Cox Pee Wee .020 nitro engine

Here is the Cox Pee Wee glow (nitro) engine I bought on eBay recently.
The Pee Wee originally sold for under US$10 but these days can fetch up to $80 or more (NIB) and about half that if used but in good condition -- because they're no longer made.
Its smaller brother, the Cox TD .010 is the real star, with NIB examples fetching as much as $200 or more on eBay (you can see why I bought the Pee Wee instead!
These little engines are real jewels and if you get a chance to grab a new one they also make a very nice investment.
Eventually I will be building a model for this engine -- but don't hold your breath :-)

[@wellheeled88]

I worked in a hobby shop as a kid, sold dozens of these @ $4.95. IIRC, the .010 came out later and went for $9.95. We're talking late '50s time frame. Jim

[@kev.j.goodwin8612]

I remember having a .049 Cox when I was a kid in the 60s. Must admit I don't have the same nostalgia for these tiny engines as they were really noisy, needed high nitro fuel that cost all of your pocket money and needed a huge 1.5V dry cell battery for the glow. The battery was very expensive for a youngster and ran down very quickly if you had trouble starting the engine. If you busted the glowplug then you had to buy a complete new cylinder head or glowhead as Cox called them.

[@da959]

Oh WOW! I remember the .020 and .049 from when I was a kid!! These little things ran great even if they did spew spent fuel all over the plastic model they were attatched to. Eventually they would pretty much desolve the model plane but for a while they made for some great fun! It's a shame that they aren't being produced any more.I even remember seeing them in some gas(nitro) powered cars..

[@gwatson426]

That looks similar to the one that came with my first control line plastic cox trainer approx 44 years ago, misty water colored memories! Thanks for the time jump back to my childhood Bruce!

[@dave1135]

Had one of those in my first control line plane from cox when i was a kid in the 70's. I remember the fun of trying to start it with that spring starter.

[@TestECull]

I've got a TD020 in my hand as I watch this. Friggin ADORABLE little engine.

[@jeffpiatt3879]

I have two of the R/C version NIP. The key to keeping the reed motors working smooth was ultra clean fuel and keeping the motor ultra clean. The tiniest bit of anything in the fuel system would either keep them from starting or make them run like crap.

[@dagwood64]

This just brought back some nice memories. I still have seven cox engines from the early 1970s. I still have my first .049 from my first plane, it wasn't an RC but a tether plane, where you have your hand on the control line and spin around until you got dizzy lol.

[@philipmacduffie7612]

Seeing your unboxing made me take a look and see if I could find the old Pee Wee my grandfather's bought for me. I did find it and it brought back some great childhood memories. Quiet for almost twenty years I'm certain I can make it go again.

[@philjost3744]

I can smell the caster oil already. Memories ..... :-))

[@tony130167]

Had one of these back in the 70s early 80s on my first ever model, a tom thumb and then the minow glider, things have come such a long way since then

[@steamboatal810]

They used to come on a bubble pack card for $4.95... that was back in 1964.

[@thebug4046]

i have 2 .020s i got for free from my dad and they run! they are just the coolest thing ever!

[@alexanderwingeskog758]

Still have the "baby bee!"... about 30 years ago I bought that... it never made it to an actual plane I'm sad to say... started it a couple of times though... but the pee wee... love it!

[@mick7sp]

If I recall correctly noise was the big issue. That was when they started banning flying at the local parks even control line, before RC. People didn't like being woke up on early Sunday mornings from all the buzzing at the school and local park. They later had mufflers for the .049, but didn't help much and hurt the top end power.

[@Diamondback68]

I have a box of these. We marketed a free flight (first one) under TNT toys and used a Cox .020. When we got an order for 5,000 dozen Cox doubled the price of the .020 and put the line out of business in time to see Cox market their copy the next year. Yes, they were the .020 wars. It was just too expensive to build a replacement from scratch. I still have a TNT Mini-Chopper in the original shrinkwrap.

[@dhkitson1]

I remember the Cox .020 motor that came with the Cox all plastic airframe , control line spitfire. Probably in the early 70's. it was just too heavy to actually fly well but it was a great looking scale model and with the .020 installed it made its of noise.

[@trevinskiking2165]

They used a bigger babe bee 049 engine

[@yashwantarya7097]

where did I buy it

[@micksharp1169]

Yea, had 3 of these back in the old days still got 1 in its bubble pack never been used think I paid about £12 each for these, use to love the way if you removed the the starter spring you could run them in reverse due to their reed valve arrangement (so can be a puller or a pusher), only one problem with this motor was the gasket on the fuel tank would some times leek.

[@TheEPROM9]

Make a Quad with 4 of these. That would be a fun challenge.

[@toenoblefb8627]

TheEPROM9 Hell yeah

[@jordanh9520]

TheEPROM9 not a fun challenge, just a miserable challenge. multirotor props change speed constantly and drastically. gas engines can't support that kind of operation

[@trevinskiking2165]

I've got 1 & its my Dad's bought in the early 1960s & in it's blister pack it's NOS & I am in New Zealand too.Its not for sale though.best wishes.

[@ramirezramirez8953]

can they turn clock and counterclockwise?

[@jonathanmaciel277]

I love how this guy is so interested in what he does. :)

[@GuitarGuys7299]

I collect Cox engines as well and I have a couple .020's and a new in box .010. I got the 020's for about $25.00 each and the nib .010 for $75.00 on flea bay. I got lucky with one of those late night right place right time buy it now auctions. But I can remember when I was a kid, you could get an 010 for around 11 or 12 bucks, an 020 for about 8 bucks and 049 for about 5 or 6 bucks. I miss those days!!

[@oldiron1223]

Oh my god! The last time I say one of those it was in a free flight Ugly Stick with the wind taking it over the woods. I was in 6th grade.

[@thra5herxb12s]

I've had one or two of these since the late 70s. I read somewhere they are the highest revving internal combustion engine ever made.

[@arsitama]

I didn't know that Cox still exist. I thought it long gone.

[@jchtr3ac]

I was 12 or so. Put one of these on a free flight glider. Last time I saw it, it was just a tiny spec in the sky. Too much fuel I reckon. First and last flight. Ran well. too well, too long.

[@66tbird1]

I believe the larger engine is a Black Widow, Baby Bee's had half the tank size and a port difference. Just thinking about those rings my ears. I sold a large collector a few years ago a was blown away by the prices for both the 010/020 and the Cox KK (KustomKraftman) hand built modified racing .049/.051 engines. Had one KK .051 NIB with every mod option (open/enlarged venturi, lapped, ported, oversize crank, shims for head and cylinder, cc/pressure, plug mod, etc. paid $89 sold for $682 ,,wow

[@G56AG]

I had a Cox Tee Dee .010 in the box that I bought brand new not long after they came out, it had been run a few times but never flown. Back in 2000 I was ill and off work for about a year and had to sell a bunch of my stuff, I think I sold it for $10 in the original box, its a shame I had to sell that stuff. I still have a Citizenship galloping ghost 3 channel REM radio, nobody would buy that back then.

[@DickGibson]

Way kool man, I had a couple of those back in the day, yes I did, kool, flash back, kool

[@tonyantoniou2853]

Takes me back to my youth lol....

[@hi-fidude6670]

Tiny glow plug engines are so cool

[@B0M0A0K]

Wow, ain't that a blast from the past! Bruce, you seemed a tad excited to get this little wonder?

[@IAmStefanD]

WOW, haven't seen that in an age, my father had one for a plane kit!

[@BMSWEB]

OMG, that's way smaller than my .049!!! Didn't think it was that small

[@kev.j.goodwin8612]

You won't get a Cox to run on anything less than 15% Nitro and even better if you use 25%! Quite amazing that we played with this stuff as kids considering how poisonous Nitromethane is in high concentrations......happy days.

[@mozartjpn137]

I did almost the same thing with a much bigger engine, James. In my case, the neighbors got really mad.

[@pilotavery]

It's really cute!

[@MaxxEastick]

Very cool Bruce. I would love to see a 100gm nitro, just the thought is awesome. I am currently putting together a 550mm balsa model and that little number would be nice on it.I always wanted to put together a tiny Cessna 180 with one of tholse back when $15 was a lot ($25 got you a nice big 0.25ci back then). Great little number Bruce.

[@rthefish]

They're actually back in production.

[@Brobolio]

I still have one of those new in the original box. Which size of prop should be used at sea level? Thanks for the videos Bruce!

[@trevinskiking2165]

Tornado start at 5 X 3 .Trev New Zealand

[@RoninTXBR549]

I had a helicopter with that engine when I was young.

[@realametz]

Me too! Tons of fun lol!!

[@SecretSquirrelFPV]

back in he day, now i remember my first powered model. O shit! that means I am getting old

[@crenn6977]

Bruce, will you do a build video of your little balsa plane?

[@pufferfish0567]

Yes you do have a lot of things to do! I have been anxiously awaiting more of your great info on electric motors, just saying haha....

[@wordreet]

Heh, it's almost a piece of jewellery!

[@Mikeylikesit1968]

I ran mine on rc car fuel like 40-60% They need high nitro to run good

[@jimmyb4037]

Never used I love cox!!! Not like that damit lolol

[@SvenOkonomi]

I thought they were meant to run on some kind of blend of castor oil and methanol named "1/2A"? Plain nitro with synthetic oil gums them up supposedly.

[@YaniT991]

Probably an Americanism, Bruce has been affected with a-loo-min-numb poisoning. Didn't throw all his old pots out when he was supposed to but does so occasionally with his toys.... ;p P.S. nitro is not optional on Cox engines.

[@frogrust]

Old pepole im12 and i love these things

[@paadventureland3315]

dude i didnt even know they made engines that small

[@bigcountryforever]

i first learnt to fly on a precedent high fly glider with a baby bee engine.it had to run about 15% nitro or it wouldnt get the plane up,i made a bigger tank so it would run for 15 minutes.eventually i couldnt get it to run right and there was play in the small end bearing so i binned it only to find out there was a reset tool,bugger

[@one4stevo]

Be nice to see you do a scratch build video for that motor Bruce. :)

[@OCMAMY]

Thanks

[@stevegauth30]

Pretty cool

[@curtisbeef]

I have a brand new one of these I got in a lot of parts about 10 years ago. It only has 1 little brass nipple on the back part...Not 2 like yours. No idea what model it is. I should probably try and find out so I can get it on eBay :)

[@FMo01]

My Video answer shows a plane which is designed to fly with a Cox PEE WEE .020. As you can see in one of my videos my COX PEE WEE does not run well because the needle is too thin so false air gets into the fuel air mix. So I use an electric engine to fly. I have some balsawood parts cut by a cnc milling machine, to built the LAStick plane. Do you want to have them?

[@MrApache64AH]

I remember these they were great, but noisy :-) I wish you luck on flying it, it should be intresting in your choice of model, maybe a delta wing ?

[@cup_and_cone]

Hey Bruce, what hobby knife is that you are opening the box with? It looks identical to a "Racers Edge" branded one I bought, but probably overpaid for. Speaking of tools, that'd be a good video I think - having and overview of what basic tools a person might want to keep on hand for RC modeling.

[@rubengabriel356]

nice, they are two stroke ...right. Would they run in either way (clockwise and counter clockwise if the spring and the propellers were reversed... I have 7 of these but have never been off the box they've been mine for 12 years now. Two medallion .049, One Tee Dee golden and one Hornet .049 I Believe, The others are regular sure start. Now that i have more time I am getting one pair of used Texaco and black widow converted to diesel i found on Ebay's auction . I am building a p-38 and a twin mustang model 1:43 and wanted to use these to power them. How would i make one run opposite of the other on these setup? Thanks your videos are awesome, very well explained and always good information. Gabriel

[@jumpa01]

I have that exact same motor but mine is all silver with a brass colored back

[@rogergaard]

If you make a balsa build from scratch, then you MUST make a video of that too.I have 5 models and a couple of plans, but only a sailplane finished and that look and fly horrible.Possible reason is body is not staight,so tail is not straight,and it doesnt have ailerons.If you make video,make sure you inklude every and i mean every step from start to finish,so those who have little to no experience in balsa build and want to follow can do so.look foreward to video of Rx,helix,diversity build too!

[@camerongraham7400]

I have that engine new and 4 of the .010 new in box but my favorite is my 2 new .049 venoms in box

[@sadekjaffer7433]

how can i get them..........??

[@trevinskiking2165]

Safer eBay or if in USA Craigslist.Hope this helps.Trev New Zealand

[@SvenOkonomi]

I wonder, can you still buy them cheap? Not necessarily original cox, but a clone perhaps? Im a sole electric flier, but id love to build a little cox plane just for novelty. The sound one of these makes must be magnificent.

[@JD2010whisperer]

Cox Engines were amazing pieces of micro engineering. They manufactured a staple in the hobby community. Shame they went the way of the dodo.

[@SamGuimbellot]

BRILLIANT!!!! I cracked up!!

[@Soldier53flyer]

Great review!

[@jamesaddison81]

Its funny the whole 'can you guess what it is yet?' but it says in the title...

[@weberbuiltweber1908]

Cool. I found one yesterday. New for 25 us

[@CrazyTrainOfThoughts]

please make that plane!!!!!!!!!! i'd love to see a video!

[@franciscomarquez788]

Buenas noches encontré un motor Cox pee wee, al principio no sabía de que era, quiero saber cómo prenderlo

[@WarblesOnALot]

@RCModelReviews G'day Bruce.., Yay Team...! What a little Humdinger ! Um, back when wheels had flat sides all the was round them, there were Diesel, & Glowplug, Engines. Glow Plugs ignite Methanol catalytically ; some Rev-Heads added Nitro-Methane, but why do people these days call them "Nitro" motors ? The Nitro-Methane is optional. It's the Methanol which is definitive (no Kerosene & no Ether... & Castor Oil is ubiquitous)..? Bin-Wonderin'. Ciao !

[@slinkytreekreeper]

I would love to see you fly something retro with the old escapement servos and radio rx units yuo showed us, the one button funky stuff. Do they still actually work?

[@SteenPedersen]

I am looking forward to see and listen to it. Btw. do you live at an airfield? I can hear GAs in the background :-)

[@EverydayKindaGuy]

Awww.. I remember these.. Thought they died out ages ago.

[@CorbyStarletCj1]

Old !! hey i'm mid 30's and have 20x 0.049 and 5x 0.020 in a box, maybe i should put them up for sale ?

[@turboeverything8408]

Have you ever had a cox diesel

[@oscar7771]

hey,,,, what happen with the hobbyking turbine??

[@turboeverything8408]

do you mix oil with the nitro fuel and what oil do you use

[@jagwathney]

Classic!!!!

[@locouk]

Nightflyyer used those small motors for flying rags :)

[@pokies100]

Hear it but you can not see it?

[@sloperdude]

"Flash" scale, Bruce. Did you give in to all the complaints about your epoxy covered one?

[@jimmyb4037]

I have the .010 in box it's in in a plexey glass case!!!!!

[@alexnitro122]

Good vid thanks

[@treasuretotrash2067]

Im holding my Cox .049 flightmaster as i watch this

[@crenn6977]

Hammer time?

[@tonywright8294]

Not a baby bee .

[@duckgoesquack4514]

whats better, gas or electric motors?

[@BennyCFD]

Nice video. how do you determine the right engine /prop size for a given model airplane weight. Thanks.

[@trevinskiking2165]

Bought the Cox recc or a 5 X3 tornado ,the yellow ones - when they wind out you know their proper right.Trev New Zealand

[@trevinskiking2165]

Sorry that's for the Cox .020"

[@warmfreeze]

i was thinking about selling me pee wee since i have 0 use for it any longer...i would have sent it to you for only shipping costs..but now i shal wait to see what you do with this one so i may have a possible use for it.. LOL

[@rogergaard]

haha, bet that woke you both up then.. :-)

[@Sabestooo]

make it run i wanna hear the sound :S

[@websitesthatneedanem]

"What is it?!!".... I think the title gives it away....

[@entrelive]

i buyed surestart cox 0.49 for 30$

[@bikashdas7814]

How to buy