VM wrote:
I'm considering buyint a 1978 Beechcraft Sundowner. I have concerns about
being able to find spare parts, etc. I'm also considering a Piper Archer
II. The Sundowner I've found is $15,000 less than a comparable Piper
Cherokee Archer II. The Sundowner looks like a new airplane both inside and
out and everything works. The Archer looks ok but needs paint and needs a
handfull of minor repairs, all of which are included in the purchase. Any
thoughts?

Yeah. Talk to local pilots, find out who they recommend to maintain
planes. If there's a Beech type club, join it, and talk to local members.

Then talk to the mechanics they recommend.

If there's a problem obtaining parts, they'll let you know. And
which ones. You'll also know exactly where the maintenance "gotchas"
are and how to check for them.

Another strategy is to get some airplane catalogs and browse through
them for stuff like, oh, mixture and throttle cables. Look for
Alcor replacements and see if they're STC'd for your plane.

Many of the parts on an airplane which commonly need replacing aren't
model-specific. Engine parts, hoses, brake shoes, brake lines, o-rings,
etc.

Parts which are more likely to be an issue would be things like ailerons
and trim tabs (if there's an "oops"), landing gear parts, etc.

I own a less-numeric plane of the "Archer" class. It's a good 10 kts
faster on the same engine, fixed gear, and fixed prop. It typically
costs less than an Archer of comparable age and equipment, just because
it's less "familiar" and people worry about "parts". In fact, we have
excellent parts support through the current TC holder and several other
shops, and an excellent owner/maintenance network. (I own a Grumman)

So I say, do your homework then go for it. I've never flown one but
I've heard the Beechcraft are very nice planes. Roomy, comfortable,
easy to land, and stable. Bit slow for their class is the only drawback
but, that really doesn't affect much overall. Is $15k worth getting
there 20 minutes faster.

Cheers,
Sydney (Grumman AA5B "Tigger")