Barn Find! - Taurus...
#1
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From: Mesa,
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Found this add in Craigs List this morning. I've been checking regularly, I'd really like to find a ballistic project. You know some unsuspecting rube selling Dad's checkered bell bottoms, Polaroid camera, CURARE and 'fro pick all for $25.
Instead, today I found said rube selling Grandpa's Taurus! I ran over there during lunch and snagged it for $49, all I had on me. It's in the back of the truck now. When I get home I'll take some pics and start the survey. He had a Senior Falcon with a ST Blue Head bolted to it also. I'll probably go back for that tonight. Stay tuned…</p>
Eric</p></font>
Found this add in Craigs List this morning. I've been checking regularly, I'd really like to find a ballistic project. You know some unsuspecting rube selling Dad's checkered bell bottoms, Polaroid camera, CURARE and 'fro pick all for $25.
Instead, today I found said rube selling Grandpa's Taurus! I ran over there during lunch and snagged it for $49, all I had on me. It's in the back of the truck now. When I get home I'll take some pics and start the survey. He had a Senior Falcon with a ST Blue Head bolted to it also. I'll probably go back for that tonight. Stay tuned…</p>
Eric</p></font>
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From: Mesa,
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Calibri" size="3">Sorry no vettes. But the kid is selling everything he owns that won’t fit in an old school bus he’s taking to Washington State.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Said he just graduated from ASU with a degree in solar engineering.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Calibri" size="3">Solar</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Calibri" size="3">Washington</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Calibri" size="3">School bus</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Calibri" size="3">This kid is going to go far… </font></p>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt">It’s pretty rough. It’s been sitting a long time.The guy I bought it from said his dad and a friend built and flew RC while he was growing up. He said the friend built the Taurus and the Senior Falcon. There are no markings to speak of on the Taurus, other than some cheap stickers that were applied more recently.They cover up a “TL1” that looks original on the nose. There was an AMA number on the Senior Falcon, I took note of it but promptly forgot it. I know it was 39XXX. That should date the guy who built it.</div>
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From: Silverdale,
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ORIGINAL: edh13
<p class=''MsoNormal'' style=''MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt''><font face=''Calibri'' size=''3''>Sorry no vettes. But the kid is selling everything he owns that won’t fit in an old school bus he’s taking to Washington State.<span style=''mso-spacerun: yes''> </span>Said he just graduated from ASU with a degree in solar engineering.</font></p><p class=''MsoNormal'' style=''MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt''><font face=''Calibri'' size=''3''>Solar</font></p><p class=''MsoNormal'' style=''MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt''><font face=''Calibri'' size=''3''>Washington</font></p><p class=''MsoNormal'' style=''MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt''><font face=''Calibri'' size=''3''>School bus</font></p><p class=''MsoNormal'' style=''MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt''><font face=''Calibri'' size=''3''>This kid is going to go far… </font></p>
<p class=''MsoNormal'' style=''MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt''><font face=''Calibri'' size=''3''>Sorry no vettes. But the kid is selling everything he owns that won’t fit in an old school bus he’s taking to Washington State.<span style=''mso-spacerun: yes''> </span>Said he just graduated from ASU with a degree in solar engineering.</font></p><p class=''MsoNormal'' style=''MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt''><font face=''Calibri'' size=''3''>Solar</font></p><p class=''MsoNormal'' style=''MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt''><font face=''Calibri'' size=''3''>Washington</font></p><p class=''MsoNormal'' style=''MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt''><font face=''Calibri'' size=''3''>School bus</font></p><p class=''MsoNormal'' style=''MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt''><font face=''Calibri'' size=''3''>This kid is going to go far… </font></p>

p.s. great find on the Taurus. I know there are many of those out there. My dad has a museum-quality Nieuport 17 hanging in his basement that was built by an AMA hall-of-famer. The son didn't want anything to do with the old man, and gave it to my grandfather about 35 years ago.
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt">Well I got it stripped. The covering was white cloth with some type of plastic trim (blue and red). It came off very easy, only took about 30 minutes. It is kit built, looks like Ambroid and epoxy. Here’s the good and the bad.</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt">Good: Absolutely NO crash damage or previous repair. Everything is straight as an arrow. Only minor hanger rash. Wing mount dowels look great. Vintage wheels might be reusable.</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt">Bad: Mold and lots of it. Engine mount area is really buger’d-up (too many engine changes?). Kit was “built” okay but not “crafted”. Barely sanded, not sealed, not much filler. No fillet’s around stabs. MLG blocks split and loose. Easy replacement, the ribs are not damaged.</div>
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From: Mesa,
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><font size="3">Found out why it was so heavy. All this lead under the tank. It was just loosely wrapped in foam, not glued to anything. Canopy can be cleaned up and I might re-use the tank(?) with new plumbing of course. He was pretty accurate with the weight. 1lb on the money.</font></div>
#13
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Don't forget that Home and Hobby Solutions, https://www.homeandhobbysolutions.co...%20Details.htm , sells the Taurus as the Primus. Two ideas for you since I have repaired and restored two Tuarii to make one Taurus. You can buy the identical kit for $120 to $150. So don't sink a lot of time and effort in the plane unless there is nostalgic value in the specific plane you bought. It is very possible to have less time and money in a new kit. If you decide to repair it, Jeff probably has replacement sub-assemblies if you need them. When I was making one airplane from the two crashed ones, I bought the horizontal stab/elev and vert stab/rudder from Jeff. Here is a link to my Taurus rebuild, http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_82...tm.htm#8237130. Oh, and good luck





