I recently stumbled across a brand new in box SJM 430 (500 class) heli that I bought for nearly nothing. It is a complete kit that of course needs a tx, rx, batt, servos, and gyro, but includes motor and esc.

I dont know anything about it, but it looks really cool. Some web searches have revealed that is probably a V1 from 2007, and that the SJM company has gone out of business. User reviews all look pretty positive, so do youtube vids.

My options are:

Build it and fly it, although im not quite ready for a 500 3d bird yet.
Build it and keep it as a garage ornament (if its worthless) since I paid nearly nothing for it.
Or sell it if it has any decent value.

I can provide pics if needed. Im not trying to sell it here, I'm just wondering if it has any value.

first off if they went out of business  are there replacement parts you can find easily or do you have to pay in body parts to get a simple boom or main shaft. next are any other 500 class heli parts interchangable?  if you cant find parts for it and no other 500's interchange then unless your savy and can make parts (like align) which are readily available fit then i would lose it for whatever you can get and find  a more updated bird because the first oops you have it will be  a loss and your out money just my .02

Exactly why I was think it might be worth something! If you gotta pay body parts for a simple boom or main shaft, then I'm in possession of a morgue!.....Right?

for the hell of it i looked for spare parts for that and it doesnt look promising lol  it is a nice looking bird  if you have a set of verniers start measuring lengths / diameters of like the main shaft , feather shaft boom etc we can compare to my trex 500  and see what happens it wouldnt hurt  you could make it into a hybrid so when your rdy to move into it  you will know what parts to buy or maybe have to modify it. there again if you dont want to dick with it then just post a ad it might sell.

Thanks for the effort. It looks as if there are still caches of spare parts here and there. Im new to helis and still learning to master 4ch FPs. It probably wont be until next summer that I even try to fly this thing. I want to be pretty skilled to limit the amount I damage I might dish out to it.

that was a good heli long ago.. building a vintage heli will be nice.. but will not be feasible.. unless the parts are still available in the market.. if you can find a buyer of vintage helis that prefer to keep them as museum piece rather than flying it.. that will be a better idea.. and just get a more updated heli from the money you get from the sell.

That was kinda what I was thinking too. However, there are 0 listings on fleabay for this model, so I dont know where I would find interested partys.

I say build it and fly it if you have next to nothing in it.  If you crash it...you can salvage the parts (motor, esc, servos, gyro) and put on a new heli of same size.

Really, the kit is the cheapest part of a build.  you start racking up money in electronics...and they should be usable on any 500 class heli.

Just my opinion.  BUT...to counter my own statement...you will have some crashes when you first go to CP helis.  I started out on co-ax (what a waste)...then to FP...and when I went to CP, i still crashed.  Granted, not that much...but out of my 250, 450 and 500...ive crashed them all at least once.  The 450, 3 times!  lol

So, saying that...maybe the best thing would be to sell it like someone else already posted and put that money towards a good clone of a 500...say like the EXI and electronics.  That way you will have the ability to buy ANY part you need, clone or Align for an Align 500 heli.

goodluck!

Ya, i have next to nothing in it, So I have several options.

I already have a cheapy coax, an MSR, a 120SR, and a trex 450 clone, but im still really new to helis.

It sounds as if this SJM 500 is gonna end up being a future flyer for me.

You sound a lot like me...only been into helis about 2 years now and rc alltogether 3 and a half or so.

Still I have about 9 helis right now...all the way from my 1st el-cheapo co-ax to a Raptor 50 and just about one of each size inbetween.

By far, the Raptor 50 is the smoothest flying heli I own...but I dont fly it much because of being afraid of crashing it and the expense of having to fix it back.  Plus, its still on 72Mhz and I want to switch it over to 2.4 but need to learn how to setup a Raptor type of head/servos first.

Anyway, my point in replying again...is I fly my 500 electric the most.  Its crash cost isnt that much more than the 450 and it is a LOT easier to fly.  It reacts a little slower and with the larger disc size it "floats" a little better so you have more time to make corrections than on a 450 or smaller.

I feel that the 2 most important helis that I own right now are my 500 and my mCPX.  These 2 helis has progressed my helicopter flying skills more than any other one thing since I started messing with them.

So...I would just build it...if you crash it, throw it away and buy a 500 clone and transfer the parts that didnt break over to it.  Then as you crash and repair the 500...you can replace the parts with Align or higher end aftermarket and at some point end up with a super nice helicopter.  Thats what Im doing now...And the only thing left as clone is the main frame and tail assembly.  Everything else I have upgraded with Align, even the main rotor head.

Or you can continue to use aftermarket/clone spare parts to rebuild from your crashes and save even more.  Wasnt anything wrong with my EXI 500 clone right out of the box.  I did buy the carbon fiber edition though.  I cant comment on the quality of the plastic kit

goodluck!

Thats probably what I will do.
I was into Monster Trucks for several years but fell away. Then my mom got me a cheapy coax as a gift and I caught the bug. I went and got a 450 clone right off the bat and crashed it several times without really learning anything. During a craigslist purchase of some replacement servos, the dude offered me this SJM 500 for a song. so I bought it, but then also bought an MCR and 120SR combo on fleabay to practice up before I do any more CP flying. Ive got a total heli experience of about 5 weeks, and I have 5 helis already .

it wouldnt hurt to do some measuring either you never know some trex parts might and probably will fit all you have in it is time right.