I am adapting a new engine for my Sonex. It is the most thoroughly engineered engine ever built in this world, puts out about 125 hp, is still being produced, is simple, water cooled, and available everywhere in the world. I am making absolutely NO changes to the engine at all, just installing a long prop adapter between its V-4 cylinders. The prop will be a 4-blade very coarse pitch wood prop. I anticipate over 200 mph when I get it all finished, and shorter takeoff greater climb rate than with any current engine. "how's that possible??" you ask.
Well, the engine STILL HAS its 4-speed WITH REVERSE transmission attached. Want REALLY short landings? Reverse. That's really getting carried away, and not really possible. You would have to brake the prop to a stop before reversing. But it could be done. When I am ready for takeoff, I use first gear. Climb on 2nd-3rd, cruise on 4th. Shift easily in the air just as original.
The engine uses regular ethanol-added car gas, just stop in at your local gas station on the way to the airport. Want oil filters, OIL? Available at Walmart. Want parts? Many thousands of dealers worldwide, and your local junkyard. Lots of them there. That's where I got mine. For $700. Low mileage, no damage at all.
Weight, firewall forward, is almost exactly the same as a Continental C-85 firewall forward.
What is this "miracle"? Just the most common most reliable engine in the world, almost. An engine out of a Honda CX-1600 motorcycle., Just under the flat-six Goldwing bike. Has been built for over 20 years, and is still in production. Stay tuned. The prop adapter shaft dynafocal belt-driven right off the normal power-out shaft is already installed. I'm waiting on time to get the rest of it done. Do have a few other projects, like getting Hurricane Storm Surge Barriers built for our local bay so that I don't lose my home in another Katrina, does take some priority. This is an experimental project, obviously, but I see no reason it won't work. I emphasize that I have made NO changes to the engine, at all. Just installing the prop adapter shaft and building a suitable motor mount. Cooling radiators, exhaust piping, etc. Lots of detail, time-consuming stuff.
If you are interested, I will set up an email update site, [email protected].
I plan on eventually producing the prop adapters. They aren't overly simple to get to work right. It is right now all aluminum welded construction, and the two support bearings are about 20" apart. Not many problems with weak shaft support. I would probably eventually make them from casting. The support is rather labor-intensive and requires expert aluminum welding right now.
Also, anyone interested in a virtually new Volkswagon engine with all the adapters, and baffling, ready to install in your bird? I took it out of mine after purchasing the plane from a dealer. I was only interested in the plane for my engine experimentations. It did have a minor idle-power wood-prop strike, broke one blade, on the initial test flight. No damage at all to the engine that I can see, but no guarantee because of its history. It had just been thoroughly rebuilt to factory specs by a local VW engine rebuilder shop. Around a $7-8,000 engine. $4,000.
Well, the engine STILL HAS its 4-speed WITH REVERSE transmission attached. Want REALLY short landings? Reverse. That's really getting carried away, and not really possible. You would have to brake the prop to a stop before reversing. But it could be done. When I am ready for takeoff, I use first gear. Climb on 2nd-3rd, cruise on 4th. Shift easily in the air just as original.
The engine uses regular ethanol-added car gas, just stop in at your local gas station on the way to the airport. Want oil filters, OIL? Available at Walmart. Want parts? Many thousands of dealers worldwide, and your local junkyard. Lots of them there. That's where I got mine. For $700. Low mileage, no damage at all.
Weight, firewall forward, is almost exactly the same as a Continental C-85 firewall forward.
What is this "miracle"? Just the most common most reliable engine in the world, almost. An engine out of a Honda CX-1600 motorcycle., Just under the flat-six Goldwing bike. Has been built for over 20 years, and is still in production. Stay tuned. The prop adapter shaft dynafocal belt-driven right off the normal power-out shaft is already installed. I'm waiting on time to get the rest of it done. Do have a few other projects, like getting Hurricane Storm Surge Barriers built for our local bay so that I don't lose my home in another Katrina, does take some priority. This is an experimental project, obviously, but I see no reason it won't work. I emphasize that I have made NO changes to the engine, at all. Just installing the prop adapter shaft and building a suitable motor mount. Cooling radiators, exhaust piping, etc. Lots of detail, time-consuming stuff.
If you are interested, I will set up an email update site, [email protected].
I plan on eventually producing the prop adapters. They aren't overly simple to get to work right. It is right now all aluminum welded construction, and the two support bearings are about 20" apart. Not many problems with weak shaft support. I would probably eventually make them from casting. The support is rather labor-intensive and requires expert aluminum welding right now.
Also, anyone interested in a virtually new Volkswagon engine with all the adapters, and baffling, ready to install in your bird? I took it out of mine after purchasing the plane from a dealer. I was only interested in the plane for my engine experimentations. It did have a minor idle-power wood-prop strike, broke one blade, on the initial test flight. No damage at all to the engine that I can see, but no guarantee because of its history. It had just been thoroughly rebuilt to factory specs by a local VW engine rebuilder shop. Around a $7-8,000 engine. $4,000.