your toes, and 18 gallons fuel tanks on either side of your head. That's why the majority of accidents in PA-18As were fatel while that is not the case in Stearmans or purpose built ag airplanes.

Added to that no "both" position for the fuel selector so it was quite easy to run a tank dry at exactly the wrong time. That one item alone killed a lot of ag pilots.

 

[Farmer Ted]

Brother from another mother! is pretty much the same panel, do you know if beside the cross bar that goes in the top of the rear set there is mandatory to have the rear seat installed?? I have a lot of work to do in the airplane and that's a good thing
Your wings look really nice!

As far as I know the cross bar is mandatory in some form. I have replaced mine with the removable one with stc (see picture below) but there is far far better knowledge from others on this site. I just grew up with a A model, I’m definitely not a mechanic, just an ATP and a farmer. I am looking forward to your progress.Please keep us informed and keep showing off that wonderful find!

 

[Farmer Ted]

As far as I know the cross bar is mandatory in some form. I have replaced mine with the removable one with stc (see picture below) but there is far far better knowledge from others on this site. I just grew up with a A model, I’m definitely not a mechanic, just an ATP and a farmer. I am looking forward to your progress.Please keep us informed and keep showing off that wonderful find!

Oh also ours never had a rear seat or stick till much much later after it was retired from duty by my uncle.

 

[nhayes]

Removed the front seat to make new upholstery in real leather, all the floorboards are really bad, so i am in the progress of removing them to make new ones out of marine plywood 6mm. The floorboard that goes in the cargo/hopper area needs to be like 10 inches longer to fill the gap where the hopper had the emergency lid, there is a really big place now to load stuff behind the rear seat.
Today i will also check compression to see if we can perform only a top overhaul.
Long live the PA-18A!

 

[D.A.]

Congrats on your "A" model. I just got my A project home 2 nights ago. You know, the cool kids all fly "A" Models - LOL

 

[Steve Pierce]

Congrats on your "A" model. I just got my A project home 2 nights ago. You know, the cool kids all fly "A" Models - LOL

That looks a ways from flying

 

[nhayes]

I am a bit stuck right now, in the process of removing the floorboards.. i could remove everything but not the front pedals bolts from underneath.. i have read that's almost impossible mission to do, i prefer not to open the boot cowl but i still don't know how to do it..
I found all the tubes from the bottom of the plane look really good and no rust visible.. also there was a lot of some kind of insulation beetween the boot cowl and cockpit area..

The seats are in the upholstery shop ready for new leather..

 

[Steve Pierce]

Cut access holes to get to the bolts. There are some threads here on how others have done it.

 

[cubpilot2]

The following links are to some history of my two 18A cubs. You might find something helpful within them.

Don’t overlook adding the rear seat removable crossbar lugs to move the backrest back three inches. (Dakota cub STC)
Also Check the hopper bay aft tubing for internal corrosion caused by moisture getting in at the robot’s. Common near the flap pulley mounts.

PA-18A Restoration. Something old, something new

Ive just completed a restoration of a 1957 18A that I’ve had on the “back burner “ for over 15 years. The last two years were the most intense. Im posting this as it may be of some interest to local Anchorage folks as this bird sat neglected on the west side of Lake Hood for 24 years. It was...

www.supercub.org

Another 18A Restoration completed

Crappy weather day in Anchorage so decided to finally post the results of how I spent my COVID vacation. As they say “timing is everything”. I dismantled my 180 hp cub on Feb 2nd 2020. By March we were headed into isolation / lockdown. Having this project was huge in maintaining my sanity...

www.supercub.org

Good luck on your project.

 

[nhayes]

Thanks Ed! you did an amazing job on those projects, i am progressing slow but steady, wonder if there is any part manual that you can look up the bolts sizes and types?? the only one i found dont have much information its from univair.
I am changing most of the bolts in the controls system and cables.. some of the pulleys are ok, need some lube.. next week i get the wood for making new floorboards, before the assembly i will make a non destructive test to all the structure to check for corrosion.

 

[Steve Pierce]

Look at the drawings online and the Northland drawings available in the store here.

 

[cubpilot2]

What is the planned “scope” of your project. Most restoration projects would have the fabric off first thing for easy access and proper cleaning and inspections.
In looking at your photos I would replace the two front rudder pedals that have the ugly patchwork.

If it will never be a sprayer again I would trim out the excess 3/8 inch channel in the center floor area. They were framework for the hopper outlets and just collect dirt and corrosion. The 3/4 “ lugs by the door and on the left side also need removed. They had rods through them to a lower aft saddle support for the hopper and just get in the way. Also I remove the outside tabs on the left side of the fuselage that supported the hopper agitator for when used as a duster.

Univair should have proper copies of the original parts manual but with only Piper part numbers.
Not much help for hardware sizing. You can usually measure the old hardware removed or search out some of the hardware “kits”.

Contact Steve Pierce as I would expect that he has a good list of all the hardware sizes. He is a super helpful kind of guy!

Are you relocating the battery?

 

[nhayes]

Hello good morning!
I will be fixing the pedals, not replacing because is the way i can do it, i will change the upper tubes of the front pedals and will look like new, also the spring has worn out a little groove on the base tube..
I will leave all the AG thing on the plane for now, not planning on making AG again but is just part of the history of the airplane.

I am approaching al the interior, new floorboards, fixing al the pedals, changing the floorboard support channel for HD one, new upholstery, painting the interior panels and so on. But i need to have the airplane capable of flying, because i will take it to a place to do all the fabric work in the future, i will try to enjoy as much i can the airplane with the old fabric which is still ok, old but ok.

Can somebody tell me if there is always some free play in the control stick and the torque tube?? i attach a picture to show you. I am thinking on taking the lower stub to the machine shop to insert new bushing there maybe?? or just replacing the bolt and fly !

 

[Steve Pierce]

There is usually some place, high time units more so.

 

[nhayes]

Has been some more work on the airplane lately, not having a lot of time make progress slow, i did a non destructive test to the landing gear, all the attachments points, struts, tail tubes, longerons, etc.. only minor cracks where found on the normal spots and the bottom tube of the rudder was not ok in thickness, i will have to replace that tube and bring a welder to help me out with the repairs before painting the tubes.
The idea is to paint the front part of the fuselage, all new hoses, cables, electrical, floorboards.
Bought 6" wheels and piston brake pump to have better a newer wheels.
Have been reading a lot on the forum and is a great help for me all the information available ! Thanks for that!

 

[Steve Pierce]

Could you post some up close pictures of your landing gear covers?

 

[nhayes]

Could you post some up close pictures of your landing gear covers?

Steve here they are, pretty nice idea, is not heavy and gives you durability for the bushes.. also keep the plane faster thank naked legs..

Does the battery box normally installed with an aluminium plate under the floorboard or only the two steel brackets?? I am looking for a lid in case some one has one to sell.