[R-390] 1968 EAC 390A

[Flowertime01 at wmconnect.com]

Tim Shoppa asked,

Supply-line wise, wouldn't there have been a problem with directly
producing for the consumer using tooling etc. owned by the US Gov't?


The earlier suggestion that these are made out of rejected/repaired
modules sounds sensible to me although I certainly have no personal
experience that would lean me that way!

Tim,

I have no idea who built the EAC receivers that were sold as commercial units.

The design was Collins. Collins was paid to do the design and retained 
ownership to the design. The typical deal was you got paid for the design work even 
if nothing was ever produced.

There was a small contract for proof of production and verification that 
produced product meet design requirements. I have no idea where those original 
first receivers went.

After that was production contracts. The contract was to produce a commodity 
for contracted cost. The exact commodity of this contract looks just like this 
item setting here (one of those first proof of production receivers). You 
received this contract from the government. 

Collins had patens on "manufacturing methods". Every time someone built one 
and used Collins "manufacturing methods" you paid a royalty to Collins. The 
government made sure Collins got a check for every receiver it contracted to have 
built.

There is nothing in this deal that prevents any manufacture from cutting 
their own deal with Collins to make and sell the receivers. At some time the 
patens on the manufacturing processes expired and then any one could build a knock 
off of the receiver.

All the machines to cut and bend chassis metal were owned by private 
manufactures. A lot of it was subbed out to metal fabrication shops. 

I knew a neighbor named Jigs. That was not his real name but he built jigs 
for GM in Flint Michigan. What I though were stamped metal parts on 1950 and 
1960 cars were in fact parts that went through 15 or 20 bending steps. It was all 
generic metal presses and stop jigs.

In 1977 I as working at Essex wire in Clare Michigan. They mostly made the 
wire harness for the Chryslers. They had a custom department. They would build 
one of for the proto type cars and proof of production for cost estimates. Some 
times they would build a 100 of some model harness from years past for a 
parts house. I have no idea where they found all the molded plastic connectors. 
The terminals were fairly stock. We would hand paint and strip wire to specific 
colors. The items out of the custom department looked just like items coming 
off the production lines from a look and fell stand point. Is there a shop out 
there some where that would build an exact wire harness for an R90 or R390A? I 
think there is at least a few places.

Look at Hank out in California and how many parts he has been able to have 
fabricated.

If you have the money, and the idea is good, you can make more money. The 
real test is getting from no money to money.

Roger KC6TRU