From its inception in 1977 until discontinued in 1998, the J-model had a confusing list of names, ending its run as the Allegro.

Like Piper, Mooney is famous for evolving a basic model into something newer, faster and better. Examine the newest models coming off the line in Kerrville and you’ll see more than a faint resemblence to the earliest versions of the M20 series Mooneys.

One of the stalwarts of this successful series is the M20J or 201, which was introduced in 1977 and represented a turning point for Mooney. The company had always been known for fast, economical cruisers but the J-model was something else. It was sleek, relatively roomy and chugged along at a solid 150 to 155 knots on about 10 GPH. …