TRX250R.ORG
FAQ's & Technical Articles => Techincal Section => Cylinder/Head => Topic started by: rsss396 on January 09, 2014, 08:31:19 AM
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RIP Calvin, and thank you for helping keep the 2 stroke alive!
here is Introduction from another forum written by Calvin describing himself, while we normally do not make public topics from this forum I feel Calvin would not have been offended by sharing this about him since many people know very little about the man that casted just about every aftermarket cylinder offered for the TRX from the Sphynx,Puma,and Sabertooth to even the PSI and Pro-X cylinders he was hired to cast. along with many other cylinders for other models and brands including Honda, Yamaha, ArcticCat, SkiDoo and Polaris
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1560594_10201602760255542_446647473_n.jpg)
written by Calvin Pollet:
My interest for two-strokes can be traced back to a Lawn-Boy lawn mower….and the simplicity of the first one I “tore apart”. My Dad was somewhat a “junkie”, as his mechanical ability and his love of a “good trade” kept us in projects to work on in my early years. By the time I was 14, I had been riding 2 strokes for 3 years, and was now old enough to ride my TC90 Suzuki to work in a Gas station every evening after school….until Friday night when I would get home from work, remove the lights, remove the stock pipe and replace it with the GYT KIT(pronounced get-kit) expansion chamber that I had bought and installed…..re-jet, change gearing and tires, and I was ready for either the flat track/TT races on Saturday night, or the Moto-cross races on Sunday, then all had to be switched back to be able to get to work on Monday evening.
By the time I turned 16, I had been sponsored by all 4 area motorcycle shops, and was now working in the local Hodaka shop, my first exposure to “this is why we change the ports the way we do”….prior to that it had been “what happens if we change the ports like this?” I loved to race, but the “building” of the bikes began to give me more challenges and enjoyment, and even when I would win an event….my mind turned to how to make the bike faster rather than how to improve my riding. My exposure to the “Gary Bailey Moto-Cross School”…..the “Trans-Am Series”, the “Inter-Am Series” in Tulsa Oklahoma, which allowed me to witness Joel Robert….Roger Decoster….Silvian Goebears….and John Desoto for Team Suzuki, (spelling forgiveness on all of them please)…..and yet, the strongest memory that I still have about that event, was seeing the mechanics in the pits changing the Ti pipes between motos. They would throw the broken pipes into a “pile” because each had a break in it….or the pipe was completely broken in two separate pieces after each ride.
My sponsored bikes ranged from many different sizes of all 4 of the big Japanese brands, they included, Maico, Montesa, Husky, CZ, DKW, Penton, (even a racing Harley or two in there…..lol), a US Distributor Benelli Sponsorship, and still, seeing and feeling the results of “working on them” was where I got the most enjoyment.
During school, I took an interest in machine shop training, (since I had been using the mills and lathes in the bike shops for a few years already), and if I were to say I had a “trade” to fall back on, it would be “a machinist”. I had worked as a General Machinist, a Tool maker, a CNC Programmer, a CNC Maintenance Man, and a Machine Shop Foreman, before I began my endeavor to “build my own cylinders”………..(if I only would have known…..being a Foundry-man was not even in my Top 100 choices of things to do when I “grew-up”…….lol)
I started a company to build cylinders for a type of racing called “Modified Midgets”….basically, a small single or twin cylinder open wheeled sprint car, I called the company Central American Modified Midget Engines and Extras….(CAMMEX). Even though the TZ250 twins were the “engine of choice” I starting by building a 250cc single. Using the YZ250 Yamaha lower end as a starting point, later I began using the Honda TRX250R based engines, as the Three Wheeler was getting Factory support and had grown into a huge potential market……(As I mentioned above about being my own worst enemy…when we won our first National Event against the factory teams….my having the words “Made in America” printed in Japanese print in the corner of our center-page spread of a national magazine “may” not have been the best thing to do…..but it “felt” right at the time…..lol)
I guess for anyone who wishes to know more about me, the following link is to the “About us” section of my business’ website ….. http://cpindinc.com/pub/aboutus (http://cpindinc.com/pub/aboutus) ….That write-up shows a little about how and why I have built an Aluminum Foundry for the sole purpose of building two-stroke cylinders. As an engine builder, I would say I may be somewhere around a “5” or a “6” out of ten, but I feel my background has enabled me to built a very small production facility which is capable of building some of the best two-stroke cylinder castings in the world…..now if I could just figure out how to make it profitable!
From Calvins website:
Company Overview
CP Industries has and will continue to be a company capable of taking a project from concept to completion. With our 3D modeling software packages and dedicated CAD engineers, the design and development of your parts is quick and accurate. These CAD designs are then used in the rapid prototyping and pattern area of our plant to quickly deliver a pattern that is up to your exacting specifications. After the patterns are completed the parts are cast and machined in-house to help control the quality of the parts while keeping the price competitive. CP Industries in-house facilities include, design and development, rapid prototyping, patterns, core shop, foundry, and machine shop. It is by combining all of these areas of production that we are able to keep the quality high, the price reasonable, and see your project through from Concept to Completion.CEO Message
Very intricate castings.These three words do more than describe what we manufacture at CPI, they better define our company’s reason for being. Anyone who has closely inspected a 2-stroke cylinder or a 4-stroke head can see what our plant was designed to produce. We have built our complete business out of necessity. When we first began to develop our designs for high performance 2-stroke cylinders we discovered our need for a pattern shop which had the ability to catch a potential problem before the tooling was in production on the plant floor. After several failed attempts to get what we wanted as a final product, we began at the start of the process, by starting our own pattern shop. This was the main reason for a High Performance Design & Development Company to make the leap into the Pattern Making Industry in 1981.
We later found that simply because we could invision a process, and build the patterns to produce it, did not mean that other core shops, foundries, and machine shops could produce our visions. We have now grown into a plant with Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) and 3D modeling, capable of going from a concept or sample part to our CNC or conventional Pattern Department. Our in house Core Department was built for hard to get cores that we couldn’t get at other plants, (that’s why we started our own core shop, remember we are a Performance Shop!) Our Core Department presently builds cores for other foundries ranging from Tulsa, OK to the Detroit, Michigan area. We know what it is like to have a part that you can’t get built locally because we’ve been there, that’s why we ship cores to Michigan and they turn around to build parts that ship to England, because they can’t have them built locally. After opening our own Pattern and Core Shops while still using other foundries, we discovered that the foundry was the area that now presented the problem. So like the true High Performance Shop that we are, we built our own foundry.
So here we are in a new century, our products, which have won National Championship Events and Titles, are being used in a range of vehicles from motorcycles to sprint cars, from remote controlled airplanes to snowmobiles, from motorized skateboards to All Terrain Vehicles. Remember we are a High Performance Shop at heart, we just, unfortunately, don’t have time to go race anymore. CPI doesn’t sell 2-stroke cylinders to the public now, even though we still build them, we don’t sell 4 valve heads for your small block Chevy, but we do build these parts for our customers and I am sure they would love to ship them right out.
Some of our customers have asked us to include links to their own web pages, others have requested that we do not tell anyone that we are producing their parts, since their competition may get the idea that we may be able to complete the project that they have been having trouble with. In other words if the competition doesn’t use us now, don’t give them any ideas.
We do still build high performance castings, but we are now a Foundry which you can call on from “Concept to Completion” for non performance castings as well. No matter how hard we fight it, we have grown into an Aluminum Foundry for hard to get castings, and the high performance market does not have a lock on hard to build castings.
If your local aluminum foundry can do your job they are your best course of action. If, however you have been trying without success to get difficult castings made, or your scrap rates have gotten too high, then we may be the company you are looking for. If you have any questions about castings or products please feel free to contact me. I will be more than happy to hear from you.
Calvin Pollet
President/CEO CP Industries Inc.cpollet@cpindinc.com (cpollet@cpindinc.com)
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Great loss can't thank him enough for the stuff he did for the sport
RIP Calvin
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RIP Calvin
Thank you for your contributions to the sport/hobby that we all love.
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Wow, Thanks to Calvin and to everyone at CPI. My thoughts go out to the family.
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Rip Calvin
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Awesome read, Thanks. RIP Calvin
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Building stuff for us cause he wanted to not because he had to. Made the best Honda cylinders money can buy. Didn't do it for profit, did it for the sport. People like Calvin make me want to make perfect parts for our 250r's. Quality is not a goal, it is just a standard. Thankyou Calvin for all your years of hard work. Every time I hop on the bike you are in my thoughts. Tony
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He was a great guy and transformed the sport in a major way. Here's a couple pics from his first trip to Glamis about 10 years ago I believe.
Calvin and Dan Hull (A&S Racing)
(http://forums.trx250r.org/vbulletin_imports/87_187_2017-04-18_5277.jpg)
Calvin giving the "go" at Olds
(http://forums.trx250r.org/vbulletin_imports/87_188_2017-04-18_8455.jpg)
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never heard of this man but he is truly inspiring.
requiescat in pace.
john
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Calvin's obituary: http://dwbfh.com/obi.../calvin-pollet/ (http://dwbfh.com/obits/2014/calvin-pollet/)
[h=1]Calvin Pollet[/h]Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Coffeyville -
(http://dwbfh.com/images/uploads/2014/01/Calvin-Pollet-231x300.jpg) (http://dwbfh.com/images/uploads/2014/01/Calvin-Pollet.jpg)Calvin Dean Pollet, 57, of rural South Coffeyville, OK, passed away Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at his home.
He was born on September 30, 1956, at Coffeyville to Glen and Opal (Smith) Pollet. Calvin grew up and attended grade school in South Coffeyville, attended Lenapah High School, and graduated from Wann High School.
On December 31, 1977, he married Elaine Avery. Following their marriage they made their home in rural South Coffeyville where they raised their three sons.
Calvin operated his own business manufacturing high performance racing parts, and was also an accomplished woodworker. He played in the Dry Gulch Band for many years and loved performing his music. He enjoyed all types of racing, and raced motocross cycles when he was young. But above all he loved spending time with his family.
Survivors include his wife, Elaine of the home; three sons, Brandon Pollet and wife Embrey of Owasso, OK, Cody Pollet and wife Whitley of Frisco, TX, and Lucas Pollet and wife Rebecca of Chapel Hill, NC; one brother, Carl Pollet and wife Patty of South Coffeyville; one sister, Kim Smith of Springdale, AR; and two grandchildren, Gabriel Pollet and Eleanor Pollet.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and one sister, Reta Wilson.
A Rosary Vigil service will be at 5:00 p.m. Sunday, January 12, 2014 at Holy Name Catholic Church.
Services celebrating Calvin’s life will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, January 13, 2014 at Emmanuel Chapel in South Coffeyville, OK. Burial will be in the Robbins Cemetery west of Coffeyville.
Friends may call on Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the David W. Barnes Funeral Home in Coffeyville. They may also call following the Rosary from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The family suggests memorials to the Jerry Marquette Radiation Oncology Center at Coffeyville Regional Medical Center, or Holy Name Catholic School; contributions may be left with the funeral home or mailed c/o David W. Barnes Funeral Home, 306 North Cline Road, Coffeyville, KS 67337.
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Legends live on. RIP Sir. Example of a little more giving than taking. We could all learn from that.
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RIP Calvin.
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I miss Calvin. We spent hours talking about 2 stroke engine technology. Calvin was so awesome to bounce idea's off of. Because of his exposure to many kinds of engine builds his prospective was priceless. Calvin understood engines like no other. He always knew exactly what I was talking about. It breaks my heart knowing I can never again call Calvin and talk to him about engines, or life in general. Calvin was a true friend and he will be missed.
I don't know anyone like Calvin. Like everyone who knew him, I was not ready to give him up.
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Good friends lost early, are always hard to accept. Arlan, may you find peace with time. Calvin won't be replaced.
Long Live our memories.
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Any word on the foundry or what will happen with CPI. I had heard that CPI was sold a while ago when Calvin first started to get sick. Is this true?
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Precision Machine in OK has taken over and are in a transition period of setting up new CNC machines that should be in service in April, in the mean time they are making new cylinder fixtures and writing new codes to work with these machines.
They are a little backed up with work during this time period but once they get everything running should be able to finish cylinders much faster than CP was ever able to.
Chris is still running the original shop like he has for awhile and things are business as usual for now.
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Precision Machine in OK has taken over and are in a transition period of setting up new CNC machines that should be in service in April, in the mean time they are making new cylinder fixtures and writing new codes to work with these machines.
They are a little backed up with work during this time period but once they get everything running should be able to finish cylinders much faster than CP was ever able to.
Chris is still running the original shop like he has for awhile and things are business as usual for now.
That's great news! Had me worried for awhile
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I'm sorry to only now see this thread.
Like most, I've never had the opportunity to enjoy a product from Calvin, but I do hope to in the near future.
Someone like Calvin are one in a million.
To those that knew him personally, Arlan, May you cherish your time spent with him.
And for the rest of us, cherish what he gave us..
RIP Calvin
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Hello everyone, my name is Brandon and I am Calvin's son.
I happened across this post tonight and just wanted to say thanks to all of you for the kind words. I appreciate you posting his introduction and sharing your pictures here, the one of him giving the thumbs up is awesome! These are things I didn't have before but now, thanks to you, I do.
Thank you all and God bless.
Brandon
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Brandon I am sorry for your loss. Calvin was one of a kind, and an amazing innovator. He was a humble man, who elevated the state of the art in 2 stroke technology way above what even most of the big buck factories are doing. Calvin's work on scavenging through his transfer port designs, Was breakthrough technology. His cylinders are superior to anything available today for our applications. He gave us ATV racers access to technology that we could not have otherwise had. Calvin was a genus!
I hope the best for You and the rest of your family. I am thank full that I was privileged to have known Calvin and could call him my friend.
Like You I will always miss him.
Best regards
Arlan
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Brandon your father will live on thru his many creations and he has probably single handedly extended the popularity of the TRX250r and Yamaha Banshee for many more years to come.
Without his work I firmly believe allot less people would be riding 2 strokes powered bikes today. He may not of had a wall full of degrees, but that did not mean he wasn't one of the smartest guys in the industry.
He was always very humble about his wealth of knowledge on two strokes because he like many others have come to realize that while a 2 stroke motor is the most simplistic engine it's also the most complex engine, and Calvin's cylinders have proven themselves all over the world in racing.
It is sad we lost him so soon, I just wish he would of had the time and money to do the many projects that he had on the drawing board because I am afraid many of our large bore cylinders designs may never move forward from where we are because of it.
Your father was a blessing to the industry and probably most never new it but they did enjoy the power he gave them! And knowing Calvin that's the way he wanted it, he wasn't in it for the glory just for the love of two stroke engines
Best wishes to your mom and family
Dave
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Brandon your father will live on thru his many creations and he has probably single handedly extended the popularity of the TRX250r
Your father was a blessing to the industry and probably most never new it but they did enjoy the power he gave them! And knowing Calvin that's the way he wanted it, he wasn't in it for the glory just for the love of two stroke engines
Best wishes to your mom and family
Dave
Yes Brandon, we cannot express how much our small community of 250r brethren appreciate what your father has done for us. We know he did not do it for the money, but to help us all work towards getting a little more enjoyment of our prized hobby. Your dad is the best!
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I thought I would join and post some Vintage Calvin Pollet Cammex engine I have. It's 360 Cammex racing products water cooled jug and head on an FL250 Honda Odyssey bottom end. Not only is the jug and head Cammex Calvin even casted the Odysseys cases. amazing!!!!!
I talked to Calvin thru emails and this is what he told me.
You do indeed have a piece of Odyssey Racing history, GREAT FIND!
The Engine is a CAMMEX Racing Products, (CRP) 250cc Engine.....(unless it had one of the "Open Class" engines, then it could be as large as a 360cc), The cylinder was the same cylinder and head that we made to fit onto the 81-84 ATC250R Engine, that cylinder and head were built for the 250 class AND the open class, so the only way to tell which you may have is to pull the head and take some measurements.
We built the cases for the Odyssey to adapt the existing Cammex cylinders to that Engine compartment. The Engine should run very well, ones just like that, (in fact....could have been that one....lol), won quite a few AATVA Nationals in their day.
There were many guys that ran the engines, but you might look for anything about one of the "Bagus" brothers, (may have been spelled "Bogus"), the two brothers ran very hard, won several major races, and I believe at least one of them, (Mike Bagus.....I think), either won or took 2nd in the National Championship Points a year or two.
I WOULD LOVE to find one of those for playing at Little Sahara, even though they were closed course machines, (before there were "side-by-sides"....lol), they would be a BLAST in the dunes!
When you have to tear it down, take down some numbers and call the shop.....I would be glad to help you keep it fresh and going strong.
I posted some youtube vids as well. This ride up my block was the only time I drove it. It waiting for restore now. This was first ride after car has been sitting 20 years plus.
I notice no pics of his early work so I thought it would be cool to post some info. This car would have been built in the late 70's early 80's. I try to tell people how special my engine is. They just don't get it. I do or We do.......
RIP CP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UBh1UvzBxA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2dhthkHOiU
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RIP Calvin... May God always bless you and your Family..USMC
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Thanks Bigheadody! That's a cool piece of history and thanks for the story!