Off topic - or how I've learned to love the carburetted 912.

Partial explanation for why I've made no progress lately.  Read this only if you're interested in antique cars.

Said car has consumed a substantial chunk of my time (and an even larger chunk of my money) for the last year.  With the engine installed the car can actually propel itself down the road, though much work remains to be done with the engine management software.  Full throttle operation is awesome

(borderline scary), but anything else leaves a lot to be desired.  It's making 544 hp and 500 ft-lbf on the engine dyno, numbers that this chassis was never meant to handle.  Next step is to put it on a chassis dyno and try to  improve the drivability with the help of noted engine gurus Luke Woroniecki and Wes Kiser.

It says Chevrolet on the valve covers, but nothing in the engine, including the block, was made by Chevrolet.  100% aftermarket.  I used a vertical throttle body (costing horsepower) to give it an old-school, carbureted look (the barrels even open progressively, like the carbs of my youth).  If I'd had any brains I would have actually used a carburetor, where the spark map is controlled simply by flyweights on a spinning shaft and manifold vacuum.  If ever there was a mature technology, it's the four-barrel carburetor.  In fact, this experience has caused me to completely re-think the carburetor vs. fuel injection question for the Rotax 912.  I was initially unhappy that the 912is was not being made available for the RV-12.  In fact, I think that earlier in this blog I opined that I had assumed that the four carbs on my Honda motorcycle were the last carbs I'd ever have to balance.  Now I say bring'em on.

Work resumes tomorrow on the RV-12.  First up is SB 14-12-06.  I'm completely out of excuses.  The spousal unit (my beautiful and super-fit wife, Karen) is spending the summer in Boulder, CO training for the Boulder Iron Man (2.4 mile swim, 110 miles on the bike, 26.2 mile run, all at altitude in mountainous terrain).  My plan is to finish this airplane by the end of next summer (Voice from the Future: Boy, was I naive, bordering on stupid, to think I could finish that soon).  Oshkosh is in two weeks and will consume a week of my time, but I will more than make up for the time loss with the inspiration and enthusiasm I'll bring home from the show.