As I have written before,
I would like to swap a Deutz air cooled diesel into a mini pickup truck.
Deutz air cooled diesel powered ‘trash pumps” really impressed me.
Easy start in freezing weather, durable.
I understand in Europe there were Deutz powered farm tractors.
It might be a “death wish” but a air cooled Deutz diesel powered Kitfox STOL airplane might be a better fate than years of Dementia.
I have read about Soviet WW-II era diesel engine bomber airplanes.
I have never ever seen a more complicated vacuum system than what some of those Mercedes 300D cars had as standard equipment, even though turbo diesels do not generate a vacuum like gasoline engined autos do.