Welcome to the Culver Aircraft Forum

I found the following on the National Aeronca Association Bulletin Board:

I finally got around to rebuilding a few Eisemann mags after many years not flying. Here's some tips for those folks looking at rebuilding or just getting a used mag installed - I luckily found an A&P willing to advise me after he stopped doing Eisemann rebuilds.

Changing mag rotation: If you have a mag for a C85 or so counter-clockwise that has all the same parts as the clockwise version (H27-709 (C85) and H27-711 (A65) for example), you can change the rotation easily. Here's how: open up the mag (5 screws - 3 in the case, 2 on the top plate where the wiring harness attaches). Take off the next mid-section plate you expose after pulling off the outer case (5 screws I believe). Take off the small pinion gear that attaches to the distributor (larger) gear. Slide off the Woodruff key that holds the cam and pinion / rotor together, and take the oval-shaped cam off. Flip the cam upside down (there will be slots facing toward you now that were hidden in counter-clockwise mode). Now rotate the distributor gear until you have the furthest left timing mark (there are 2 timing marks in the plastic gear about an inch apart, they look something like this -C and another mark is the reverse of that). You have to now align the little drilled (1/8"?) hole on the outside of the pinion gear with this mark. Now just put it back together and you'll be running clockwise (likewise, if you were converting an A65 mag to run on an C85 you just reverse these directions). Can't believe no one has ever posted this...

Winding an impulse spring: okay there are not Eisemann tools for this available anywhere, so you have to be a little creative here. I made a tool using a 6" 1/2" galvanized pipe fitting, a 1/2" T fitting for leverage, and a jigsaw. All you do is screw the 2 pipes together, then on the 6" piece, cut a notch with a metal jigsaw blade about 1/8"-1/4" wide so that the impulse spring center coil can slide in. Once it fits, push the outer part of the spring into the cup spring slot, then take the tool and rotate the inner spring coil until you can squeeze it into the starter cup. The direction to wind is opposite the mag rotation desired (i.e. A65 wind counter-clockwise). If it keeps slipping out, either use your hand to hold the spring end in the starter cup slot or put vice grips over it with a protective piece of copper or lead to avoid damaging the cup - be sure this piece of metal doesn't extend into the cup though otherwise you'll have to wind it even tighter to fit the spring in. Once you get the spring in the starter cup you can just align it with the flange (keep the paws inside) and wiggle it down into place on the rotor shaft. FYI new impulse springs are only $6 at Fresno Airparts.

And to convert an AM4 to an LA4 isn't very hard (i.e. unshielded to shielded mag conversion for radio interference)- you just need a few parts from a used LA4. Just swap the distributor cap, the rear case with cover, the small middle section with ground plug, and finally the "high tension terminal plate" H27-675 and you're good to go. Of course you'll need a shielded wiring harness as well (~$140 from Fresno Airparts built to your specs, unless you have a spare harness you want to convert over).

Another FYI most of the Eisemann parts in the AM4 and LA4 and even LA6 mags are the same... so if you're trying to get a mag working again you can basically buy any of them used and swap parts out. The parts manual I have saved to my computer I have no idea where I found it but if you email me I can send your way. The only thing that really changes between mags is the rotor size, impulse mag coupling assembly, and the distributor cap.

All I can say is that if you have Eisemann mags or want them, you CAN get them operational for not much $$$ knowing the above. I BTW have tons of spare parts for anyone looking to rebuild I can sell them much cheaper than what you'll find online since I don't actually need most of them... yet... -Matt

Does anyone know if and where the factory would have placed aircraft serial numbers on major components such as the wings and fuselage?  I've see them stamped on the inside corner of windshield frames but, haven't noticed them on wooden parts.

It would be nice to know the history of a component when other documentation is absent.

There's an original 1940 publication for sale on eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161701674504

Unfortunately the time has arrived for me to switch to flying Light Sport aircraft.  I’ll be selling both my flying Cadet, N34782 and my uncompleted project, N29392.  If anyone has an interest in them, please email me for full details.

I have a Beech Roby prop that I believe is for a Mooney Mite.  The blade diameter is 66"  It appears to be in good shape.

I received the following message from the UK and thought that one of our members may have an answer:

Hi Bill,

I am based in the UK and have recently been looking at importing a Culver Cadet project from the states and restoring it over here.

However I have recently come up against a bit of a showstopper in that the aircraft cannot be given a permit to fly on our Light Aircraft Association (UK equivalent of the EAA) as the type is shown as being a certified type under the FAA and under new European legislation a certified type imported from outside of the EU must also be certified within the EU. Unfortunately as the cadet is not certified in the UK already it would cost a huge amount of money to do so relative to the cost of the airplane.

The oddity here is that the holder of the TCDS for the Cadet is listed by the FAA as Superior Aircraft but as far as I am aware this company went bust many years ago. My question to you is, who now holds the TCDS for the Cadet? If we could prove to our authorities that the type is effectively orphaned we may be able to register it under the LAA.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Mark Huxtable

Bill Johnson's Cadet LCA project, N29393, is now on Barnstormers.  This is the Cadet project in the slideshow on the Culver Cadet website.  The workmanship looks great.  It doesn't have an engine, but a new Sensenich prop is included.  That's about a $2K item, if you haven't priced one lately.  Here's a link to the ad:

  https://www.barnstormers.com/classified_737866_Culver+Cadet+LCA+N29393.html