Warbird Information Exchange

Do GM Allison V-1710 engineering drawings (blueprints) exist? either in a personal collection? Smithsonian etc?

There's a guy who does 1710s been wrote up in war bird mags. He's on Westmoreland Co Airport which is east of Pittsburgh Pa. On US Route 30 across the street from St. Vincent college where the PGH Steelers summer camp.

That's Latrobe airport. LBE Otherwise known as Arnold Palmer Aiport

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Kevin Kearney
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Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation


C-54D "Spirit of Freedom" 43-17228
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Oops ths for the reminder. Do you know that guys name.

he holds the technical drawings?

Google the airport give them a call and ask if he is still there. There's also the AF Museum in Dayton Ohio and the Air and Space in Washington DC. You a model guy and where are you.

i know of ace...i need 4-5 engines, but it looks like two companies have hoarded most remaining stock and some are asking 50k+ for engines need a $50-70k overhaul, i can get crashed engines etc here so i am looking at the feasibility of casting new blocks, if the drawings are available

The guy who does the most factory-like overhauls is Joe Yancey of Yancey Enterprises in Rialto, CA. He also has factory drawings, factory manuals, and is the only person I know of with original factory crankshaft installation tools. His shop also makes beautiful new wiring harnesses for the V-1710 and has the parts to do it right.

He is in the middle of moving to Chino, CA airport, but is still open for business at Rialto at this time.

Joe has more than 100 Allison V-1710's ready for overhaul and can do any E, F, or G Allison dash number of your choice with 6 or 12-counterweight crakshafts. If you have a skinny long-nosease, he can do a "C" engine, but they are weak nosecases. They changed for a reason. Joe also has the parts and the tools to do it per the Allison book instead of having to "invent" all the tools ... though some of his invented tools are really nice to work with. His cylinder holddown nuts get torqued to the factory-recommended setting of 1,100 foot-pounds. Be sure to ask anyone who does your engines what they use to torque the cylinder holddown nuts.

Bill Mojay up around Seattle is another guy very good with Allisons. He and Joe are good friends and Joe does most of Bill's cylinder heads, but Bill does most of the rest himself. I think Mike Nixon also does fine with Allisons ... but am not up on Mike's or Bill's inventory of Allison parts.

People who brag about "FAA approved new parts" are telling you up front that they don't have the parts and are "making due." If you want to go with one of those guys, ask the shop for a list of 8 - 10 satisfied customers who are flying their engines. And then call and ask how the engines are doing today and, more importantly, how many hours are on the flying engines. If you find satisfied customers, you are on one of the right tracks.

I hope you need 4 - 5 Allisons to FLY ... not just to run on the ground or water. It is always good to see another Allison bird flying. Good luck ... and keep us posted!

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There are two kind of aircraft, fighters and targets

fiftycal, small runs of large castings can be fairly costly. Not to mention the large amounts of machining and fixturing that needs to be done to the casting. That broken down between four to five parts would not be cost effective. Now if you make about fifty, then when these shops run out of original blocks, they can buy them from you. At least the ones that aren't afraid to admit they don't have the parts will.

Seriously though, if it's going in a plane spend the 100 to 120 thousand for each overhauled engine. That money should be there if you can afford one of the planes Allisons went into. If it's going in something else then make the blocks out of solid billet, it will be cheaper.

PS, I'm very happy with the three Allisons I work with using "FAA approved parts" from certain engine builder(s). I also don't have to worry about cracked cylinder liners.

Brandon

[Edited by Scott WRG Editor]


[Edited out of curiosity]

As long as you have the engine you then have the drawings.

Just as a matter of info, any rebuildable Allison (or Merlin, etc.) blocks that are around in shops are there to be sold as running engines ... doesn't matter whose shop. There is no reason they should sell anbody one for $5K - $15K when they can sell it overhauled and ready to run for a lot more.

The Allison blocks in the U.S.A. in barns are just about gone and the ones that are left aren't rebuildable, for the most part. I know of 2 - 3 in Washington state that were allowed to sit out in the weather even after a flood from a nearby creek! They used to be in Hydroplanes and the blocks all corroded beyond possible use from sheer neglect. The owner thinks they are gold, but they really are junk not really suitable for minor parts gathering.

So, wherever you are located fifycal, if you can find blocks, better DO it. You definitely need the overhaul manual, though, or you'll not get the engines apart without breaking some very hard-to-find things. After that, standard "hot rod" overhauls won't suffice for flying, but might work OK if you are going to run them on a stand on the ground. If you are going to fly them, they will need an airworthiness sign-off. Lack of tools and equipment to do it right and missing a few questions about the overhaul will almost guarantee no sign-off. Go by the book. The instructions for timing an Allison from scratch (cams, particularly) are almost greek, but there are people who know how around.

Good luck, again.

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There are two kind of aircraft, fighters and targets