Hoppers and Bugs

Cool Deal Charles , looks like you got all the parts for 4 engines ! Enjoy the new to you engine and less beer money That's pretty cool that you would find the engine just as Charles is upping his game Ken . The only Hopper i got is like New ,never ran so it will stay that way $$ Till I can get another that's a runner or

Ken Cook wrote:          In and around 1982, I had a Space Hopper which was in a speed pan given to me. I have the pan still but I couldn't find the engine. I searched and searched for it for years. Last night, I opened this small gold tin can I knew I had, inside was the Space Hopper. I was pleasantly surprised. Locked solid ready for a tear down. Removing the rear screen cap over the intake is a bit of a challenge because the newer wrenches don't fit it. The small jet holes in the venturi stack are even smaller than the holes on a TD venturi. Sourcing a extremely small piece of copper wire was a bit of a chore last night but I managed. Unfortunately, mine has now what looks to be fuel and oil staining on the case and spinner. I was going to run it last evening but sundown seemed to take place in minutes.

How COOL .. My mom has given me several "tins" that I utilize in different ways.. but some can easily become stashed-away and forgotten about.

I know very little about about either of these two engines. The only Cox engines that were in my family, were sourced by my dad in the early 70's. "Bee" engines.. is all I owned for Cox engines.. until eight or nine years ago.

The above photos that show the parts-breakdowns are useful knowledge for me. Thank you for sharing Charles.

Strange things going on in those pictures Charles. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Bob

Nice rescue operation in progress, Charles.

Looking forward to seeing your final results, restoration to life again and any run reports.

gaskets and tiny bolts ordered. almost everything else is cleaned up

i need to figure out 2 prop-drive plates

Cleaning the venturi jets? the leeeetel beeety holes?
I grab a pliers, and YANK! a single strand of brass from one of my wire brushes,
then I use magnifying glasses, and use te brass wire to gently poke through and clean up the holes, with copious amounts of Ballistol to keep it all clean and lubricated

when mostly clean, I used compressed air to blow out the needle seat area, as well as pressurize it all and make sure air is flowing through everywhere it should

for these, I did not want super polished shiney, so I went with hours of gentle hand brushing with brass wire brush, ballistol, and rags. its looking better and better. Now waiting for gaskets from Bernie, and maybe some other bits and pieces

Drive plate is the only missing bits for 2 of the engines. and ONE of them is gonna have a "modern" cylinder/piston/head. but three of them have the originals

cstatman wrote:gaskets and tiny bolts ordered.   almost everything else is cleaned up

i need to figure out 2 prop-drive plates

Drive plate is the only missing bits for 2 of the engines.   and ONE of them is gonna have a "modern" cylinder/piston/head.   but three of them have the originals

My friend has a small lathe... a Unimat and another small/popular/milling machine in his basement/cellar workshop in his home. You may consider placing an ad in/on your local "community-board".. asking about machining services for a small (sub 1") one-off part.. made from Aluminum. There are people that would want to help you with this. You have drive-plate examples? If so; you could easily have them made to the exact proportions.. through an inspection by the machinist.

There might be someone in the next town.. down the road.. or even next-door.. who could and would make your prop-driver plates. They may even have some round aluminum bar-stock for the job. People helping people... It does still happen.

i have a TAG micro-lathe
and also have dear friends who are machinists.
these driveplates are tiny and intricate. I could make the shape, but it would be rough
the three slots that key it to the driveshaft (like a vintage O&R) are the difficult part to cut with precision
time = money

this plate, like .010 crankshafts, calls for "precision machining". most shops don't do tiny bits, and any precision shop is only interested in production quantities. The quote I got for .010 crankshafts was a minimal run of 500, and $27/unit.

thus? if i can find 2 of them? much cheaper than trying to make them.

want to love the idea of 'people-helping-people"
just like the bride to be asking a wedding photographer for cheap rates cause they will get "exposure"?
its difficult to ask my machinist friends to work for free.

3 cleaned and close
#4 needs crankshaft
#3 & #4 need driveplates

gonna try to spark off the 2 ready to run this weekend

Gents even if the driveplate is made on a lathe, how do you add the serrated contact surface for torque transmission to the prop?

balogh wrote:Gents even if the driveplate is made on a lathe, how do you add the serrated contact surface for torque transmission to the prop?

You can do like what I do to the electric motors I have when I use one of those shaft adapters to install a prop on it.
Those shaft adapters (when you purchase the cheap ones from China) don't have the knurling but have a smooth face.

I cut from 360 grit sandpaper a small disk to fit on the prop driver.
One side facing the prop and the 2nd one facing the aluminum prop driver.
The sandpaper gives enough friction to tighten up the prop to the motor/engine with no problems.

sosam117
Mike

cstatman wrote:3 cleaned and close
#4 needs crankshaft
#3 & #4 need driveplates

gonna try to spark off the 2 ready to run this weekend

I love those engines Charles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

imma try to get one or two on a test stand and running as soon as I can.

i am not gonna spend time and lathe work trying to build driveplates. either I find some, or they are display motors.