"Burns, Mark" wrote:

Paul;

  I am planning on building a T-51 and I would like to use a

rotary

engine. However, I am afraid that all of the rotary engines I am

familiar

with are too heavy. I am hoping that there is something that you are

aware

of that I am not. They are currently using the Rotax 912 and 914

engines. I

would like to use an engine at 200 lbs or less, but I do not know what

is

available in a rotary, if anything, that will fit that description. I

get

nowhere with Diamond, they bought out Mid West, and I am too old to

want to

wait for Freedom-Motors. Any suggestions.

Thanks,
Mark

Nothing available right at the moment.

Paul Lamar

Paul,

any knowledge on converting a Norton Motorcyle engine? I understand

these

bikes were not too great a success, so there might be a couple of

cheap ones

around. With a little turbo they should give 120-150hp.....

Any thoughs?

Thomas J.

The Midwest rotary engine is based on the Norton. Nothing else on the
Norton.

Paul Lamar

"Burns, Mark" wrote:

I liked the Mid-West engine. I understand that Diamond bought them out,

but I don't think they are doing anything with it. At least I haven't been
able to get an answer from Diamond. How difficult would it be to convert a
Norton engine for aviation? How would I go about finding a Norton engine? I
would very much like to use a rotary in the airplane I am planning to build.

Thanks,
Mark

As I recall it was a one rotor so it would not have enough power.
I could be wrong about the one rotor part. I suspect  the collectors
of Norton bikes are not going to part with them cheap.

Paul Lamar

I may be wrong, but Norton sold a couple of hundred bikes to the police (UK)
at one time. By now they are probably all out of service for environmental
reasons (oil smoke....). Besides they were supposedly rather tricky to run,
unsteady idle and low rpm fluctuations, etc. Except for the F1 street race
model, I would guess that Ex-police Nortons should be dirtcheap  .........as
said, I might be all wrong on that!! Try the net!

Thomas J.

 
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