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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: August 4, 2016, 3:52 pm 
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Joined: July 30, 2016, 7:53 pm
Posts: 17
Location: Southern Oregon
Hello group...

New member, started a build page on the Diva Roadster that I am helping build...

I have not been on here long enough to figure out who are the main moderators of this site... I do have a couple observations after browsing though a lot of the forum...

First and foremost - This is one of the best bunch of people I have seen on a forum... Some of these builds are just phenomenal and awe inspiring... I am already thinking of plans to do my own build someday... Just incredible..

Second - I have noticed that a lot of you guys are pilots and either own a certified aircraft or have built their own experimental... My kind of people.. :-)

I have mentioned that I am an A&P aircraft mechanic... Most of what I do is restoration work on tube and fabric airplanes... The current project in my shop is a 1954 Piper PA-22/20... Complete recover/restoration to the frame... I have already covered the wings and control surfaces.. Working on fuselage modifications and repair now..

This is our pride and joy..

Image

1953 Piper PA-18 Super Cub... Bought by my grandfather in 1964... Restored it for the 4th time 6 years ago..

Would love to see anyone else aircraft on this site... Or even pictured on this thread maybe...

And if it is OK with the moderators I will post later a link to my company website at a later date..

Brian.


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PostPosted: August 4, 2016, 5:02 pm 
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Joined: April 12, 2012, 11:56 am
Posts: 662
Location: Pemberton, BC
Hey Brian,
you are correct. This is a pretty good place to hang out, and some very knowledgeable builders, who don't mind sharing their experiences. I'm just an amateur. :shock:
Seems that airplane guys have a knack of finding their way into building cars. That's how I ended up here. Flew since the early 90's (Citabria, Pitts S-1), then wanted to build something (a Challenger, which I built to Amateur Built standards; one of only 5 in Canada; it was a long build :BH: ) and then got interested in the Locost. Sold the plane, drive the 7 and now I'm building a sidecar rig.
You'll be in good company. Your build sounds interesting, and with your skill set, you will do well.
Don't have any airplane pics handy, but here is a link to some of my videos. https://vimeo.com/user45193160/albums

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My build log:
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14520&start=0
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https://vimeo.com/143524140 password "matovid"


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PostPosted: August 4, 2016, 7:03 pm 
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Joined: December 4, 2011, 6:19 pm
Posts: 829
mgkluft wrote:
Seems that airplane guys have a knack of finding their way into building cars.


My journey was the opposite. I was a car guy first and after I quit racing my wife, who was a pilot, introduced me to flying. After all, the family that plays together stays together. It has been an interesting past time for me.

Our plane is a 1981 Cessna 172P. It is one of the first P models as it was built for the Cessna Employees Flying Club and was in like-new condition when we bought it. We had a photo converted to a painting years ago that looks like this;

Attachment:
Screen Shot 2016-08-04 at 6.00.53 PM.png


A real photo can be seen here http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/ph ... 5567L.html


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Winnipeg, MB, Canada


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PostPosted: August 4, 2016, 8:24 pm 
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Joined: July 16, 2012, 10:07 pm
Posts: 91
My third airplane is a volmer vj22 it was flying when I bought it but I built the cowling.
That is my mom and dad in the picture


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PostPosted: August 4, 2016, 8:39 pm 
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Joined: July 16, 2012, 10:07 pm
Posts: 91
Oops it was there in the preview honest


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PostPosted: August 4, 2016, 9:55 pm 
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Now


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PostPosted: August 5, 2016, 2:14 am 
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Joined: March 19, 2011, 10:22 am
Posts: 2386
Location: Holden, Alberta, Canada
Hi Brian
I too fit that mold, built a 36' WS rag and tube 65HP 2 person side by side enclosed cabin Sylvaire basic ultralight that was crashed in 1993. Took me 4 years, finished in around 2010, and acquiring an ultralight pilots certification, but it was no fun flying alone. I took a lot of those skills and applied them to building 7's. Sold the plane 4 years ago and having a blast cruising the country with wifey in the 7.

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"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle


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PostPosted: August 6, 2016, 11:50 am 
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Joined: October 6, 2009, 9:29 am
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Location: Tallahassee, FL (The Center of the Known Universe)
Does a "Wannabe" Pilot count?

I took lessons, didn't get to the solo stage and then ran outta money... Love flying though, have "flown" a couple or six Cessna 172s, a Beech Duchess and a Baron and (for a very few minutes) a V-Tail Bonanza. My favorite is the Sea Rey, a light-sport/kit amphib. Flew one around near Orlando and loved it. I've only done take offs and landings in a 172, as a student pilot. The rest of those are more like "hold the stick for a minute" with the nervous owner sitting next seat.

Maybe when I grow up I'll finish those lessons...
:cheers:
JDK

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Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom


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PostPosted: August 6, 2016, 1:24 pm 
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Joined: December 25, 2012, 11:09 am
Posts: 71
Location: Joplin
My wife and I are also pilots. Built a BD5 but never got a an engine. Built a VP1 volksplane. That thing was a blast....like a 3 dimensional motorcycle, single place, open cockpit, WW1 fighter. After 250 hrs. I Sold it when I needed the money. The hot rod pilot (supposedly) that came and got it (wings off) banged it down on his first flight and broke the gear and prop. He never flew it again. I think it is still alive, however, somewhere in Oklahoma.
I loved that thing.
Gale

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PostPosted: August 6, 2016, 3:04 pm 
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Joined: January 31, 2008, 5:34 pm
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Location: SW Wes Consin
I just had a ride in a friend's Sky Bolt. A fantastic ride! But, the $50/hr worth of gas we burned will keep me on the ground :(


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PostPosted: August 6, 2016, 9:50 pm 
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Joined: December 17, 2010, 1:24 pm
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Location: Gainesville, Mo.
Started hanging around with EAA guys in the early 70s. Helped in the construction of a 'Woody Pusher. and a Starduster II, as well as the restoration of an Ercoupe. Got my "Private" (ASEL) in '76. Knew that I really couldn't afford it so in '77 I built a dirt track stock car, and planes became a fond memory as well as a not-so-vague longing! :cry:

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PostPosted: August 6, 2016, 10:22 pm 
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Joined: April 23, 2006, 8:26 pm
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Location: SoCal
My brother built an RV8A and flew it a lot, but the high cost of fuel eventually outweighed the fun and he sold it. Now he's got an LS3 Stalker and seems pretty happy with it.

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PostPosted: August 7, 2016, 2:08 am 
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Joined: July 30, 2016, 7:53 pm
Posts: 17
Location: Southern Oregon
Well, I might as well write out my story too...

My grandfather was a crop duster out of Grant Nebraska.. Did that for 28 years with over 30,000 hours... So my dad of course grew up in aviation... And I in turn have done the same... My dad started our company in 1970 after he received his IA... Basically, he got the IA because IA's typically were paid a bit more than just a straight A&P and the company he worked for did not want to pay him... So he left, and took over half of the customers with him...

So, after a few years working out of the back of a van, dad built our permanent work hanger in 1986... It has expanded over several years... Engine room, storage room, office and paint room have all been added on to the original building... I joined after getting burned out of dead end jobs in 2002.. Got my A&P in 2005, IA 4 years after that in 09... We have 3 hangers on the property now also... The work shop, a smaller building that houses my cars and a large building with a 52 foot diameter revolving floor that we park 4 airplanes on... Just flip a switch on the wall and wait until the airplane you want is pointed to the door... Works great...

I mentioned our pride on the first post... A 1953 PA-18 Super Cub originally bought by my grandfather.... He actually used that cub for crop dusting one year.... My dad got a hold of it in 1969.. When my brother and I grew too big for the baggage compartment, dad found a run out 1956 Tri-Pacer... The Pacer has gone through lots of changes... Wing mods, tail wheel convertion, bigger engine, etc... We then picked up another Tri-Pacer that was just too good of a deal to pass up... We use that aircraft for STC developments so it does not fly much... About 5 years ago one of our customers did an emergency landing at our airport after his new engine lost the oil drain plug in flight... He did not want to spend the money to fix it so we were able to buy the airplane off of him for a great deal.. That is a PA-28-180 Cherokee.. We have since overhauled the engine, re did the interior and now use it as a nice cross country cruiser.. And 2 years ago another friend of ours got the bad news that his cancer was back and he was having a bad time selling his 1975 Grumman Traveller... We bought it off him to just re sell but have not had any luck as of yet... Bob died a few months back but we still plan on splitting whatever amount we get above what we gave him for the airplane with his widow...

Well, that's it in a nutshell... Company name is Steve's Aircraft, google it if you want to see some pics and what we have to offer... Also on Facebook...

Brian


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PostPosted: August 7, 2016, 7:38 am 
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Location: Tallahassee, FL (The Center of the Known Universe)
Oh mannnn... I knew I shouldn't have joined in on this thread... Now y'all got me looking at Barnstormers.com and daydreaming... :roll:

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom


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PostPosted: August 7, 2016, 3:47 pm 
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Joined: May 1, 2012, 9:43 am
Posts: 336
Location: Sidney, BC, Canada
Yep, another pilot here as well. I'd love to eventually build an aircraft (perhaps a Thorp T-18) but right now I'm flying a vintage 1960 C-172A that I bought after I got my private pilot license. Just yesterday my wife and I flew to Edmonton for an airshow, six hours flying time round trip. Great performance, though a little bit lacking in the organization department as they didn't know how to handle traffic flying in that wasn't part of the performance.

One of the highlights of the show for me was a restored P-38 lightning, flown by 79 year old Bud Granley.
Attachment:
P-38.JPG


Yes, it is an expensive hobby as others have mentioned, but like someone smart once said: "You can have anything you want, you just can't have everything you want." If you enjoy flying and make it a priority in your life then chances are you can afford it. You just might have to sacrifice in some other areas like having a big house, a fancy car (Locost notwithstanding), cable TV...


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