Cayenne Gutierrez Pietenpol Project - Q&A Update

By Cayenne Gutierrez

Q. What’s the latest Pietenpol news?

Well, there’s a 1930 Ford Model A engine in our dining room. That way it stares at us while we eat.

Q. Where does one get a Ford Model A motor?

From classy folks. Ours came from Rick Davis, our Model A friend — the nicest people are Model A people. We found him at a Wings & Wheels festival, and he found a beautiful motor for us. Thank you, Rick!

Q. Why would you use an engine that’s over 90 years old?

Well, old is gold, as they say. I guess we were trying to be traditional. A Model A motor is what Bernie Pietenpol used for the first Air Camper. Also, our understanding is that a person who rebuilds a Model A motor is by default a cool person.

Q. What will you do after the motor is rebuilt?

Use it.

Q. No, I mean — what will you make next?

Maybe the fuselage — the body of the plane. But we don’t know what to expect, because we don’t know how much we’re going to hot rod this thing.

Q. Hot rod? How do you hot rod an airplane? Especially such an old design?

You make it better. You talk to people who have made it better. Hot rodding is combining your artistic vision with your engineering vision. Seeing double, I guess.

Q. Can you give me an example of what a hot rod modification for an airplane would be?

Anything you want. If you want an airplane that moseys along a bit faster, you can beef up the engine, shorten the wings. An airplane that lands in tougher spots might have fatter tires. Usually it’s a big cocktail of little modifications. Sometimes it’s a little cocktail of big ones. Our thanks to the Barnes & Noble Café for the napkins, the pen, and the coffee that made this article possible.

Q. What makes you think you can rebuild this motor?

Because it’s been done before.

Q. Have you ever rebuilt an auto motor?

No. Fifteen is as good an age as any to start, don’t you think?

Q. When do you think the plane will be finished?

Whenever the peer pressure gets strong enough.

Q. You haven’t mentioned your sister, Lucie. What’s she doing? Is she still working on the Pietenpol?

No — she decided dancing ballet was more fun than building airplanes. It’s important to try things, to scrap what doesn’t make you happy, and to pursue what does.

Our thanks to the Barnes & Noble Café for the napkins, the pen, and the coffee that made this article possible.