ORIGINAL: Sport_Pilot
Good choice on the Magnum, I had to laugh when guys were suggesting the 400 dollar Jett for you budget project!!!
I also gave him the Fox which is the next best engine mentioned in this thread. Besides a used Jett is a bargain compaired to a new OS.
These two engines I have experience with and own and run in two of my models. I wouldn't waste any time or money on aftermarket mufflers because the manufacture's mufflers are tuned already, they both haul. You may be able to find them cheaper at some other online outlets or at a local hobby shop, swap meet, etc, but a new one with your Tower discount will make it easy. Both of them run well on about any fuel, like Omega. Gary can get you pointed the right direction and may have done so already, but these are my recommendations.
He is going to need a tuned pipe for this plane for the speed he needs. I doubt the Magnums will last more than a year with a pipe. The best engines I have seen mentionedother than a Fox or used Jett are:
Webra; but no longer made, hard to get parts.
Rossi; almost as expensive as the Jett and hard to get parts for.
HP; good engine I own one, you can get parts - well sometimes, just depends if Mecoa decides to make a run of parts or not.
RJL aka Kraft, same issue as HP.
K&B, Twister same issue as the HP.
OS;they do not make a.60 the larger engines may be illegal, certainly for SPA and the .55 is not competitive.
EVO, I suspect it is only marginally better than the Magnum.