And so it begins

[hotrod180]

Jim bought several wrecked Super Cubs and paperwork of others and built pretty much new airplanes around that paperwork.....

When I first became aware of Cub Crafters, in the late 1990's, that was what CC was doing.
Definitely not the first ones to essentially build a new airplane around a data plate,
but maybe one of the first to do it on such a large scale and to such a level of success.

.... Those things evolved into the Top Cub. I used to know how many Data Plate/Spares and Surplus Super Cubs but have forgotten. Seems like more than 20. They bring good money because they were essentially new PA18s and all the PA18 STCs apply. The first ones had the early Airframes fuselages until they switched to Univair. They also had Dakota Cub wings and then went to Univair.

There's a member here who flies a Cub that has "TOP GUN" on the fuselage.
Just for fun, I looked it up on the FAA site,
and it is a JR1, s/n 01, mfr'd in 1989 by Richmond Jim.
Apparently registered as an experimental- amateur built.
So built prior to CC developing their type certificated Top Cub,
but not represented as being a Piper Supercub,

 

[Steve Pierce]

There's a member here who flies a Cub that has "TOP GUN" on the fuselage.
Just for fun, I looked it up on the FAA site,
and it is a JR1, s/n 01, mfr'd in 1989 by Richmond Jim.
Apparently registered as an experimental- amateur built.
So built prior to CC developing their type certificated Top Cub,
but not represented as being a Piper Supercub,

If you got the new calander from Cub Crafters their history is documented there. Jim started out buying Italian L21Bs from Texas Jet in the 80s and dragging them home. He said he got in late with two on a trailer in front of his house and was woken up the next morning with someone knocking on his door wanting to buy one. That was the start.

 

[Steve Pierce]

 

[RaisedByWolves]

That cub is also on edo anfib floats like I have. Only 11 sets made.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mr. Ed]

Painted some of the trim work, mounted the GPS antennas and cooling/defrost fans. I had planned to cover the glare shield with some type of textile or leather but changed plans and shot it with truck bed liner. Looks ok…we’ll see how it holds up.

Working on the other plane now. Finally got my prop back from the shop after 11 weeks. What a disappointing experience. It was a great shop, good customer service and workmanship. Sold to a Canadian corporation and everything changed. No customer service, many unanswered emails and no call backs on voice messages left requesting a call back. Several promised completion dates, all missed. Prop was fairly clean when I dropped it off but had a few bug blood spots etc.. Invoice says that blades were painted but the bug spots were still there. It does look like they painted the back sides but they either painted over any crud that was there or they painted in a dirty environment. Of course all that was wrapped up nice and pretty for me to haul home 2.5 hours. Unwrapped four days later….ugh. Time to find a new prop shop.

 

[hotrod180]

.... Finally got my prop back from the shop after 11 weeks. What a disappointing experience...... Time to find a new prop shop.

I see you're in the PNW, me too.
Do you mind sharing the name of the shop so that others can avoid having the same experience?

I have used both NW Prop in Puyallup and AC Prop in Seattle.
Mike at AC Prop was great to work with,
unfortunately he passed away last year.
I don't know who is running the place now or what will happen to it.

 

[airChris]

I see you're in the PNW, me too.
Do you mind sharing the name of the shop so that others can avoid having the same experience?

I have used both NW Prop in Puyallup and AC Prop in Seattle.
Mike at AC Prop was great to work with,
unfortunately he passed away last year.
I don't know who is running the place now or what will happen to it.

He’s talking about NW Prop.

Chris


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Mr. Ed]

Painted the engine and hung it. I hope to start wiring and plumbing this week. I may have found a solution to my propeller/engine combination issue. That may be resolved this week.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Working on the baffling. Still have a way to go. Progress is slow as every piece has been on and off too many times to keep track of. Lots of trimming, fitting, bending and cussing involved. My scrap aluminum pile continues to grow.

 

[supercub83a]

I had to cut well into where those braces are riveted to the #3&4 cylinder baffles. I riveted everything together like you only to have to drill a lot of rivets later to make it easier . It will be more trimming than you think or at least it was for me.


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org

 

[Mr. Ed]

Slowly getting some stuff done between traveling trips. Above, preparing to box the front end and pour in expanding foam to make a carbon fiber cowl. I’m fairly certain this will be a disaster but going to try anyway.

Settled on a mounting location for the oil cooler. The baffle was designed to mount it on the baffle behind #4 jug. I opted for a firewall mount and built a carbon fiber plenum that’s ducted to the baffle.

Vetterman (Clint) built my exhaust and I got that mounted. I needed that mounted to ensure the cowling would have adequate clearance.

Problems crop up and need to be solved every day. Sometimes I just need to close the shop door and take time off. Projects on the other plane (the one that is currently flying) are sucking up time too. Good thing I’m retired.

 

[supercub83a]

Very interested to see how your project went. I almost did exactly the same think but ended up making just the bottom out of carbon. Also vetterman exhaust with superior cold air induction. Mine has not flown yet, happy with the look, but I do wish I had made the air inlets at a more square angle to the wind and deepened the pan covering the exhaust shrouds slightly.


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org mobile app

 

[skywagon8a]

View attachment 65958

Why so much positive camber? Most PA-18s have none.

Also your safety cables are way too loose to be useful in the event they are needed. They should be no longer than the position of the gear at maximum travel of the shocks.

 

[supercub83a]

The plane had just been hoisted. Some weigh is still on the spreader bar and chain hoists above it in the photo. I serviced the tk shocks and when the weight is on it and it is rolled around a bit I expect it to go back to normal


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org

 

[mvivion]

View attachment 64487View attachment 64488View attachment 64489

Painted some of the trim work, mounted the GPS antennas and cooling/defrost fans. I had planned to cover the glare shield with some type of textile or leather but changed plans and shot it with truck bed liner. Looks ok…we’ll see how it holds up.

Working on the other plane now. Finally got my prop back from the shop after 11 weeks. What a disappointing experience. It was a great shop, good customer service and workmanship. Sold to a Canadian corporation and everything changed. No customer service, many unanswered emails and no call backs on voice messages left requesting a call back. Several promised completion dates, all missed. Prop was fairly clean when I dropped it off but had a few bug blood spots etc.. Invoice says that blades were painted but the bug spots were still there. It does look like they painted the back sides but they either painted over any crud that was there or they painted in a dirty environment. Of course all that was wrapped up nice and pretty for me to haul home 2.5 hours. Unwrapped four days later….ugh. Time to find a new prop shop.

I actually visited with Dick Jacobs, the former owner of NW Propeller in March. He admitted that the transition of ownership hadn't gone very smooth. He was working with the new owners trying to get things on track. Dick was always a pleasure to work with, so I sincerely hope the new owners get it together after the transition and uphold the reputation of NW Propeller.

MTV

 

[Mr. Ed]

I sent an informational email to the Canadian parent company of NW Propeller and MT Germany. The Germans called me within 10 minutes of pushing send. Very impressed with MT’s customer service. The Canadians called about 24 hours after sending the email. Dick called a day later. Apparently the parent company asked him to help out. Had a very nice conversation with him and told him what a nice shop/business it was when he owned it. He acknowledged that there were issues now and that he would have them contact me about the problems with the newly serviced prop. Thus far, no call and it’s been a week +.

 

[hotrod180]

I actually visited with Dick Jacobs, the former owner of NW Propeller in March. He admitted that the transition of ownership hadn't gone very smooth. He was working with the new owners trying to get things on track. Dick was always a pleasure to work with, so I sincerely hope the new owners get it together after the transition and uphold the reputation of NW Propeller.

Yeah, what a shame things went downhill.
There's another good prop shop in the Seattle area, AC Prop.
The owner Mike Worden passed away last year.
Dunno who's running it now.
I think his son worked there with him,
but I haven't heard anything (good, bad, or otherwise) about how they're doing now.

 

[Mr. Ed]

so…$300 worth of 4 pound pour foam, about half of which has already been removed, and the basic shape is almost roughed in. Lots of work to do before I start carbon fiber work. Hopefully none of that foam leaked into the plastic wrap around everything FWF.

 

[skywagon8a]

View attachment 66233

Don't make it too tight on the aft edge by the firewall where the cooling air comes out. You would be surprised how much of the heated engine cooling air flows along side the fuselage. Your picture makes it look flat. If you have cooling issues, this is one of the places which needs attention.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Don't make it too tight on the aft edge by the firewall where the cooling air comes out. You would be surprised how much of the heated engine cooling air flows along side the fuselage. Your picture makes it look flat. If you have cooling issues, this is one of the places which needs attention.

Thanks skywagon…The cheek opening is 2” which is slightly larger than a stock SC I measured. I also plan to have shark gill vents in the lower cowl and a seaplane lip. Hopefully that will be enough to keep the 340 cool.

 

[skywagon8a]

Mine is 2-5/8" cooling an IO-360 (180 hp), very satisfactory. The shark gill vents should help.

 

[Flyinwild]

What is the real weight of your engine?

 

[Mr. Ed]

I weighed the engine with the engine mount attached, no prop governor, no alternator, fuel servo or exhaust…286.

 

[Flyinwild]

Thank you for the information.

 

[supercrow]

Just for info on real engine weights, I recently removed my 0320E2D to be replaced with a Superior XP0360. I weighed both on the digital scales while they were on the floor.The E2D without alternator or carb. It had 6 qts showing on the stick and the oil cooler and lines still attached. The baffles were still on it. No engine mount. Weighed 286. The XP had no baffles,alt. or carb. oil or cooler installed and was otherwise the same configuration. It weighed 274. To be the same, it would need baffles, oil cooler and lines and the oil added. Both are equipped with filter adapters and filters. The obvious differences were the baffles, oil, cooler and lines. Neither had exhaust installed. Not going to be as much difference and I would have thought.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Bondo applied to the foam. That will get numerous coats of mold release wax before the carbon fiber layup.

 

[Flyinwild]

How many layers and what type of carbon fiber cloth.

 

[supercub83a]

What kind of foam did you use? No problem with bondo melting the foam?


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org

 

[Mr. Ed]

Resin for the carbon fiber will not melt this foam. Bondo won’t either.

 

[Mr. Ed]

How many layers and what type of carbon fiber cloth.

I have both plain weave and twill. I don’t recall the weight of the fabric but plan to use 5 layers. I usually use West Systems epoxy but may opt for Fiberglast System 3000 for the lower cowl section. I have .5” clearance on the exhaust heat muff. May not be a problem but the 3000 epoxy is rated for 109* more than the West Systems. I plan to put shark gill vents in the cowl where it’s close to the mufflers.