By Joe Weaver, EAA 1103149
This piece originally ran in the What Our Members Are Building/Restoring section of the July 2020 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine.
When I bought my 1957 H35 Bonanza it hadn’t flown in more than two years. The paint was 50 years old, dull, dated, and coming off in many places. The interior was clearly 1950s era and mostly worn out. But the engine was strong and the airframe was outstanding. I secured a rented slot in an insulated 75-by-75-foot hangar at a small airport (52F) near our home in Flower Mound, Texas.
Since this was my first — and likely last — airplane, my goal was to make this aircraft our family airplane and turn this ugly duckling into as beautiful of an airplane as I could. I decided to restore the aircraft, not to as-new condition, but to better-than-new condition with modern looks and technologies. My goal was for people to think the airplane is only a few years old and then be shocked to learn it is a 1957 aircraft. From many peoples’ comments, I feel I have achieved that goal.
I knew the project would need to happen in stages. The first was to redo the interior and reconfigure the flight instruments into a six-pack arrangement. I sewed the interior side panels myself using my wife’s sewing machine. I carefully removed the old materials from the side panels and used them as patterns to cut new materials. I repainted all the interior trim and instrument panel to a modern off-white. New carpet and upholstery completed the interior makeover. We then enjoyed the airplane for several years until more funds became available.
When funds came, I got serious. I secured an IO-550-B engine to replace the IO-470-N. We often fly in high-density altitude areas, and no turbo options exist for the vintage Bonanza. Upgrading the engine for more power was the only solution. It has worked well.
We completely removed the existing instrument panel, and a new one was fabricated based on modern glass avionics. Tech Aero Avionics did a great job.
Stripping the old paint from the aircraft came next. If you are going to strip your paint and replace the windows, strip the paint first and then replace the windows. The stripper is murder on acrylic if a masking mistake occurs.
We replaced all the windows with newer style, thicker, and solar-gray tint acrylic. The side windows were relatively easy. The windshield was much more intensive. We decided to remove the old windshield prior to the avionics/panel install and then install the new windshield after the panel was complete, which made the panel work 100 times easier.
I was excited about the paint. I was looking for something new, fun, exciting, and original. The standard Beech paint schemes just weren’t doing it for me. I decided to work with Scheme Designers for the paint design. It took us more than a year of changing this and that, adding a little here, removing a little there, lengthening this line, narrowing that line, and going through several different color combinations before we settled on our current design.
After all this was done, I flew the airplane to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017 and entered it for judging. I came home with a Bronze Lindy trophy. I was thrilled, but third place meant there were still deficiencies. So, I looked at all the little stuff and started a new project — perfecting the airplane. The next year, 2018, brought no trophies so I continued improving the plane. At Oshkosh 2019, I was awarded a Silver Lindy Reserve Grand Champion trophy. Thus, the perfection project continues.
This endeavor has been highly rewarding but not without its downsides. At the hangar, there were many humid days with temperatures more than 100 degrees and as many evenings well below freezing. The fully insulated, well-lit hangar made these times tolerable.
If you are thinking of such a project on a certified aircraft, I highly recommend finding an A&P or A&P/IA mechanic who is willing to supervise your work. I also recommend that you learn how to do the work properly and do as much of the work yourself as you possibly can. My IA rarely showed me how to do something. Instead, he said, “You figure out how it is supposed to be done, then let’s get together and talk about it. You pretend you’re the IA and I’m the apprentice. Teach me how to do the job, and I’ll correct as needed.” That forced me to get into the maintenance manuals, reference AC 43.13, research ADs, fully understand STCs, and talk to other mechanics. As a result, I learned and retained far more than if my IA had simply taught me what to do upfront. Not only will you save a lot of money doing this, but you will also know your airplane much better.
I love flying this airplane, largely because I know exactly what it took to get it where it is today. When I’m at cruising altitude, I often look over the things I did to the airplane, and it brings a smile to my face. In my book, other than church and family, there’s not a more rewarding experience in life than that.
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