Voices of Experience: Bob Brashear

Voices of Experience: Bob Brashear
Home > Articles > Voices of Experience

Number of RV's owned / helped people finish: 30+

Bob Brashear

Models: 3, 4, 6, 6A, 8, 8A

Currently Flies: RV-6

Bob's advice to new and potential builders:

Keep it simple.

Buy a pre-punched standard kit (to save money).

Go with a fixed pitch prop (metal) and a rebuilt engine or something that has some time on it.

You don't need a pneumatic squeezer.

You can wire it yourself (it's just one wire at a time).

Don't buy a high-priced alternator or regulator.

Carve your own seat foam and have an auto shop upholster it.

Cloth seats are definitely the way to go.

Paint it yourself w/a HVLP gun and Jones-Blair Acrylithane ($33 gal). One gallon will paint a RV-6/7 (most of my RVs cost around $100 to paint)

Manual trim is the best way to go.

Steam gauges are best (buy them from a local diesel shop).

A handheld GPS will serve you just fine.

Bottom line:
You can EASILY build a RV for under $35,000 if you want to. I probably have over a dozen friends who have flying RV's that each cost less than $35,000 total (tools included).

:

Number of RV's owned / helped people finish:	30+	Bob Brashear
Models:	3, 4, 6, 6A, 8, 8A
Currently Flies:	RV-6
Bob's advice to new and potential builders: Keep it simple. Buy a pre-punched standard kit (to save money). Go with a fixed pitch prop (metal) and a rebuilt engine or something that has some time on it. You don't need a pneumatic squeezer. You can wire it yourself (it's just one wire at a time). Don't buy a high-priced alternator or regulator. Carve your own seat foam and have an auto shop upholster it. Cloth seats are definitely the way to go. Paint it yourself w/a HVLP gun and Jones-Blair Acrylithane ($33 gal). One gallon will paint a RV-6/7 (most of my RVs cost around $100 to paint) Manual trim is the best way to go. Steam gauges are best (buy them from a local diesel shop). A handheld GPS will serve you just fine. Bottom line: You can EASILY build a RV for under $35,000 if you want to. I probably have over a dozen friends who have flying RV's that each cost less than $35,000 total (tools included).