Dave, you should get lots of response to your request on what to buy. If nothing else, coupers love to talk about how nice the plane is. It doesn't really matter whether you get an old one or a newer one like the Forney or Alon. You may have some extra repairs, cosmetic and otherwise, to make on an older ercoupe, compared to an Alon, but parts are readily available. If you decide to get one with a runout engine, you could replace it with a C-90 model found in the Alon, or do an O-200 conversion which seems popular. Whether you get one with a runout engine or a cherry one with low time engine, you can spend just as much money. Maybe a little more money putting in a new engine. I have seen some ercoupes with high engine time and $10,000 price tags (or less, depending on other conditions). As long as you budget about $5,000 more than you can possibly afford to spend on getting a plane, you can't go wrong. And don't forget to budget for two good headphones, intercom, and possibly a new radio. And get a garmin 195 or similar GPS too. Even if your chosen plane has all of these items, something else will be required. But don't let these realities stop you from making a purchase. Try to find someone in your area to fly with in both an ercoupe and an alon. You'll find the alon has some nice improvements, but not enough to justify ignoring the ercoupe. Good Luck.
Ken Doyle Springfield, Mo N5477E
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