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Cox Engine of The Month
Help Identifying Engines
Page 1 of 1
Help Identifying Engines
Hi, I’m not sure if this is the right sub to be posting this in so if it’s not than I apologize in advance. My dad bought 5 plane engines at a flea market and after doing a google search on the two that had any kind of writing on them they seem to all be Fox engines. Was hoping someone out there could help me identify them as 3 of them don’t have any words on them that I can tell except for “Made in USA” on the screwplate area.
The two that I’ve been able to identify, at least generally, are the big one pictured that is stamped “FOX 36X” and the smaller one without a propeller attached that is stamped “THIMBLE DROME”. From my searches it seems like most engine models came in a variety of displacements, but I have no idea how to tell what displacement these are.
To be honest, I know next to nothing about these engines or model engines in general so any information would be greatly appreciated especially information related to their age, identity, collectibility, etc.
There were too many photos to upload directly so they are all in an imgur album that is available here https://imgur.com/a/o1cbUre Sorry if the photos don’t give enough information feel free to ask for anymore.
Thank you for reading!
The two that I’ve been able to identify, at least generally, are the big one pictured that is stamped “FOX 36X” and the smaller one without a propeller attached that is stamped “THIMBLE DROME”. From my searches it seems like most engine models came in a variety of displacements, but I have no idea how to tell what displacement these are.
To be honest, I know next to nothing about these engines or model engines in general so any information would be greatly appreciated especially information related to their age, identity, collectibility, etc.
There were too many photos to upload directly so they are all in an imgur album that is available here https://imgur.com/a/o1cbUre Sorry if the photos don’t give enough information feel free to ask for anymore.
Thank you for reading!
Mopho12- New Member
- Posts : 4
Join date : 2019-06-09
Re: Help Identifying Engines
Great group of folks here who can help pinpoint many different attributes. Here are some basics.
#1 - Cox Chaparral or Corvette .049 engine, but I believe the former based on the needle stem (1960's)
#2 - Cox .049 product engine with 'postage stamp' backplate. Used in a RTF C/L plane, probably something like the P-51 Mustang (1960's)
#3 - Cox Babe Bee .049, early think neck case, probably early 1960's.
#4 - Fox .36 C/L engine. Fox guys will chime in on era I would suspect.
#5 - Cox .049 product engine with 'horseshoe' backplate. Used in a RTF C/L plane, looks late 1960's / early 1970's.
Matt
#1 - Cox Chaparral or Corvette .049 engine, but I believe the former based on the needle stem (1960's)
#2 - Cox .049 product engine with 'postage stamp' backplate. Used in a RTF C/L plane, probably something like the P-51 Mustang (1960's)
#3 - Cox Babe Bee .049, early think neck case, probably early 1960's.
#4 - Fox .36 C/L engine. Fox guys will chime in on era I would suspect.
#5 - Cox .049 product engine with 'horseshoe' backplate. Used in a RTF C/L plane, looks late 1960's / early 1970's.
Matt
Re: Help Identifying Engines
Thanks!
So the the one you identified as the Cox Corvette engine is the one that has Thimble Drome stamped on it with two stars as spacers between the words. Did they use the Thimble Drome engines in RTF planes? When I originally googled it it said they were never put into mass production so was just curious.
So the the one you identified as the Cox Corvette engine is the one that has Thimble Drome stamped on it with two stars as spacers between the words. Did they use the Thimble Drome engines in RTF planes? When I originally googled it it said they were never put into mass production so was just curious.
Mopho12- New Member
- Posts : 4
Join date : 2019-06-09
Re: Help Identifying Engines
The Fox .36X was a combat engine. Yours still has the venturi restrictor in place indicating it was used with a tank vs a pen bladder which would've been period correct for the time.This is a ball raced and bushed crankshaft. The .36X replaced the .35X with a few changes such as the slanted glow plug and some additional case gusseting. Rules were changing and .36 now was the max displacement. This took place in and around 1963. The X version combat engines were later superseded by the Mark version engines. The first Mark series was known as the Baldie due to no cylinder fins on the head. Duke Fox altered the mold castings from the .36X to make provisions for the newer Mark series which meant the end for any new .36X cases. I use the .36 X nowadays for vintage combat, they're fun old engines that are loud and are quite fast for what they are.
Ken Cook- Top Poster
- Posts : 5653
Join date : 2012-03-27
Location : pennsylvania
Re: Help Identifying Engines
That’s awesome! Thanks Ken! Even if we never get any use of these it’s so much fun to get to know the history and stories behind them. Are these collectible or were they to mass produced to be that valuable to collectors?
Mopho12- New Member
- Posts : 4
Join date : 2019-06-09
Re: Help Identifying Engines
If you're lucky you might get the .36X cleaned and lubed up to running condition w/o disassembly. Put a wad of plastic wrap topped with Silly Putty in air intake and exhaust before giving a good external scrubbing with Simple Green, Dawn dish detergent, acetone etc. Then remove NV-spray bar assembly for good soaking in acetone, clean up details with Q tips in solvent etc, apply lube in glow plug hole and intake and heat to free up hopefully.
ticomareado- Account Under Review
- Posts : 1089
Join date : 2013-10-03
Location : NC
Re: Help Identifying Engines
Well, to some one like myself and those that use them, yes they carry merit in terms of needing them. In general, condition is everything and these engines were typically run hard. They were produced for nearly 10 years. Parts supplies though are far and few. New in the box examples generally fetch about $100-$150 but used examples like yours are considerably lower. Larry Scarinzi is a combat flyer from the early years who would rework these engines for the combat guys. He also worked with Duke to improve on this design. I see Larry a few times a year and he still flies even being in his mid 80's. I saw him a few months ago and I happened to notice he wasn't flying. Rusty who's a moderator here on the forum was recently gifted one of Larry's designs never kitted the Super Satan using the Fox .36x. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QIh6-DH7UA
I will add, the engine will ABSOLUTELY need to be taken apart if you decide to run it. The bearing more than likely is gummed up and if not properly cleaned, the crankshaft will spin inside the race which will destroy the crankshaft and possibly engine, I have seen this multiple times. In addition, the rod on the top end needs to be freed up on the conrod. The wrist pin will egg out the holes in the piston otherwise in very short order if not properly dealt with. At this stage, it would be strongly advised to replace the bearing as they're not as expensive as replacing a engine. I have had some bearings clean up to the point of useable but that's not always the situation.
I will add, the engine will ABSOLUTELY need to be taken apart if you decide to run it. The bearing more than likely is gummed up and if not properly cleaned, the crankshaft will spin inside the race which will destroy the crankshaft and possibly engine, I have seen this multiple times. In addition, the rod on the top end needs to be freed up on the conrod. The wrist pin will egg out the holes in the piston otherwise in very short order if not properly dealt with. At this stage, it would be strongly advised to replace the bearing as they're not as expensive as replacing a engine. I have had some bearings clean up to the point of useable but that's not always the situation.
Ken Cook- Top Poster
- Posts : 5653
Join date : 2012-03-27
Location : pennsylvania
Re: Help Identifying Engines
Mopho,
Do you have any pictures you can post? Seeing is much better when trying to help. BTW Ken knows his stuff with the older Combat engines. Just listen and learn.
Do you have any pictures you can post? Seeing is much better when trying to help. BTW Ken knows his stuff with the older Combat engines. Just listen and learn.
Cribbs74- Moderator
-
Posts : 11907
Join date : 2011-10-24
Age : 50
Location : Tuttle, OK
Re: Help Identifying Engines
Cribbs,
It wouldn’t let me upload more than 2 pictures into my post so I put them in an imgur album here https://imgur.com/a/o1cbUre
And I agree, Ken, and everyone so far has been incredibly helpful! I really wasn’t expecting this many responses this soon. I’m glad there is a very active community! It’s never been a hobby I’ve done much research into but my dad has always been at least mildly curious hence why he purchased them. I doubt we’ll ever try to put them into a plane but getting them restored and running would be cool!
It wouldn’t let me upload more than 2 pictures into my post so I put them in an imgur album here https://imgur.com/a/o1cbUre
And I agree, Ken, and everyone so far has been incredibly helpful! I really wasn’t expecting this many responses this soon. I’m glad there is a very active community! It’s never been a hobby I’ve done much research into but my dad has always been at least mildly curious hence why he purchased them. I doubt we’ll ever try to put them into a plane but getting them restored and running would be cool!
Mopho12- New Member
- Posts : 4
Join date : 2019-06-09
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