http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11q3LqjBA3AThat v-8 initially started as 2 inline 4's.
Carl was working on that when i last saw him about 6-7 years ago.
Just read the comments... he diedabout 6 months ago...
I got to meet/talk with carl quite a few times.
He was a TRULY inspiring man.
When i met him he was in his (?)mid 70's.
I worked at a machine shop in Denver... The owner was good friends with Carl.
More than once I would listen with amazement as he would discuss what his problems/solutiuons for this V-8 he was making.
The time, thought and effort he put forth on this motor is ashtonishing.
When he had finished, i believe he said it was like 6 or 7 years he had worked on it.
Airplane magneto, the carb setup was awesome... the clicking of the valvetrain...
Absolutely an awesome bike.
He mostly came to see Ken(my boss) about using one of the machines in the shop that Carl himself did not have in his home shop.
I once asked him, WHY on earth are you making a V-8 for a '27 motorcycle?
His reply:
I want to. With a LARGE grin on his face.
This motor was one of his dreams.
I only got to see it run 4 or 5 times, and it was in his sidecar '27 henderson motorcycle.
He said he needed the sidecar to ride. He didn't have enough strength to balance the bike if it were to fall in the parking lot, let alone at speed.
Absolutely awesome man.
RIP
l8r