About time, I was a few years younger! 

ken

The Nobler challenge of today is to get a muffled engine that will fly the plane as well as 6-ounce wide open Fox 35.

It is quiet and it is stronger that any Fox 35 - Cobra 2820/12.

ken

The addition of the weight and power loss of the muffler killed the deal for many of us.

   Who says you have to do anything different?  You can still build a green box Nobler and put an unmuffled Fox on it. I did it as late as 1982.   Nobody is doing anything at all to prevent you from doing exactly what you want to do.

   Well, one thing - *it's not competitive*.

The Nobler challenge of today is to get a muffled engine that will fly the plane as well as 6-ounce wide open Fox 35.

    Almost anything you can get from the 90s or later will achieve that. I think I have around a dozen different engines that have mufflers and will fly the plane better than a Fox 35, anyone can have the same.  I also have Fox 35s.   

     Brett

Thanks for the replies, my engine will be a Fox 35 with stuffer back plate, Brian Gardner ABC and hemi head,  if I keep the weight to 40 oz. or lower it should pull it no problem.

A decently fit box stock Fox .35 will do fine in your Nobler up to 44-45 ounces.  ( they've done it for decades)  It CAN be competitive for many  things short of a top 20 spot at the Nats,   however you would use an airplane like this mostly for Classic events where it will be as good as anything.  Most things you can do to a Fox will not really add power- just change it's run characteristics some,   many in the effort to eliminate the 'Fox burp' which is not much to worry about anyways and occurs mostly when mounted horizontally on profiles.   The new Jim Lee Silver Bullet head will stop that if it concerns you.  I do agree that adding a muffler is counterproductive on a Fox due to added nose weight , power loss and engine overheating.  I'm sure I could not get one to cycle as I like it to with a muffler for these reasons.  If I HAD to use a muffler I would lean towards something like a modern .25 Thunder Tiger or Enya .25SS that can produce enough thrust running near full bore but add very little more weight in the nose.  Using a carbon spinner can save over an ounce in the nose as well as using light wood props.  To kill a classic-add muffler.

Dave

Has anyone ever modded one to have the engine mounted upright instead?  I have one to build, planning on starting it when the weather warms up, and have been wondering about this.

Has anyone ever modded one to have the engine mounted upright instead?  I have one to build, planning on starting it when the weather warms up, and have been wondering about this.

Not sure why you would want to do that but if you did:   You really would need to lower the thrust line more than an inch to get the engine and tank into a zone that won't really screw up the vertical CG.  By the time you accomplished this you'd have so drastically changed the airplane that it really isn't a Nobler any more.  To get an idea of how much change compare the plans of the Palmer Veco Thunderbird I (upright) vs. the Thunderbird II (inverted).  These are really two different airplanes.

Dave

Got the colours and some trim on.

Very nice Dwayne.
Where in Canada do you live?