I read email in between doing all the other tasks here. Many things require daylight or one’s immediate and full attention. Combing through email requires neither, which is why I often get to it in the middle of the night.
Intermixed with questions, notes and a photo or two are a few gems. when it’s 3:30 am and I have turned myself into a sleepless zombie by absent-mindedly drinking a gallon of coffee after dinner, I will sit a the computer and run through a number of short emails to be productive. In the middle of a long list, I will actually get 10 sentences into an email like the one below before I understand what I am reading:
“Mr. Wynne, I’m so happy and stimulated that I’ve come across your wonderful website. I’ve been struggling with an engine choice for my latest project and I feel the corvair will be the perfect choice after I apply a few modifications.”
I am currently scratch building a 1/6 scale H-4 Hercules from scratch. I designed it to be LSA legal. I’m hoping you can help me with a few questions. Even though I’ve read your website thoroughly and now know as much as you about corvair, the copied copy of your conversion manual that I’m using is faded in spots and the text is illegible. I’m sorry I didn’t buy one from you but I am on a very tight, low fat budget. Anyhow, here are my questions:
Being that I’ll be installing eight engines, how do you propose I synchronize all the props?
Is it possible to share one ignition for all engines to save weight and money?
Will one alternator (i’m planning on using a motor out of an old battery drill i’m not using anymore) feed the ignition, lights, dual 10″ dynon skyviews, dual navcoms, and dual gps’s?
How feasible is to hand-prop the corvair to start it? I can only afford starters for 2 of the engines.
In your opinion, is 1/2″ black pipe strong enough to use for motor mounts?
Would a 1/2 HP sump pump provide adequate pressure for the shared fuel injection system?
Thank you so much in advance for what I am positive will be a most prompt response to my questions.
Finally, I look forward to attending your next college of corvairs edition 24. I stimulatingly dream of meating you, your brother Roy, and your pet falcon, Mark who likes the petunia flowers. If i only come for a few hours during dinner to eat and talk with you at the college of corvairs, do I still have to pay the $79.00?
Fondly, Albus D. Onis”
Albus D. Onis sounds like “Adonis” which is the popular moniker of Corvair 601 builder Ken Pavlou, in reference to his Greek heritage. (I once said ‘Ken you’re as brilliant as Plato!’ to which he responded dead pan “And I have the body of Adonis.”) I was half way into this email before I understood it was a joke. This should tell you both how tired I was and that over the years we have received a number of emails that were nearly this bad that were actually ‘serious’ questions. -ww
Above, I introduce our local host Ken Pavlou at Corvair College #14. In addition to an impressive job at CC#14, Ken has organized many Corvair Cookouts, run the on-line registration for the Colleges, and he set up the format that I use for this blog. On line he likes to be called “The Central Scrutinizer”, a character who is a omnicient narrator in the Zappa opera “Joe’s Garage.” Outside of the Corvair movement, Ken has a long list of accomplishments: emigrating from Greece at age 8, he has gone on to earn an electrical engineering degree, become a registered nurse and skilled pilot. Happily married and the father of two, he’s also the State Ballroom Dancing Champion of Connecticut (no kidding), and he could earn a living doing stand up comedy. Not bad for a guy who’s barely in his 40s.