I feel that Coates is still about a month out from

I feel that Coates is still about a month out from pulling the trigger on anything.
The reason being, $300,000 is about right for securing the commitment to manufacture from 3 to 6 part vendors that GC uses.

Vendors of shafts, seals, head castings, engine cover stampings or castings, pistons/rings, etc.

I would think he is far enough along on the design portion to be seeing the numbers clear enough to have stated his near term fiscal requirements.

If such is the case, the light at the end of the tunnel is not an oncoming freight train, just the bright glow of a natural or hydrogen CSRV gas engine exhaust.