To the group - keep up the good work! Hopefully we
can fill in the
gaps, and get the Mazda Rotary Engine to a point
where builders can
really (REALLY!) purchase a reasonably priced,
firewall-forward solution
from competing vendors. Capitalism is a Good
Thing. I'd set target
price for a FWF solution to match that of, say,
Van's, plus the PSRU.
I dunno- ~ $1000 for an engine mount, ~$500 for
a custom radiator,
Exhaust ~ $1000, hoses~$1000, EFI and ignition
computer ~$800, 13B freshly
overhauled $3000, various fittings, wires,
mainifolds, throttle bodies,
etc~$3000. Redrive- $2000. Total of around $13,000
if you aren't really
trying to squeeze a buck. How could that ever
compete with a Lycoming from
Van's for over $20,000?
Logistically it would be difficult to have a
different mount for different
types of aircraft, along with exhaust, cooling, etc.
This is what makes
marketing a firewall forward package difficult. The
first ones would have to
be targeted at the most numerous kits sold. That
makes Van's the most
lucrative market for fire wall forward kits.
Brian Trubee
Not fair Guys!!!.....You're comparing apples to peaches.
Everybody is refering to 1 pc "Custom Installations", a
FWF Package for a SPECIFIC airframe (Like Jerry is
proposing for the Tailwind) is quite doable and can be
offered at a reasonable price, since costs will be cut
down immensely by tooling up and running quantities.
Let's use the engine mount as an example. If you buy
enough material for six (6) units, cut it, notch it etc.
put it in the shelf and only weld it up when you need it
or have idle time, the cost will drop to an affordable
level including a decent mark-up. Will you get rich "NO"
but you'll be able to make a living or have a very nice
enjoyable part time job :)
So please, let's not dis-illusion entreprenuer talented
craftsmen.
Butch
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