Thermal Hopper restore

oldfreeflight Sun Jan 25, 2015 10:23 am

I have an original Thermal Hopper and want to replace the burnt glow plug with the original. Some suggest to change to a larger more standard dimension but that would entail changing the cylinder and not keeping with the original engine. does anyone know where I can get the smaller dimension glow plug? If I remember correctly the original diameter is 10 mm and the current plugs are 13 mm.
Thank you for any help or suggestions

JPvelo Sun Jan 25, 2015 11:51 am

Welcome to the forum Oldfreeflight! Unfortunately that glow head is no longer made. You will need to scour eBay.

Jim

Mark Boesen Sun Jan 25, 2015 12:08 pm

The early glowheads are pretty scarce, if you're planning to run it you can drill it out and tap for a glowplug, or find a early Herkimer Cub head, its the same diameter and use that with a glowplug.

anm2 Sun Jan 25, 2015 12:28 pm

The early glow heads are very scare and when they come up on Ebay they run around $25. Not bad given current manufactured glow heads run $10, and the early cox glow heads haven't been made in around 50 years. I have seen that Valentine makes a glow head for the thermal hopper that accepts regular Glow Plugs. He sells them from time to time, and this would be the least expensive route (other than making it yourself). Otherwise, you will need to keep your eye open on Ebay and snag one when they come up. You might get lucky and get it cheap. Andy

fit90 Sun Jan 25, 2015 6:36 pm

You might want to try flyfreeflight.com. They used to take old heads and glow plugs and modify them for different plugs. Good luck.

oldfreeflight Sun Jan 25, 2015 10:32 pm

Thank you for the suggestions. I will look into all of them. I want to keep the Thermal Hopper as original as possible

getback Mon Jan 26, 2015 8:10 am

Welcome to the Forum oldfreeflight !!! I have some of these glows but am not able to turn loose of them at these time , spares are expensive and I don't think you can change the cyl/pis assy out for it want fit the case if I remember correctly . If you are going to bee purchasing I would look for the same style engine in lots , that way you get extras . The 302RH glow is what you are wanting .

Left: #302RH Right: #302

Cox #302RH 1953 Racing Head - Hemispherical shape - High Compression - Smaller dia. threads as used on Space Bug, Thermal Hopper, Space Bug Jnr and Strato Bug Only.[30]

GWILLIEFOX Mon Jan 26, 2015 10:33 am

Art Johnson has tons of Cox parts and engines; vintage to current. art_johnson36@comcast.net

He's always at Toledo up on the rail with the MECA guys

oldfreeflight Mon Jan 26, 2015 8:51 pm

Thank you GWILLIEFOX for the E mail address. Waiting for a reply from Art

Mark Boesen Mon Jan 26, 2015 9:47 pm

getback wrote:Welcome to the Forum oldfreeflight !!! I have some of these glows but am not able to turn loose of them at these time , spares are expensive and I don't think you can change the cyl/pis assy out for it want fit the case if I remember correctly . If you are going to bee purchasing I would look for the same style engine in lots , that way you get extras . The 302RH glow is what you are wanting .

Left: #302RH Right: #302

Cox #302RH 1953 Racing Head - Hemispherical shape - High Compression - Smaller dia. threads as used on Space Bug, Thermal Hopper, Space Bug Jnr and Strato Bug Only.[30]

Photos????

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Thermal Hopper restore