Pietenpol-List: The Last Original

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Original Posted By: Michael Perez
Last week, someone brought up the Last Original and Mr. Pietenpol's possiblethought processes for using the Corvair engine. This is a related post byWilliam Wynne, this morning on the Corvair List:Friends,Some more information about the long term durability of our favorite engine:One of the best known Corvair powered planes in the world is "The lastOriginal", N899H, which was the last Aircamper built by Bernard Pietenpol.It was finished in the mid 1970s. It is significant because there is a fairygood argument that since it was the last of about 20 he built, it is themost distilled and refined of them all.While most of the historically important aircraft in the world arecollecting dust in museums, This aircraft can still be seen in its naturalelement. It is owned by Bill Knight and based in Brodhead Wisconsin. A fewyears ago Grace and Tom Brown took it out for a flight, one of Gracesfavorite days in aviation. Get a look at the second photo down here:http://www.flycorvair.com/piet.htmlBill knight has spent the last year committed to a full restoration of theplane so that it can continue to be flown and appreciated. Part of this issending the engine to Mark Petz at Falcon to be completely overhauledinternally, but remain externally identical to the last season Bernard flewit. The engine is a 1967 95HP, almost completely stock including castpistons and original single ignition.It has always been fitted with a prop which wisely allowed it to turn up astatic of more than 2800.I would guess its output to be about 75 or 80 HP.The engine arrived at Marks place with 800 hours on it. It had never had anywork done on it Mark said that it had a mint condition crankshaft and manyof the internal parts looked like new.The cylinders we not worn, but they had suffered some corrosion pitting on 2cylinders. This is most likely the result of the planes sitting for a longtime with the exhaust uncorked. The combustion chambers were filled withlead in giant gray flakes, like most planes that run on 100LL continuously.Either way, Bill said the engine still ran great when I spoke with him onthe phone. His only goal was to take advantage of advances in Corvairbuilding gained in the last 35 years.Mark is a night owl, and I spoke with him between 1 and 2 am last week whilehe was working in his shop. He had a lot of interesting things to say aboutthe details inside the engine. He has been working with engines long enoughto be able to see things that most other people would miss whiledisassembling the last engine built by the man widely considered to be thepatron saint of automotive engines, affordable homebuilding and the conceptthat aviation is not a spectator sport, even if you are a young man livingin rural America during the depression. Mark and I made a pilgrimage to Bernard's home town, Cherry GroveMinnesota, last summer.You can get a look at the story at this link:http://www.flycorvair.com/hangar0810.html(It is the last third of the link, under the heading "The long trip home.")The engine is a real cherished artifact of aviation history to me, and anvery good example of how lasting Bernard's efforts have been. He has beengone for more than 25 years, yet people as far away as Australia arebuilding his design today. (Welcome to Phil Ridgway down under) Going intothe engine and removing bolts that were last tightened by his hand decadesago is a chance to look at what Bernard was thinking as he worked on hisCorvair engine in his small shop, the exact same thing that many builders onthis list did last night. It is 6:30 am now. I got up to let the dog out an hour ago. At this time oneweek from today, I will be drinking coffee and getting started at the firstDay of Sun N Fun 2011. It will be my 23rd consecutive year there. It is kindof the kick off of the year in homebuilding. For us, the season will notclose until we are headed home after Corvair College #21, which will be heldin Barnwell SC in November. It already has the feeling of a great year, butI really like the idea that it is an adventure that is undefined, unwritten,unknown at this point. For all the things that we all have to do in ourlives, I savor the idea that what the year in aviation hold for each of usis an unwritten story, something completely up to each of us. I wanted to say that I thought that Jon Gougar's words on his experience inrisk management were some of most moving I have read in a long time. In aworld where we are bombarded with information overload, I guy who 95% ofthe people on this list are yet to meet, sits at a keyboard and types a fewsparing sentences that let the rest of us get a look at the real burdens aman of responsibility bears in looking after people in his care. I writeabout risk management, and I do care about people, but distance and the factI can't control what people choose to do affords me emotional armor platingcompared to men like Jon who has to deal with consequences directly. Thedifference is a mile wide. Jon and others in his position have my profound respect.Thank you.William WynneGary Boothe________________________________________________________________________________Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:06:49 -0700 (PDT)

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Original Posted By: "Daniel Engelkenjohn"
Do any drawings or information exist for the cowling that is on the Last Original?ThanksJoe SwithinMorris, ILCollecting Parts and Pieces Stage________________________________________________________________________________

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Original Posted By: "dwilson"
Do any drawings or information exist for the cowling that is on the Last Original?Thanks-Joe SwithinMorris, ILCollecting Parts and Pieces Stage" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Piet ... cs.comllow target=_blank>http://www.matronics.com/contributionhr ... ___Subject: Pietenpol-List: Re: The Last Original

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Original Posted By: shad bell
Do any drawings or information exist for the cowling that is on the Last Original? Thanks Joe Swithin Morris, IL Collecting Parts and Pieces Stage" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Piet ... cs.comllow target=_blank>http://www.matronics.com/contributionhr ... nics.com/c" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Piet ... cs.comllow target=_blank>http://www.matronics.com/contribution__ ... ______Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2012 19:44:41 -0700 (PDT)

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Original Posted By: shad bell
Is this the long cowling from the prop hub to the firewall, or the short one?-

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Original Posted By: shad bell
Is this the long cowling from the prop hub to the firewall, or the short one?

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Original Posted By: shad bell
________________________________________________________________________________Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 16:21:42 -0700 (PDT)

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Original Posted By: shad bell
Is this the long cowling from the prop hub to the firewall, or the short one?

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Original Posted By: markmckellar(at)reagan.com
I also have an original fiberglass cowling for the long fuselage. Cowling waspulled from the original mold. I know that there are a couple of builders thatwould like to use this cowling to build a new mold in order to make new cowlings.The original mold was made from concrete. Is there really any interestout there for this cowling?DanRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ______Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:47:06 -0500 (CDT)Subject: Pietenpol-List: The Last Original

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Original Posted By: Ryan Mueller
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: The Last Original

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Original Posted By: markmckellar(at)reagan.com
Pistons, cam, dual point distributor, valve job and a new prop hub.DanRead this topic online here:http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.p ... ttachments: http://forums.matronics.com//files/cowl ... ______Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2012 12:32:57 -0500 (CDT)Subject: Pietenpol-List: RE: The Last Original

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Original Posted By: Michael Perez

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Original Posted By: shad bell
Thank you, I have emailed him.Dennis