Bensen with Subaru CHEAP!!!!

GyroRon

Former Gyro know it all
Joined
Oct 29, 2003
Messages
16,916
Location
Fort Mill South Carolina
Aircraft
Vans RV4 / Dominator 582 Ultrawhite
Total Flight Time
ALOT
Found out a person here near me has a Bensen gyro he wants to sell and went to see it tonight. It is pretty nice, all original....

The airframe was in great shape, all the hardware is "AN" and golden, the tubing was clean and no paint or corrosion. The airframe is stock Bensen including the stock seat and boat type fuel tank. Has new Bensen Rotorhead, pump stick, metal "stop sign" type tail, glider tow hook up front, etc...

The thing has never been finished or flown, and has always been stored in a garage so it still looks new.

Engine is one of the Japan Truck versions of the Subaru EA-81 with direct drive, swinging a 54X30 inch prop.

Instruments were minimal, just a few engine monitoring and airspeed if I remember correctly.

He also has TWO sets of brand new Bensen metal blades in two separate crates - only has one hubbar though.

I looked it over and basically it looks sound, but does need some work to finish and get flying. Throttle cable needs to be hooked up, needs a throttle quadrant as well, Some of the engine wiring and plumbing needs to be cleaned up, Would replace seat and boat tank with more modern seat tank, Would replace rudder cables with thicker cables, may need new inner tubes in the tires - although all had air in them now, who knows how old they are....

I told him I would try to sell it for him. I figure it needs about 2 weekends of work to get in the air - maybe less if you know what your doing - and about 500$ worth of parts including the seat tank.

Asking 3800$ must pick up here in Charlotte N.C.
 
I know these pics really stink, but I only had my cheapy camera with me and it was dark out when I snapped them. And yes the one set of blades have been painted black.
 

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seat tank

seat tank

Marrie Brock still has a few seat tanks for sale
 
what do you want to know about it Mark? I am selling it for him, therefore I am fielding the calls and emails concerning it.... :)

Just think about it, make a offer, if accepted you will have a new gyro with 2 sets of new blades, and a chance to come out to Goose Creek and maybe see Kenny J, Ultracruiser41 and myself. What a great deal! ;)
 
Hope you don't mind if I stick my snout in your business and tweek your pictures a tad.

Let me know if this is bad form and I'll delete them.

left click on each pic to blow them up.
 

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Ron: I would buy that thing myself if I were you. That would be a fun project to fix up...and make a tidy profit on.

I would pounce on it if I werent about gyro'd out. :D


See ya at Bensen days.


Stan
 
Ken??? Old age isn't doing you any favors my friend....

3800$ is the ASKING price, certainly open to offers. 1000$.... well if it could be bought that cheap It would be me selling it here for myself, not for him.


Stan, I thought of buying it and playing with it, then reselling. I just have too many projects on the table right now and figure with spring coming along, maybe better to list this and let someone who needs a affordable gyro get a good deal and have time to finish it up before flying season.

Again 3800$ is just a asking price. Make a reasonable offer folks, you might be surprised....
 
Some of the most memorable....

Some of the most memorable....

.....flying I have done was with my direct drive VW powered Bensen derivitive. It had a 1905 cc VW engine, a 53" X 28" timber prop, 23' solid spar Rota Hawkblades, with the most basic of instruments. It was hand start engine and rotor blades. I loved every minute of it

This would be an ideal starting gyro for a relatively light weight person. I was 180 lb back when I had my VW in 1983.

Aussie Paul.:)
 

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Ron ,
I wanted to ask him if he had any pictures taken with a flash but I can see the gyro now that they have been edited. What length are the blades?

Stan if you think you are gyro poor look at my avatar. I just bought a set of DW, so I am a bit strapped.

I would love to buy it but a good friend told me to stop buying gyros and learn how to fly instead. Its kinda hard to argue with that. I was interested in the blades without the hub bar.

I am going to try to make Bensen Days so I hope to meet you there. If they give any prizes this year I hope you win a new digital camera :)
 
Mark I have no idea the length of the blades.... from what I understand they are all the same length only the hubbar is longer or shorter.

I know he is not wanting to part it out.

I had a very realistic offer sent to me from someone here and will be asking the owner if he will go for it - I believe he will - so if this person and the owner are both happy... well who knows it might be sold. Stay tuned :)
 
Too bad it doesn`t have a Mac on it! I guess you have changed your mind Ron about how Dangerous the Bensen is for a Newbie Huh !
 
Ron,
Are you selling a dangerous older style Benson there without a redundant mast???? What about horizontal stabalizer does it have one? The Gyro Gods will frown on you if your promoting/selling unsafe gyro's. The price is right though. Hope someone with lots of airtime buys it and makes good use of it.

Nope went back and looked, no Horizontal stabilizer? Still a good price.



MP
 
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Everyone, I was just joking about the $1000 price tag. I don't even know whose gyro it is. I forgot to add a "funny-face." Sorry if I misled anyone and for screwing with Ron without the "funny-face" so everyone would know I was just pulling his leg.

WAIT!! I did put a "funny-face" there....in fact I put 2 of them! Ron, all those Wendy's burgers aren't doing anything for your sense of humor. :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
 
Rick, I wasn't the one who was picking on your Bensen about it not being the best choice for newbies. I do think the mac engines may be a little too much for a fresh newbie to operate, but the same could be said of any hand start engine.....

My advise to whoever owns this gyro and flys it, is to install a seat tank and install it as high as possible to help insure a close to center line thrust arrangement. Then 2nd bit of advise is to move the rock guard to the rear of the keel and even better would be to replace the tail with a Ron Herron type T- tail. These mods would make it easier to fly and safer overall.

Brent has good eyes, this does have redundant masts

Also noteworthy is there is a 1/4 inch bolt hole through the mast just above where the engine mount clamps onto the mast, and another 1/4 bolt hole just below the engine mount. I assume these were for installing the mac engine per plans. I don't know that these holes are anything to be concerned about, but if you really wanted to eliminate any worrys then it would be pretty easy to stick in a new mast now.

The engine has a glass pack muffler hanging off the right hand side. I would chop that off as it is just unneeded weight.

Lets not forget that this is all brand new stuff, other than the imported engine - which is supposed to be the so called "100 HP truck engine"
 
Ken I saw the smiles.... It was just that someone called me last night to ask about the gyro then wanted to know why I was trying to get so much sellers profit for the deal. When I asked wtf.... he told me about your post. You confusing people in the wrong way Kenny Rodgers.... ;)
 
Ron,
I had a good laugh at Kens post. Anybody who reads the forum knows you wheel and deal. Even if it was 1000, 3000 aint a bad price for an almost ready to fly machine:D :D :D
I am happy to see someone get a good deal. I just was interested in the extra blades and the trip to SC to meet you guys was just icing on the cake.
 
GyroRon said:
Brent has good eyes, this does have redundant masts

Also noteworthy is there is a 1/4 inch bolt hole through the mast just above
^^^^

where the engine mount clamps onto the mast, and another 1/4 bolt hole just below the engine mount. I assume these were for installing the mac

engine per plans. I don't know that these holes are anything to be concerned
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

about, but if you really wanted to eliminate any worrys then it would be pretty easy to stick in a new mast now.

does anyone else think it seems strange that Ron made a big deal about how the mast ( redundant ) in my former air command was un safe with the empty bolt holes below the top engine mount.. but yet this one with holes about where it will fatuge more he sees no concern about.
I had to take a loss on my sale becouse of the stink he started over it....Yet this mast it's nothing to be concerned about.

BTW Ron,just wanted to thank you so much for makeing me lose money on my sale. Guess thats your job. Glad to know we have people like you heading up PRA chapters.
 
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