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Partial built rv6 or new rv7?

Secondwind

Active Member
I have a line on a partially built rv6A kit for a reasonable price. The tail and wings have been completed with no work started on the fuselage. The fuselage kit is for a 6A, is it possible to build an unstarted 6A fuselage kit as a tail dragger or would i be stuck with the nose wheel? Would it be better to just start off with a new 7 build for the engine options, fuel capacity, and gross weight increase?
 
Yes, you can build it as a taildragger most of the 6A vs 6 parts are in the finish kit. There are a few bits you will need for the rear bulkhead differences though.

As for the 6 vs 7. Just depends on what you want and how good of a deal the kits are vs your budget. I wouldn't start a 6 at this point unless it was a great deal cheaper than the 7 kit, like 1/3 or less. You will lose most of that on resale and spend more time to get there.

And this in coming from a 6A builder.
 
That is my concern with the 6 kit. The whole thing is less than the 6 fuselage kit currently costs from Vans. The additional build time and less support from Vans plus the other advantages of the 7 tend to lean me that way. Realistically how much time does it take to build the 6 fuselage? The kit is from 1995 if that makes any difference. I would be the 3rd owner of the project.
 
I bought a kit in almost the same stage as the one you are saying. Once I got my fuselage jigged up and everything lined up good enough to help me sleep at night, it started moving pretty well. I might have one good evening a week to work on my project and I'd say I've tinkered with it about 6 months. Currently its sitting with all skins in place and ready to finish riveting and I'm just waiting on some help with that and then it will be ready to remove from the jig. There will be lots.......lots of holes to drill, a good bit of crawling around on the floor and some head scratching moments(study the plans and plan far ahead of where you think you are)there is a point where you need several pages of plans spread out at once. For me at least I get a good bit of satisfaction to know I am making progress on a kit that got passed around for many years. I say put another 6 in the air!

BEWARE...there may be parts missing. Just throwing that out there. If its been passed around, there's a good chance some things may have been left behind.

As far as the tail wheel part, as stated before, youll just need the associated parts for the tail end bulkheads and the tailspring weldment. The rest will be part of the engine mount.
 
To give you one example of the build time differences, on my -6 I spent a weekend fitting, marking, cutting and drilling the big fuselage panel that mates to the floor ribs. A friend building a -9 (same structure as a -7) had the same part pre-cut and pre-punched to the same point, right out of the box.
 
If you like the idea of building, the 6 is an awesome airplane and isn't likely to disappoint. If your goal is to get in the air ASAP, then go with the -7. Actually, if the goal is to get in the air ASAP, buy a flying -6.
 
This is a 7 vs 6 race story compared to a 7 vs 6 choice story.
I was progressing nicely on my 6 project, tail & wings done, fuselage about 30% done on the jig. I got the brainy idea that this process was pretty easy & maybe I could build a second plane at the same time, structures very similar, build them side by side. No prob...
So got a 7A standard kit. Work on the 6 in the morning, and the 7 during the afternoon. Both progressed along, but eventually it got to feel that for every rivet I put in the 6, I felt (precieved) I was falling twice as far behind compared to the 7A progress, even with the 6 head start.
Winner of the race was the 7A, the 6 progressed to the point of being ready for final assembly, panel done and engine to be installed, about 3 months to complete, I figured.
After the 7A flew, another 7 project came in the door and the 6 project went to the back of the hangar. After all, I had the 7A to fly... & I wanted to get my buddies plane done quickly.

I had the advantage of getting build experience and technique from the 6 which of course helped in reducing build time on the 7A, but this in some ways illustrates the advantages of later pre-punch parts kits vs earlier kits. Good luck with which ever project you decide to do!
 
Ralph, that is exactly the comparison for build time i was looking for. As good a deal as the 6 kit is I think I'm going to hold out for the 7. I like the idea of the extra fuel, Vans supported increased gross weight, and extra engine options. I really want an 8 but she who must be obeyed said its side by side or nothing. Oh well, cheaper to build the plane she wants than it is to replace her, unless of course she wanted the 10. Then it might be cheaper to go the other way.
 
as stated, I opted for a standard kit back then, but if anybody asks me these days... I suggest them save the time and rivet practice (about 8000 times) and go for a quick build kit, you get as much satisfaction with the end result, & have the assurance that the critical structural portions are done right.
 
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