Ercope 415c sts for gross weight increase to 1320 from the 1260.

Metal wings only add 40 pounds max, I believe. Too many Ercoupes have wall to wall padded interior and carpeting, way too much instrumentation, engine monitoring, etc. I’ve seen many in the upper 900 pound zone. Pretty much a solo airplane if you want to stay legal.
Mine weighs 850 pounds. I have a light weight starter, alternator, mags, minimalist interior, rag wings, and a lightweight, brand new 2 1/2 inch com radio.
Dressed, with my flight bag, I’m right at 200 pounds.
I can take another 200 pounder and enough fuel to fly almost two hours and some reserve. Not many of us want to spend more than a couple of hours in a Coupe at any one time, anyway.
There are plenty of stories of two Big guys cramming a Coupe full of luggage and camping gear and heading to Oshkosh. The plane handles it just fine.

Just a quick note mike. I would guess that the higher gross weight of the later model ercoupes is probably due to the aluminium skinned wings, I would think the aluminum skin would add structural integrity to the wings compared to the fabric coverd wings and possible elevator travel. Just a guess on my part no fact just an opinion LOL

Take care Mike

Fred M

Mike:

Thanks for the information. I will check with Alpha Right now I am just looking for an inexpensive way to get back into aviation without going in debt. I am an older has been pilot and just trying to fly once more before I get any older. The Ercoupe sounds like the way to go but they are hard to find for my budget. Still looking for a barn find. I know good luck with that LOL

Fred M Thanks again Mike for your help

Thanks Larry for the information .
It is hard to find an inexpensive coupe these days but I keep looking in hopes of finding a barn find LOL

Fred M

Call ALPHAAVIATION and the guy in charge there can give you a detailed rundown of all that is needed. Bought the STC but the AP/IA that did my annual was reluctant to do the STC, so I am still sitting on the paperwork package until I find the right guy. Elevator travel is reduced from 13 degrees to 9 degrees up travel. If I remember right there is something about reskinning the firewall, and it that is true it would be a mod you would do if you were doing a major overhaul and removing the engine. Don't quote me on that, been a few months since I last looked at it. Call ALPHA AVIATION, they advertise on this site . BTW IMHO,
unless you own a ragwing Ercoupe weighing 850lbs, all coupes are over the 1260 gross. Most weigh about 950ish, add a 200lb pilot and full gas you are at or above 1260. The later versions with the 1320 gross are a little better, and the 1400 units even better but neither of those will make the LSA guidelines.
Unless you have a couple skinny 100 pounders flying around, my bet that almost every Ercoupe you see flying around is overgross, just my opinion. I did my checkout in a 1946 with a 165lb CFI, half tanks and I am 265. The plane was LSA legal but the C-85 had the O-200 crank/pistons/rods upgrade and it made 105 hp. We flew it on 85 degree days and she would make 900/feet per minute and fly just fine until we started doing touch and goes, about the third pass the engine oil would be approaching redline, so we limited flying to mornings and evenings for pattern work. Just an aside I've run the weight a & balance dozens of times with various loadings and they always are within the CG envelope but over the gross limit. To me that is the important thing. I believe the true gross could be much more than 1260 but if you read the history of the Coupe, it is my opinion that around 1947 when the CAA became the FAA, (bureaucratic pencil necks) coming out of the DoD and started the POH stuff, and Mr. Berliner wanting to move the weight up along with considering a 4 place coupe, that Olive Beech, Piper, Cessna pieced off the government weenies to stop the weight increase and the 4-place coupe projects. They didn't have a tri-cycle airplane in their stables and with ERCO selling 4000 airplanes in 1946-47, they didn't want the ERCO airplanes stomping them into the ground. In short they hobbled the ability of the Ercoupe with the weight restriction to slow sales and further development of a "stall/spin resistant" airplane, Ercoupe was eating their lunch, she can carry and fly with way more than 1320 pounds. even up towards 1400+ pounds.
Good luck on the STC search for answers. Like you I bought the 1320 STC to be legal and and play the game so the insurance company couldn't play the W&B gotcha game should something happen. In the meantime I picked up my tired and neglected 4years unflown and flew it 1000sm home and have flown it 30+ hours in the last 7 weeks. Next annual I will see if I can find an IA that can do the upgrade while still keeping it a LEGAL LSA.