[rotorwrench]

Yor credentials give you a leg up on the building of established kit designs like the Pietenpol. If you have an engineering degree in aeronautical sciences then you can design your own. With all this knowledge you are also likely to know that automobile engines are not good designs for turning a propeller in their OEM state. No one to my knowledge has ventured into the reengineering of an engine that has limited horse power and high weight to HP already built in. This challenge might be do-able but it also might be more trouble and expense than it's worth. The Pietenpol was never know to be a fantastic performer but it does fly. An aluminum case engine with a heavy journal bearing for the prop would have made it fly better but it was a design that could be built by the home DIY guy in his spare time with much of the raw material being locally accessible. Materials for a prop reduction gearbox are a whole different matter. A guy would need a sizeable radiator too plus all the plumbing for an adaquate cooling system.