WTD: McCOY .35 Redhead Head

I've tried repainting with a top-notch heat-resistant paint and results were good...until glow fuel hit it. Now I'm at square one again. I need a McCOY .35 RH head (off-set plug model) that is in EXCELLENT shape. I'll be happy to pay a 'fair' price.

...got one...let me know... [email protected]

THANKS for the look!

Contact Scott Riese, also a member. He's the Northwest Guru on
McCoy's and he is quite knowledgeable on them. He has the paint that
is the same as the factory used, so don't give up til you see what his thoughts are.

Oregon_flyer

Marv,

Does Scott's magic paint come in green? I may have to cook my K&B's in antifreeze (aka paint remover) to get them freed up. Be nice to have an authentic looking engine....

Dave
LA_Flyer

PS-Have you started on that 'Ring yet?

Scott told me he uses 'plasti-kote' heat resistant engine enamel. I'd bet a good auto parts store would have it...possibly in green, too.

Good Luck!

Hi LA_flyer,

Kinda sorta, son had encounter with table saw in his garage & the wife and I have moved up to his place to take care of him until he is able to fend for himself, which should be in mid June. He can't drive or mow the yard so that's where I come in and the wife takes care of the interior chores with me providing back up. He's going to be fine but with some loss of range on a couple of fingers and the thumb is a wait and see project.
For all who see this post, When using a power tool please remember that they don't consider the user as off limits. The parts you loose may not grow back!!!
Dave, I may want to 'stoleum the first Ring. You got some pointers for me???

Marv,

Sorry to hear about the incident/injury. I know I use table saws and power tools and I have to remind myself each time to be careful.... Best wishes on the recovery!

As far as the 'stoleum painting, I've done one so far, and have the second coming very soon. The application was similar to the LusterKote but without the uncontrollable splatters. The finish seemed a little rubbery for several weeks. I took it to the field to show off (still missing a working needle valve so I couldn't fly) and left it in the sun. No more rubbery paint. Now that it's hardened, I think I'll try to level the finish and rub it out. Then put on the blue 'stoleum I bought for trim. I didn't do enough filling of the balsa prior to using the 'stoleum primer though...gotta do better on the next one.

I got the heads off of both the .09 and .15 Greenhead Torpedos, but if I can buy the Plasti-kote enamel in any kind of reasonable green, I'll probably try it. If they only have dark green, what color can I mix it with to get the Torpedo green? Yellow?

I figure that if I can't fly good yet, mebbe I can distract 'em with a cool lookin' plane.

Regards,

Haven't done any repaints yet, but I noticed on my Red Head McCoy .29 Lightning Bolt model, there seems to be a yellowish looking base coat under the red. Possibly an aluminum primer?? Has anyone else noticed that, and where might you get some? I haven't noticed it on any other McCoy head.
Walt

LAST EDITED ON May-15-04 AT 11:54 PM (CDT)
 
Walt,

The primer is probably zinc chromate. Usually available at a marina or a boat repair yard.

I have one in pretty decent shape, with about 90% of the paint left. You can have it for $6 shipped, or send me three Fox Stunt needle valves, or two Fox .049 heads, or three 10-6W or EW props, or two Wen Mac glow heads, or a runnable Wen Mac .049.

See, I give a lot of options.

Currell

[email protected]

or [email protected]

I just looked at 2 .19LB McCoys and one had much brighter (orange-y)red. Looked at some Greenhead Torp, 15,19,23, and there's quite a variation there, too. Don't get hung up on exact shade, just find what works. (and tell us) Don

LAST EDITED ON May-24-04 AT 08:06 PM (CDT)
 
From Ron

I just finished painting about a dozen McCoy Red Heads. I used the paint that Scott suggested Plasti-kote, #209 Universal Red Engine Enamel. Plasti-kote recommends using engine enamel - #228 Gray Primer for added rust protection and adhesion. You don't have to worry about rust protection because you are painting on aluminum. I use it for the added adhesion. It doesn't seem to change the color. The Red is very opaque. They have a website www.plasti-kote.com. You can ask them who sells Plasti-kote in your area. I purchased mine at Pep Boys auto supply.

To get a topnotch paint job, you should first strip off the old paint. It is not an easy chore - the paint has been on for forty plus years. I used a thick brushable paint stripper and it sometimes took 2 or 3 applications. I used a wirebrush to scrap most of the paint off - then used a magnifying glass and exacto knife blade to get into all the nooks and crannies.

When paint was dry to the touch I baked it in the oven @ 325 for 1 hour. This will add weeks of cure time. Your red head will now be fuel proof. If you don't feel like going thru all that trouble send your head to me and I'll paint it for you.

>From Ron
>
>
>
>To get a topnotch paint job, you should first strip off the
>old paint. It is not an easy chore - the paint has been on
>for forty plus years. I used a thick brushable paint
>stripper and it sometimes took 2 or 3 applications. I used a
>wirebrush to scrap most of the paint off - then used a
>magnifying glass and exacto knife blade to get into all the
>nooks and crannies.
>> Ron Tetrault

Ron, I've found that paint on McCoys and Torps comes off very nicely when cooked in a crock pot of antifreeze. Very little brushing afterward. And, thanx to Tom for the zinc chromate tip.
Walt

From Ron

Thanks Walt for the crockpot and antifreeze tip. I didn't realize that it would loosen up the paint on the head. I thought it was for baked on caster oil. I've never tried it. Didn't receive any McCoys that were that dirty. I'm not sure if McCoy used a primer before painting but I also noticed on the 29's the yellowish color close to the aluminum. I also noticed some of the 29 heads were a little towards the orange side. To get orange you mix red & yellow. The yellow may have migrated towards the aluminum. That's possibly why it looks like a yellowish primer or the manufacturer did use a primer on just the 29's.

Ron,

Thanks for providing the Plasti-kote website. Saved me a trip to the store since they don't ain't got no green. Does anyone have another suggestion for refurbishing a KB green head? I'm hoping to avoid starting at the bottom of the learning curve. I tried the classic aircraft site as I remembered they were rebuilding "classic" engines. Unfortunately, the K&B they did wasn't painted....