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Robin8er

Well Known Member
Patron
I'm getting ready to order my finishing kit for my RV 8, my fuselage is an estimated 2 months out from completion.

I don't have an engine lined up, so I don't know what to tell them for what kind of engine mount I need. I have a friend that is an A&P and I plan to have him help me assemble an engine, but I haven't bought an engine case yet. I don't know if I'm going with a 320 or a 360, injected or carburetored etc... Just depends on what I can find.

What would you do? Buy an engine first that way you know what you need? Order the engine mount later, but still buy the finishing kit?

Thanks,

Robby
 
Given that you are based in Hawaii, I would be including it in the original finishing kit shipment. The engine mount is one of the first things you will likely need, and if you include it with the shipment, then Van's can pack things in and around it, saving you shipping space. If you ship it alone, I imagine it would cost you a lot more, because you are not utilizing this space. Van's knows how to pack things tight. I'd just knuckle down and make your engine decision before you execute on the shipment. At least that's my take on things.
Tom.
 
I was in your same position early this year.

I waffled a lot on engine type and size, constant speed vs fixed prop etc. In the end I found that during the Sun and Fun special Vans runs, the $3k off the engine pricing they offer plus the additional $1k if you buy a prop at the same time just was unbeatable. I got to a point where I felt like the amount of money I was putting into the -8 airframe seems like finding a used engine and prop was going against the grain of what I've been building.

So I just researched what they offered and settled on the IO-360-M1B (horizontal induction). My opinion was that in the end, fuel injection was the way to go and I would be mad at myself after the fact if I used a 160hp vs 180hp. All personal preferences. I like the look of the cowl on the horizontal style inductions better. And I went with a constant speed prop.

So I ordered my finish kit based on those decisions, and didn't order the prop or engine until months later.

There will be a lot more of these "decision" points coming. Like when you finally decide you don't need under floor access anymore and can rivet the floors on. Or when you're finally done under the front panel and rivet on the top main skins. Or if the battery goes in the front or back.

You just have to hope you've done all of the research and pull the trigger at some point and not look back.

Good luck!
 
Plan for Dynafocal

Plan on the more common, and later design, Dynafocal mount.

Since you intend to overhaul your engine, the case can be converted from a Conical to Dynafocal mount at overhaul time. It's a "standard" modification -

http://www.eci.aero/pdf/svc_cca.pdf
 
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