[floridawing]

Hello, I am looking at a used prepunched RV8 tailkit, purchased from Vans in 1999. Is this the same tail that Vans is selling today? Has the tail changed any? Will it bolt up to a new RV8 quick build fuslage? Thanks alot in advance for the help. I appreciate it.

 

[klovning]

It should be OK

Two things to be careful of

#1 - has it been stored well, have some of the parts rusted/corroded while just sitting in storage.

#2 -- There may not be match drilled holes, so It may be a bit more work to put together.

It shouldn't be a big deal though, the main place where the emp mates to the fuse is hand drilled into the longerons anyway.

If the price is right, I'd buy the kit.

 

[Terry Lutz]

It will be OK

I purchased my RV-8 tail kit in 1997 and it was match drilled. It fit to a QB fuselage just fine, and it was fitted and drilled in place. As they say, "Build On!"

 

[CBRXXDRV]

First off........Whatever it takes to get started.

I purchased a used unstarted tail kit.
Flying now a few years.

Some things to consider

It gets damaged in shipping like mine did. It is a hundred times easier
to deal with vans on this. What happened to me.....I had to deal with UPS.
I did order all new skins and got through it and got all but about $50 back.
It was a PIA.

My serial number is 80533 because the serial is assigned to the tail kit.
so I got a pretty old serial number but new quick build kit and spar number.
Not a big deal.

I saved $500 and still had $74200 to go. (approx)

The kit I got required more fabrication.....not a big deal but it was
not the same as new kits. The people to ask is Vans. Give the the serial number and they can tell you pre-punched or CNC. I built my tail in a jig.
it was pre-punched.

I would not buy a completed tail kit.....most all the skills needed to do the metal work on the kit are learned on the tail kit and with good step by step instructions. It is like going to sheet metal college. If you are trying to save labor......no. You can do all the tail feathers pretty quick.

So if I had to do it all over. I would order a new one from vans. Tails Kits are ready to ship NOW no wait. Oh yeah I had to wait for the new skins.

On the plus side , Van's does not seem to care where you get the tail from
and like to see every serial number completed. BUT they know you got many more $$ to go.

YMMV and this opinion is worth what it cost.

Just pull the trigger on something and get started, you will glad you did
when it flys.


Sal
Lakeland FL
N898SC

<lurk mode>