This almost NIB Veco .29 just fell into my lap. Is it worth building a plane for?

It has no muffler, obviously, but my R/C flying field is far enough away from neighbors that noise should not be a problem. The largest C/L planes I've flown have been a Goldberg Shoestring and a Sig Super Chipmunk, both powered by an old Fox .35. I think I'd like a profile plane similar to the Shoestring, but I'm wondering what performance could I expect from the .29?

My internet research leads me to believe that this motor isn't collectable, since it's a four screw crank cover model.

Thanks for your input,

Phil

Phil,
The Veco is an excellent engine. I think the selling point of that series was TCC - Temperature Controlled Clearance. Although they were not the only engine to use taper, it was a good advertising point.
The reason they were not used as much is that they had to compete with McCoy's prices, and Fox, K&B, and Johnson's contest wins, etc.
It should run well in a wet 2-cycle. I don't believe it will do the 4-2 break like a Fox.
If not already broken in, I would heat cycle it for a few runs. It should be a short break in because of the TCC.
I have a .35 and a few .19's.

George

Your Veco .29 will fly a Shoestring just fine, and most of the other ".19 -.35 size" c/l planes. If there is a R/C swap meet coming up near you go searching for a pre-built C/L stunter, I found a Ringmaster at the last one I attended, complete and ready to fly less the engine and tank for $20. A plane like that will give you something to fly while you build the Shoestring or whatever model you decide on. It gets you in the air cheap, and with no emotional attachment from hours of building you can get back to flying the stunts quicker.

Perfectly worthless engine, no parts, lots of break in time and no way to put a muffler on it effectivly.

Send it to me and I'll send you a new LA 25 S in it's stead which comes with a muffler, is easy to start, run and has boat loads of parts available from Tower with free shipping.

How could you go wrong.

The Veco's are kinda rare. At least not common like Fox, McCoy, and K&B. Since it is NIB, I would check its value. Might be worth holding onto for a while or selling it to a collector.

Doesn't seem to be exactly NIB, looks like it was run once (there's just one little drip of varnish at bottom of cooling fin). If it were a three screw crankcase cover model, it would have some collector's value, but my research showed me that it's essentially a K&B with the Veco name on it.



Nice try! I've already got an LA! (Not bad for the price, actually).

Thanks for the info, guys. I think I'll find a Brodack profile kit and give it a go.

Phil

FOOOLLLL!!!

May a thousand flys infest your armpit!

well, I tried.

Wow,

I picked up the Top Flite Flite Streak ARF last Saturday. How can you go wrong for 60 bucks at the LHS? The kit is $50, and there's much more than $10 worth of Monokote on the ARF!

I got it assembled, but the weather has turned sour. Hopefully, I'll be able to try it out before the snow flies.

Phil

Phil, thoroughly check out the control system. There were reports of failures when they first came out. They probably have fixed it by now but you may have gotten an older one. Better safe than sorry.

George

I'd put it on ebay or in here in the marketplace. A collector might pay you enough to get something you're more accustomed to that's more modern.

Thanks, I already did. Everything seems very solid. I put the bellcrank screw in with Loctite, as instructed, and I think I couldn't have built this thing better, myself.

Well, sorry, but I'm gonna run it, as soon as I get a decent day!

Hi, guys...first post over here. Regarding the 3 bolt Veco .29, those were the ones made by K&B. Many of the parts interchanged, tho the fins were seperate from the liner, and aluminum. The Veco's rod was cast aluminum, while the K&B's eventually got a steel rod, because the cast aluminum rods would break easily. I had one, and it did. First engine I ever had go clank. I guess I was 16.

Anyway, the 4 bolt backplate Veco .29 subject here is, of course, the later model. I never had a lot of desire to own another one, but that was probably my mistake. I wonder if Veco made the parts, or had them made by various suppliers? If that little drip of oil is any concern, I would wipe it off and just look at the piston, lugs, combustion chamber and piston crown, to see if there was any carbon, etc. I don't know if all Veco's were bench run, like all Foxes, but doubt it. It would be kinda nice in a Smoothie, but I'd prefer a Brodak .40 or Magnum .36, with a muffler. Ciao, Steve

Who are you trying to kid?