Since the inception of this website, we showed you how to turn 1950's into present day.  May we now introduce..."Franken-nanza"!

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Mike sold his 1955 F35 to a customer that had been admiring her for a while.  Although JH has a new owner, she has not left the building quite yet; as the customer bought her without the engine...



The nose cowl...

The engine instruments...



Or the tip tanks...



Sounds kind of silly, doesn't it?  I guess I forgot to mention that he brought his own engine...



Nose cowl...



Engine instruments...



And tip tanks...



Did you notice the engine looks just a little bigger?  Nose cowl just a little different?  Fuel flow gauge and tachometer go just a little higher?  Tip tanks also bigger?

Oh boy are we having fun now!

Above, we showed the new nose cowl.  This style was chosen as we are installing a canted IO-550-B engine.  You will note the same picture shows the larger induction air box that is installed as part of the conversion.  As work progressed, we added in the Electroair Electronic Ignition System and D'Shannon baffles.

     

Also, the D'Shannon exhaust system.

       

Keeping the provisions for the nose landing light, an LED fit right in.



Add in some ground operational inspections...

   

Then the owner showed up for the big day...

 

After the first flight, customer used the words 'wow' and 'incredible' on several occasions, along with something about '180KTS TAS @ 8000 feet'.  With the big grin he had on, I'm surprised he could even speak!  A couple of minor adjustments, and the aircraft flew over to Avionics Shop, Inc. at TIW for the next stage of the transformation.

I guess the stripes will have to wait.