I'm about 3 weeks away from having first class facilities again, so once
I'm properly set up, what we should do is try to get together a buyers
group so that the stuff can be sent economically. The only real way to
send heavy stuff is by sea freight, and the packaging and the paperwork,
and the customs and ... and ... and it just goes on and on.
Air freight is just horrendously expensive for heavy items @ 3.20 a Kg,
even with my freight consolidator. However, my consolidator contacts
will ship via sea freight, on a 21 day cycle each Friday to LA or SF, for
$120 AUD per Tonne/cubic meter, and the packaging, crate, paperwork
cartage and customs can run into another $250/$350, depending on the actual
size, shape, and the strength of the crate.
To give you an idea, 3 fully dressed 13B turbo engines fit quite happily
on a standard freight pallet, and there is plenty of room left for smaller
stuff like turbos, etc. So if any people on the newsletter want stuff,
we should consolidate it all into one shipment, and then ship it when
there is enough to justify a crate. That way, the freight on a motor
would amount to no more than $120 AUD each, and a turbo would cost perhaps
$10 ~$15 AUD if several were to be shipped with the engines as a side dish.
Sancho has just got a new shipment in from Japan, and there is another
coming in a couple of weeks. So Series 5 ('89 ~ 91) turbo engines are in
plentiful supply right now.
For Series 5 Runner, he's asking $2000 ~ $2500, depending on condition,
FULLY tested and CAREFULLY inspected (proper paper tape compression test
when hot by me) , complete with turbo, intercooler etc. He often has many
short engines suitable as rebuilders (they turn over but a either smokey or
have stuck side and corner seals etc) for $500 ~ $700, again depending on
condition. These same Series 5 engines can be had complete with turbo etc
for $1250~ $1500, again depending on condition.(Like the one from which
your turbo came). At last count on Saturday, he had 14 in stock in this
sort of condition.
Turbos in excellent condition on their own are $700 as you know, and
cheaper if you want one that has floppy bearings that you are prepared to
get overhauled. Sancho will also do a deal on quantity.
I often buy these motors, and all they usually need is a security overhaul
kit (All compression seals & springs, gaskets and O rings etc, about a
grand to 1.5K worth AUD). For aircraft use, replacement of these bits
would be mandatory anyway!
In fact, here is another option. Now that I will have workshop facilities
again within 3 weeks, with a young bloke available who is really keen to
learn all all about them (he reminds me of myself, 35 years ago!!), I'm
more than happy to split second hand engines and carefully measure and
inspect them (for a fee of course say $250 AUD) before they are shipped,
and as part of that inspection, the rotors will be chemically cleaned!
(Easy for me, I've got the gear and the chemicals, hard for you guys!!)
This will ensure that supply of only good quality stock is shipped. I can
grade the housings according to the depth of the groove where the end piece
runs, and the condition of the actual trochoid surface. I can also
include an exchange set of re-machined and re-nitided side housings as part
of the deal if required. This way, an inspected and cleaned engine can be
bought for not much more than what a running (but really unknown quantity)
engine costs, and have a set of re-machined and re-nitrided housings
included.
I have the access to local engineering expertise to get the machining and
nitriding done properly, and know what to look for in terms of quality
control, and have the price advantage of getting them done in large
batches by technicians who have been doing them for many years, as well as
the blokes here being hungry for a dollar due to the downturn in the
economy!.
I would properly mothball all the bits and bolt the engines back together
sufficiently to stabilise them, and carefully pack all the re-usable
second hand seals/small parts/nuts and bolts etc in a container with the
engine. I could also possibly supply rebuild kits, as I buy REAL good
fom the Mazda concessionaire. I just need to see how competitive I can be
on the internal parts prices. That way, you are ensured of getting a
first class motor, and I'm sure that if anyone finds reassembly too hard,
there are people over your way who are skilled enough to re-assemble them
for a reasonable price.
I've often done this before within Australia when people wanted a good
quality engine suitable for rebuilding, and were going to rebuild it
themselves anyway, and they couldn't come to personally select and inspect
themselves. It takes almost all the risk out of buying a second hand
rotary. I'd personally REALLY hate to ship something half way across the
world only to find it was not quite right.
I don't want to actually re-build them here before shipping them as
warranty could turn into a nightmare with second hand engines. I also
really DON'T want the liability hassles if one should happen to fail in the
air!!! You guys are too far away to get involved with legal hassles!
I'll also make some enquiries with some of the package shipping people
(FedEx, UPS etc). to see what it would cost to ship single items, as well
as our own Australia Post Service.