REFLECTOR: Alternative engines

[Velocity]

I will preference my statement by I have not finished my Kit yet . Yes I 
have worked on installing a LT1
engine in the Front OPP's back of the plane. Yes it has been a challenge to 
get it to the point it is right now
 turn the key and it fires right up.Runs smooth,and very responsive. What a 
feeling to have gotten this far.

I have taken a little different coarse than most automotive builders
on this  posting board. Heck I am far from the average poster
on the board I do not think my Income come even close
to may of you. So walk a different path. I build a XLFG on a
ultralight budget.

Stock LT1 engine less than 40,000 driven miles
Fuel injection Stock. (No need for a mixture control knob)
Aero Kinetics Reduction unit.
Built my own engine mount Ran it through Cosmos stress analyses software 
Should be good.

Now let me explain my position . First once a motor is broken in and running
good don't touch it. Soon as you start pulling things apart just to do it in 
my mind
causes nothing but trouble. My motor is bone stock except the exhaust system 
that
I built also.  I plan on keeping this thing running under 4800 Rpm. I am not 
trying
to make a race plane just something to fly around and enjoy.  Now I know 
allot of
the auto builders here are frowning now, they completely rebuilt there 
motors beefed them
up in to race versions of there former self. I appreciate there efforts but 
for
my way of thinking all the more money they put in to this project and is not
needed for my direction also I see it as a Different level of safety.

 Now people will say that this Automotive motor will not last. Will see
I have owned boats Chevy V6 for years it run all day long at 5000
rpm racing around the lake . Never have I seen or had
and engine failure because of running it to hard. So Time will
tell if I ever get this thing in the air.



Total cost so far for the engine install is under $10,000.

Now has it taken longer to do it my way most likely yes. But I have been
doing this for the adventure not the destination. Granted I wish it was done
and could get it out of the garage but Funding has not been what
I thought it could be so it sits waiting to be finished. I do wonder what 
the
difference in time from a Standard install is to my install as I feel I have 
not really
had to do much more that a standard install would be. Few extra parts but
I have made more than a few extra parts along the way building the frame any 
how and
I am sure the standard install needs parts also.

Ron