Dr. Lecter
Contributor
I know this is something I have talked about before, but it would be great if Atomic offered a factory-built ST1 first stage with a monel piston. AA has already kindly pointed out a viable work-around (order an ST1 and a Jet Seat Upgrade kit in Monel for each reg) in response to my earlier questions about putting M1 guts into ST1 bodies, but it's an expensive waste of good ST1 pistons and requires additional shop labor to boot. Plus, when I broached the idea to a local AA dealer, they just looked at me, cocked their head to the side, and blinked funny.
Unless there's an O2 reaction difference between brass and SS (and I haven't seen anything to suggest there is) it seems like having 'Add Monel piston?' as a factory option when ordering ST1s would make sense and not cost AA anything beyond the logistics of creating a new item code/factory build option. Monel may cost more than the current ST1 piston, but that materials cost can easily be added to the reg's cost.
Would additional sales offset the added costs of developing that new option? Maybe AA's determination that they wouldn't is why it's not an option now. Personally, I decided that the cost and trouble of ordering new ST1s and monel kits and getting a dealer to swap the pistons isn't worth the pleasure and added durability of having SS-bodied first stages--but if I could order new ST1 1st stages with the monel pistons in them from AA, I would. Right now, I have 4 M1s, so that'd be at least 4 full price ST1 first stages AA could sell
I know brass is a solid, reliable material that (properly cared for) will last a lifetime. But there's something about the durability of the ST1 that just blows brass away IMHO. Anyway, not a demand or anything...just figured it wouldn't hurt to ask
Unless there's an O2 reaction difference between brass and SS (and I haven't seen anything to suggest there is) it seems like having 'Add Monel piston?' as a factory option when ordering ST1s would make sense and not cost AA anything beyond the logistics of creating a new item code/factory build option. Monel may cost more than the current ST1 piston, but that materials cost can easily be added to the reg's cost.
Would additional sales offset the added costs of developing that new option? Maybe AA's determination that they wouldn't is why it's not an option now. Personally, I decided that the cost and trouble of ordering new ST1s and monel kits and getting a dealer to swap the pistons isn't worth the pleasure and added durability of having SS-bodied first stages--but if I could order new ST1 1st stages with the monel pistons in them from AA, I would. Right now, I have 4 M1s, so that'd be at least 4 full price ST1 first stages AA could sell
I know brass is a solid, reliable material that (properly cared for) will last a lifetime. But there's something about the durability of the ST1 that just blows brass away IMHO. Anyway, not a demand or anything...just figured it wouldn't hurt to ask
