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I've been tempted to write earlier but felt I shouldn't wait longer.
IMO you should not do the modification.
Three reasons.
First, with routine maintenance the gear is very reliable. Second, once you get used to the faster speed of the gear-up aircraft, the gear-down version will seem impossibly slow -- it may be 5 or 10 knots, but believe me that it feels like much more (for reasons that have nothing to do with the gear, my last 10 or so flights have been with the gear down and it's a pain). Third, there is a safety issue, because an engine out on take-off is a lot safer to handle when the gear is up compared to when the gear is down.
I also concur with others that to do it right will be expensive; save the money for unexpected expenses and to keep your bird in perfect condition.
For the record, I've owned two Skymasters over the last 12 years (the first one was a D with the gear door removal STC and the current one is a G with the doors), I have an MS in mechanical engineering and spent over 30 years in aerospace businesses.
Just think about it.
Ernie Martin
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