Babe Bee question 4 you.

Dave, would you be insulted if I strayed off topic a bit?

Rolla

Edit: Nevermind. I will go to the PM system.

Dave, n-rob & Rolla,
https://www.coxengineforum.com/t2831-babe-bee-age-identification?highlight=babe+bee
Hope this helps some.
Bob

n-rob wrote:Good luck getting any help here. None of my inquires were answered.

n-rob:

Stange, I don't recall you making an inquiries just asking an outrageous $90 for a 'Silver Bee" which was actually a Babe Bee that commonly sell for a little over a third of that amount. You must think we just fell of the "turnip truck".

Why don't you post a introduction and help us understand who you are?

SD

n-rob wrote:Good luck getting any help here. None of my inquires were answered.

n-rob: Seems I got a LOT of help even if it is Easter Sunday.

Read down thread. Why do you think members respond well to me and not to you?

A little introspection would serve you well.

SD

Happy Easter!
The U.S.A. appeared some time around '64.

Mark Boesen wrote:Happy Easter!
The U.S.A. appeared some time around '64.

Mark:

This particular Cox was given to me, used, in the late 50's and is the oldest in my Cox collection. At the time I was interested soley in the larger engines and planes.

Joyous Easter to you too! HE has risen! PTL!

SD

SuperDave wrote:Just checked my Babe Bee .049 and noticed that it does NOT have "Made in the USA" on the backplate OR a screen on the venturi intake (though I added one "just because" it seemed wise to do so). I ran this engine in a Dumas "Miss Thriftway" hydroplane until it became sodden with castor and unuseable.

Any idea on the year of manufacture of my BB? I know I've had this engine over 50 years.

SD

I'll try to date the engine as close as I can without a picture if you tell me the following:

•Color of backplate ("dark copper/bronze" or "light brass")?
•Is there a groove on the crankcase right where the cylinder is screwed on (for the starter spring)?
•Does the tank have "** THIMBLE - DROME **" engraved around it?
•Is there a number on the cylinder?

Given it has an early (Pre-1962) backplate without the pressed in screen and "Made In U.S.A." on it, I assume it has a thin cylinder, large head needle and a narrow neck crankcase. If you don't mind opening it up, some things you can check is the color of the fuel pick-up tube and if the piston is a 3-piece piston.

Thanks for the response on Easter Sunday, Jacob:

- The backplate resembles but isn't brass
- Yes, there is a groove around the lower cylinder for a starter spring
- It has a four-slit cylinder without a number
- the crankcase snout is the same size as a BW

I am positive this engine is as it came from Cox. The rest of the info would require opening the engine. No time to do that today. Family just arrived for Easter!

SD

So, it has a slit cylinder and a straight neck case?





Are you sure you never swapped parts or acquired this engine from someone else? Cox stopped tapering the cases around 1970 and the slit cylinders came out around 1978.

Jacob:

re: Babe Bee .049 in question: (update)

Jacob:

Yes it has a four-slit, unumbered cylinder, "Thimble Drome" does NOT appear on the tank, the NV has a large unslotted head , and the crankcase is not tapered. (In profile the CC closely resembles that of a BW .049).

Yes, I was given this engine used some fifty years ago BEFORE people started substituting parts as they do now. Can't determine the piston type without disassembling the engine and I would do that only as a "last resort" to determine the engine's date of manufacture.

Thank you very much for your assistance in this Babe Bee mystery!

SD

.

Mud:

re: Babe Bee

Thanks for your input. Hope to hear from Mark again regarding the engine.

SD

If that's the case then it was not made fifty years ago. It sounds like a parts engine. (Maybe a core engine from the late seventies fitted to an older tank.) Without a picture, I'm just guessing. Anyway, the straight case was released in '72. The slotted cylinder began in '79 or '80. Mark may be able to set the dates more accurately.
Mud

[/quote]

Lol, Mark knows about as much as Mud has forgotten!!! I saw the post earlier today, but was pretty busy at work and didn't get around to posting. thanks Mud!

The .049 Collectors Group has detailed photos and approximate dates of early engines, I find it a lot of help. Worth the price of admission for sure.

Thanks Crank!

I'll try that source too.

SD

You gotta sign-up for yahoo account (it's free) 10-11 years ago its was probably the best way to go, for a free website that you could post a ton of photos on.
Recently Yahoo decided that the photo files should be automatically rearranged, based on last photos added, not alphabetically, so to quickly find a file of a engine or airplane (appx. 4000 photos) you need to reset photo files, go to where it says View: Thumbnail|List|View All Photos. CLICK ON: 'View All Photos', THEN CLICK: 'Thumbnail'

Mark:

Tried to join .049 Collectors Group (per the site that appears at the bottom of your posts) but somehow it didn't work for me because I could never get the "code" done correctly.

What's up with that?

SD

Hi Dave,

You need to sign up with yahoo first, then log in.