nickwatson
Member
Dear helpful Americans,
I am writing from RDF Media, we produce the television series ‘Scrapheap Challenge’ for C4 in the UK. It has been made in the States as ‘Junkyard Wars’.
We are hoping to make an airboats episode this year but there is no one in the UK with airboat knowledge – I’m hoping you may be able to give me some advice.
I know I need to get the right engine / prop match correct to produce a decent machine but this is pretty tough on the money we have (we seems to be less for all the parts than some props cost!).
We want to produce two airboats to compete against each other using very different set ups to make the show more interesting. We plan to make one lightweight solution using something like a Rotax microlight engine but have no idea where to start on a heavy solution – i.e. using a large auto engine as is the common way of making airboats in the US.
If you have time and are interested to help it would be great to hear from you. How would you go about making a safe airboat with only around $1700 to spend per machine and building it in around 10 hrs?
I’m trying to keep things possible by designing them to carry only one person and using a tried and tested US solution - but I know we will really struggle if we don’t get that engine prop match correct.
We can get US blocks here but mostly ancient old trucks ex US air force etc we simply don't have $$$$ to spend on specialised kit - do you think this show is even possible?
If you have any (proven) advice on rpm / tip speed / cheap props etc etc or airboat plans it would be great to hear from you.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Kind regards,
Nick Watson
Challenge Producer
Scrapheap Challenge
T:+44 20 70134359 GMT
F:+44 20 70134014
E: nick.watson@rdfmedia.com
http://www.rdfmedia.com
http://www.channel4.com/4car/ontv/scrapheap/index.html
I am writing from RDF Media, we produce the television series ‘Scrapheap Challenge’ for C4 in the UK. It has been made in the States as ‘Junkyard Wars’.
We are hoping to make an airboats episode this year but there is no one in the UK with airboat knowledge – I’m hoping you may be able to give me some advice.
I know I need to get the right engine / prop match correct to produce a decent machine but this is pretty tough on the money we have (we seems to be less for all the parts than some props cost!).
We want to produce two airboats to compete against each other using very different set ups to make the show more interesting. We plan to make one lightweight solution using something like a Rotax microlight engine but have no idea where to start on a heavy solution – i.e. using a large auto engine as is the common way of making airboats in the US.
If you have time and are interested to help it would be great to hear from you. How would you go about making a safe airboat with only around $1700 to spend per machine and building it in around 10 hrs?
I’m trying to keep things possible by designing them to carry only one person and using a tried and tested US solution - but I know we will really struggle if we don’t get that engine prop match correct.
We can get US blocks here but mostly ancient old trucks ex US air force etc we simply don't have $$$$ to spend on specialised kit - do you think this show is even possible?
If you have any (proven) advice on rpm / tip speed / cheap props etc etc or airboat plans it would be great to hear from you.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Kind regards,
Nick Watson
Challenge Producer
Scrapheap Challenge
T:+44 20 70134359 GMT
F:+44 20 70134014
E: nick.watson@rdfmedia.com
http://www.rdfmedia.com
http://www.channel4.com/4car/ontv/scrapheap/index.html