Have I just missed the boat entirely, or are there not any official Irving model engine dealers in the U.S.? I have dealt with Just Engines in the u.k., before without problems, would like to find a reliable distributor of irving engines and parts in the U.S. if possible.
Any answers or suggestions greatly appreciated. Out here, in the "great boonies", it's miraculous when the LHS even knows what a model engine is, if it isn't an TT or Magnum, unless it's the OS LA series.
Bob
i think the short answer is no, its unobtanium in the US. I assume you mean IRVINE not IRVING
Ripmax have taken over Irvine..the distributors..are these the same people? Dunno, but they stock Irvine engines..do they have US reach?
I would be inclined to deal with just engines in any case.
I'd rather have a good dealer on the far side of the world than a crap one in the next town, any day.
Yes, I meant Irvine. Unfortunatley, my helpful spell-checker apparently only knew Irving.
You're probably right. My few dealings with JE have been very pleasant, quickly shipped, and exactly as advertised. My main thought had been that with the dollar difference, I might be able to save a bit if there were a US distributor. It's a bit of a shame with all the bs going on with many of the us-available engines these days. Lots of chinese and russian stuff being billed as primo, while they don't appear to be the primo-type engines I remember from the not so distant past. (ST is just one example).
Bob
Well, the OP gets half his wish. Sig no longer sells the engines, but they do have parts. Always wondered why they bothered with Irvine. Not bad engines, but never had the name recognition of OS, and were more costly in the US. At least when Tower had the distribution of them they were less pricey than what Sig asked.
Ripmax does have US distributers. HobbyPeople is one, though I have only seen E-flight products with the Ripmax label in those stores. The Quattro LiPo charger is a winner (nothing for the operator to screw up) and among the least expensive to boot. Of course Ripmax doesn't make them, and they are sold under other labels, including Graupner.
Abel
If I were you I'd contact Ripmax in the UK and ask if they plan to appoint a US distributor. Since the more popular Irvines are now made by OS, it's possible that one could get them out of Japan for less than what it would cost to buy from Just Engines in England. I've got four British-made Irvines, and feel that they were superbly made engines. I've no idea how OS could improve on them, but I see that they've done away with the buttery smooth Irvine carburetor and installed an OS unit on the newest .40. However, with OS building them, the high quality should still be there.
I feel that Sig did more harm than good as their US distributor. I suspect that Glen and Hazel Sigafoose, founders of Sig, would be appalled by the poor management at their company if they were still alive!
As has been mentioned, Just Engines is very good company to deal with, so if all else fails...
Geoff
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