Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

I nabbed a Veco .61 (Series 72, I believe) for $20. It was new inside, so I sent it to Clarence Lee to have it blueprinted and PDP'd.

So far, I have about ten short runs on the engine at a rich setting.

Here's what it did with the NV turned in just to the point where it held a steady 2-cycle without breaking back into a 4-cycle. This is quite a bit off from a peak setting.

78°
Powermaster GMA 5/22
Fox R/C Long
Top Flite Super-M 11x7
11,822
7.36lbs static thrust
1.24hp

I think this is pretty good for this stage in the break in. I was still using a quiet muffler setup (Dubro Arise silencer on a Webra muffler). With the Lee modified flow-through muffler I should gain a good bit more power (and more noise).

Edited to add: This is already stronger than my Webra Blackhead:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8456427

I ran the engine again with an APC 11x8. I had it set at a pretty rich 2-cycle, but it sounds like it's getting stronger with every short run. It's still a good ways off from the peak setting:

64°
Powermaster GMS 5/22
Fox R/C Long
APC 11x8
12,073
7.5lbs static thrust
1.28hp

David

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

Just returning the favor Dave. ;)
Cool engine. I miss my Enya sumthin terrible.

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

A few months ago I sent a slightly used case (one of the later Mecoa versions with the larger bypass ) and a brand new sleeve to Mr. Lee for the PDP job...some day I will get around to putting it in an airplane. (that's the problem with having too many choices I guess :eek::D )

I wish now that I had also sent the muffler so he could enlarge the tailpipe...


Please keep up the good work David...it's nice to see these older engines being run again, and even better to have the r.p.m. figures...thanks.[8D]

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

Thanks y'all.

I am very impressed with this engine. No, I'm amazed by it.

I discovered that my HB .61 had a Perry #1301 carb on it. The 1301 has a throat diameter of .312" while the standard 1300 has a .270" throat. So, I put the larger 1301 on the Veco along with the Lee modified muffler.

It's still being broken in and I haven't peaked the NV yet. The flow-through muffler is loud, but not as loud as the typical gas engine. It has a less irritating sound than gas engines, too.

62°
Powermaster GMA 5/22
Fox R/C Long
APC 11x8
12,386
7.9lbs static thrust
1.38hp

I expect to get a couple hundred more rpm by the time it's broken in. Lee definitely knows how to hop up an engine. I'm going to write a letter to thank him and report these numbers.

I couldn't be happier with this engine.

David

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

Awesome. Gotta love em. We don't need no steenking scherule's . ;)
With my apologies to Hollywood. :D

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

I agree with you with a few exceptions. This little rear exhaust K&B 3.5cc is kind of cool. But, it needs a header and pipe.

David

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

Dave that is one sweet engine. I am not a big fan of K&B (long story) but your engine is really cool.

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

Just for fun...

David

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

Wow David,
You are really bringing back memories, I didn't know Clarence Lee was still alive. I remember having Veco's and having to put on Perry carbs to get them to run right! I also remember, it took forever to break in a Veco engine. being the impatient types, my friends and I used to use jewlers rouge dribbled in a little at a time to help break them in sooner. One must be very careful not to get carried away doing this because it was real hard on the bearings as well as everything else and sometimes we needed to replace bearings, so it was not a recommended procedure. I was sure glad you mentioned, adding shims to the head and lowering the compression. I forgot all about this trick. This can sometimes make a dog of an engine run really smooth and transision really well from hi to low. Sometimes you sacrfice a bit of power though. I still have two K&B engines, I cannot remember the age of. they are from after the green head days and have the later carbs with metered fuel rather than air bleed. This is according to memory and may not be plumb up to snuff. I suppose I should go out to the shop to look at them, they are still mounted in a 96" sea plane (PBY) and never have been ran yet. the bearings are getting rusty they been sitting so long. This rig was given to me in hopes that I would fly it some day, but it really needs some TLC first. ( The builder owner is now with the Lord)
David you are a goldmine to me, what a pleasure to cross paths with kinderd spirits. Many of my friends have moved on to the next life now, but I still got a lot of building and flying to do.
What a sweet hobby this is. I remember shooting touch-n-go's with a falcon 56 and a single channel Orbit with a three positon motor escapment and a Babcock mark2 on rudder with kick-up elevator and a quick blip throttle. Do you not think I was a proud puppy? Any thing else you need let me know okay? Thanks, Steve. P.S. let me know the cost you intail, I will send you a check asap.

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

Dave, very nice engine indeed, and nice numbers too... By the way, do you obtained the numbers from your ST 60 Bluehead? thanks

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

Thanks stg61abc. The Bluehead will be given a bit of a performance boost the next time I run it because I came across this nifty ST pipe header:D

David

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

Dave, will be very nice. Just be careful in case of tuned pipe use with the BH. a friend of mine destroyed an outstading BH 60 using a tuned pipe some time ago. I suspect that was because the high compression ratio of this motor. Just for precaution i recomend you to put one or two gaskets more below the head...
we were waiting friend !

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

Hey Guys I'm listing a bunch of my rc engines on the bay and I have a C. Lee Veco .61 Engine that I want to list. Any idea what the going rate for something like this? It has been ported and carb upgrade done to it. Let me know what you guys think and I will be listing it this Sunday or Monday. My email is [email protected]

Thanks, Reggie

RE: Clarence Lee Custom PDP Veco .61
 

Reggie, I'm not sure what your engine is worth, but here's a bit of interesting history from Clarence Lee:

In 1946 a man named Gil Henry started a business called Henry Engineering Company, or HECO. There was already a company named HECO and threat of a lawsuit forced him to change the name. Since this was the period right after WWII, Henry decided to use the "V" for victory and changed his company name to VECO!

David