Changes since new:
- 20 hrs:  removed the lousy (Azusa) brakes.  Note:  I purchased
	   these originally from Azusa, altho they are the same
	   as OEM'd by Kolb at the time of purchase.  Worst problem
	   was out-of-round left wheel causing wheel shimmy when 
	   brakes applied.  (Have since replaced that wheel rim.)
	   Other problems: too heavy, known incidents by others of
	   brake shoe failure resulting in ground loop.
- 30 hrs:  changed to "tundra" tires.  (~18" outside diam).
- 40 hrs:  added Kuntzelman strobe, mounted to center of lexan gap seal
	   (with AL hardpoint).
- 60 hrs:  added fiberglass cowling to front of engine ...my own
	   design, a fun project, has gotta improve airflow around
	   engine and into cooling fan (no performance diff notice).
	   Certainly looks better than bug splats on the flat frontal
	   block of the engine.(picture)
- 60 hrs:  changed top muffler mount AL pieces ...from 1.5"? std AL
	   angle stock to AL channel stock (~0.5" high by 1" wide).
	   Intent is to reduce this unnecessary frontal area and improve
	   airflow around engine.  ...i know, picky picky.
- 75 hrs:  Changed from long narrow windscreen to the kind used on 
	   original Firestars, e.g., wrap over from side to side and
	   comes back from nosepod ~30".  Intent is to fly
	   warmer by reducing side draft of standard windscreen.
- 76 hrs:  Changed back to standard windscreen.  Wind breaks over the top
	   of the "improved" windscreen any time over 55mph, contrary to
	   report by the ya-hoo i shouldn't have listened to.  Wind over
	   top hits me right in the forehead and is very distracting as
	   well as uncomfortable if in cold weather.
- 80 hrs:  Brakes:  Made a pair of my own design.  They rub on the tire.
	   Work pretty well, weigh almost nothin. (picture)

- 140hrs:  Completed and tested 3rd revision of windscreen.  Rev 3 consists
           of side panels, right side hinged along center windscreen down 
	   tube.  These side panels come pretty far aft but leave enf
	   room to barf out the side or take a good picture.  Works
	   great for winter ...no noticable wind in "cabin"!!

- 140hrs:  Completed shortening of control stick 1.5" and changing the
	   angle of the middle bend. (this mod for more natural position
	   of stick for me and also for stick to clear new left side 
	   windscreen)

-Update 11/15/97
         - Working on my own toe brake design instead of lever on
	     stick.  Intent is to get differential braking and more
	     importantly to eliminate the current stick mounted lever
	     as it bumps into Windscreen Rev 3 (below) at full left
	     forward stick.
         - toe brakes interrupted because I experienced aileron 
	     flutter (!) on high speed tests with new wind screen.  Am
	     working on other mods to eliminate flutter before doing
	     anything else.
         - Also because of new wind screen I find i need to relocate
	     my static port on the airspeed indicator.  (Nearly full
	     enclosure causes pressure drop in "cabin" resulting in
           false high IAS readings.

-Future:   - Stowage access to first inboard wing sections
           - Rocket launchers ...yes, i'm serious, some work already done. 
	   - Floats (my own design) ...maybe

-Update 12/98
    - Completed the toe brakes about August 98 -- after medical hiatis.  I 
      don't like them AT ALL.  I gave myself about 3-4 flights to try 
      to get accustomed to them, but meanwhile started in on making some
      heel brakes.  Main problems with the toe brakes were that pushing
      on one would only be effective if I also held some resistance on the
      opposite rudder pedal, since afterall, the toe brake pedals were 
      mounted on the rudder pedals.  This felt very very awkward.   Also,
      I had too much linkage in the brake cable, which resulted in the first
      60% of pedal push and force doing nothing more than taking up slop.
150 hrs  - (8/98) Figured out the perfect location for static ASI port!!!
      This is a dream come true!  The Holy Grail found!  So Simple!  So
      Elegant!   Describing the technical detail of the location would
      ruin it.  If by some miracle you are reading this *and* you want
      to know where, just let me know.

154 hrs  - (9/98) First with the heel brakes.  Excellent!   ...But (and you
      knew there was going to be a but), it surprises me to learn that
      differential braking does practically no good in turning the plane,
      except at 0-3 mph.  I've made some messy landing roll-outs trying
      to get on the brakes and forgetting to stay on the rudder pedals.
      Choice of two morals:  a) the original single lever brake was not
      too bad, b) there is still room for scheming up yet another improvement
      to the differential brakes.  (later)

    - Recent projects:  
      I completed installation of a "ground plane" and 
      antennae out the floor in front of the stick.  I've also made a radio
      mount just forward of the throttle area, and found a guy (Jim Vroom)
      in Dallas who knows all the tricks to get a Delcomm radio working with
      conventional headset, mic, and PTT.  I'm buying the headset,etc from 
      him -- my Xmas present to myself.  Greeeeed.   Looking forward to 
      the radio partly to make longer XC more practical (ATIS, etc) and 
      hopefully to talk to others (Jim and Roger) in brief bouts of formation
      (or dogfighting).
     
      I've also begun work on making a center wing fuel tank.  This would 
      double as a permanent "wing gap seal" -- something that is normally
      attached or removed each time the plane is folded.  (The removable
      lexan wing gap seal attach is non-ideal anyway; sort of like remodeling
      your kitchen cuz you don't like the curtains.)   At this point I've
      spent the requisite 100 hours of concept designing while dozing off
      to sleep at night.  Maybe this suggests why none of my brake designs
      come out perfect. :)  Anyway, I've started the male plug for a fiberglass
      tank ...stay tuned, say about summer 99?   Oh, I should add, one hoped
      for benefit is to free up the space taken by the current tank location.
      This would be a huge asset to XC baggage area.