"CFLav8r" wrote in message
...
| When I look for older Cessna 172 models, I have noticed that there doesn't
| seem to be any in the 1987 to 1996 range for sale.
| Did Cessna not build any during these years?

Cessna built no single engine aircraft during those years. Liability
insurance, which is a large part of the manufacturing cost of an airplane,
had driven the cost up so high that there was virtually no demand. Cessna
and other manufacturers said they would not build any more planes until
there was some kind of liability reform. The Aviation Revitalization Act
limited aviation product liability to 20 years from the date of manufacture,
so Cessna and others started building planes again. The tort lawyers have
made several unsuccessful (so far) attempts to break the 20 year limit. If
they ever do succeed, the manufacturers will probably quit for good.