Not the two piece that Fox sold. there was this Hemi Head called Blue Magic out of California. I really wanted to look at it more than anything to see what the big deal was/is with this. What it looks like etc
I've been out of the hobby for a long time and getting back I've found a lot of new stuff. I called Randy about a balanced crankshaft, but haven't decided yet on it. Dukes .35 were pretty good out of the box as far as I remember them. Doing research on this.
Thanks for answering
George Albo
In their day the Fox 35 was a reasonably good engine. However most of the ones used in serious competition were heavily modified with after market parts. A Fox 35 like this is (I think), still available from Eric Rule at RSM. They were specially tuned by Larry Foster and work pretty well. The photo below shows a couple of the Larry Foster Foxes configured for a twin...one has a left hand crank! They contain special parts and special fitting but not the Hi Zoot balanced crank that Randy Smith makes.
Today there are much better options available. In fact most of the available .25 size engines will produce more power and a more consistent run. Most of them are made as R/C engines and do require the installation of a venturi and needle valve assembly of the Super Tigre or Aero Products (Randy Smith) type. The Hi Zoot full boat Fox 35 that Randy Smith sells has very little in common with the old Fox 35. For starters it has a different crank that doesn't vibrate, a different head and other parts that make it a much more powerful and consistent running engine. The draw back is that it is fairly expensive!
The OS LA25R/C can be converted to a C/L engine quite easily with only the aforementioned venturi and needle valve assembly. Those are available from Aero Products or RSM or a plethora of others.
The typical stock Fox 35 can be a reasonable "Sport" engine though most still change the needle valve assembly. However if mounted in a profile configuration most disply the "dreaded Fox Burp", a condition where the engine momentarily quits and restarts on hard outside maneuvers. It can be fixed by partially blocking the intake port in the sleeve but it does require some engine expertise.
All in all the newer engines are more reliable and longer lasting and overall eaiser to deal with.
If you are in fact a real Fox afficianado and want to use one then by all means deal with Randy Smith or Eric at RSM.
If you intend to fly in competition you will eventually want something larger or maybe even Electric, which is the latest buzz for competition experts etc.
Randy Cuberly