Firewall Forward and Finish Kit

10_Dreamer · #1 02-09-2009, 10:38 AM

I love the idea of the Ls1 in an RV10 (geareddrives.com), but am still looking for a midtime IO-540 for my 10.

Question 1. If I decided to do the LS1 conversion, what parts don't I need from the Finish kit and will Vans remove those parts that I don't need from the kit and reduce the kit cost?

Question 2. Would I need the Firewall forward kit from Vans (~6k)? It seems all those parts are already on the Firewall forward package from Bud Warrens package.

Adding these two things together you starting looking at some serious money savings, right? The 540 motor mount has to be a pretty penny...2-3K? Anything else from the finish kit I potentially wouldn't need? I would guess I would have a lot extra misc hardware, but I doubt Vans would remove any of that hardware from the package... maybe I'll order the kit without hardware and buy them separatly...

RV10 #40084
Getting ready to join Fuse and Tail... ahhhh!!!!

breister · #2 02-09-2009, 12:08 PM

I would contact GearDrives since they are the only ones so far who have actually done an installation.

They should be able to tell you what you do or don't need from the Vans packages.

JDanno · #3 02-09-2009, 01:04 PM

the engine mount for the IO-540 comes standard with the finishing kit. You DO need the finishing kit to finish off the plane. However, not ordering the FWF kit saves about $6000 that can be applied to the Geared Drives. i went to Oshlosh this year just to see the GD engine kit. It was quite elegant in its simplicity. Weight and balance and cooling are the keys to this thing working. That has yet to be determined in the RV-10. I'm following their progress closely as I'm also interested in it.

N941WR · #4 02-09-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10_Dreamer

I love the idea of the Ls1 in an RV10 (geareddrives.com), but am still looking for a midtime IO-540 for my 10...

I recommend you read this entire thread.

JDanno · #5 02-09-2009, 02:36 PM

My opinion (boy, doesn't everybody have one of those on this forum!

is to wait on the LS1 engines from Geared Drives for several more months until the guys installing them in their -10s have a chance to try them out first. Somebody has to be the test mule

I think that GD have the best chance to succeed at this than any other operation. I've been anxiously following their progress for a year now..... From a flying Wheeler with 700 successful hours to several -10s that are close to flying.
Patience, patience.......I'm always short of that!

10_Dreamer · #6 02-09-2009, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDanno

My opinion (boy, doesn't everybody have one of those on this forum!

is to wait on the LS1 engines from Geared Drives for several more months until the guys installing them in their -10s have a chance to try them out first. Somebody has to be the test mule

I think that GD have the best chance to succeed at this than any other operation. I've been anxiously following their progress for a year now..... From a flying Wheeler with 700 successful hours to several -10s that are close to flying.
Patience, patience.......I'm always short of that!

Yeah, part of me wishes I was farther away from selecting a motor. But I feel forced to make a commitment to which direction I am going so I can order the Finish kit. The consept of having that smooth motor purring up there sure getts me excited. Unofrtunatly, as it is now until a FWF chevy has some hours on it and the bugs gone through I sure don't want to be a test subject. Granted the geared drive solution looks like a great complete package, but I'm looking hard for an IO-540.... Anyone anyone??

Y-it