TxFlyer, Its funny, I had my response all thought out but Danny beat me to the punch in his first paragraph!
I'll follow up with this. Wives. Mine loves riding in the back. IF yours likes photography, she is going to love the RV-8. Seriously, mine has bankrupted me on SD cards because she usually takes about 1000 photos from back there each time she goes with.
Room. Forget the RV-4 unless you friends are tiny, as in 150 pounds or smaller. It is truly a GREAT aircraft mind you, but todays Americans are fat bas***ds and pilots are no different. While you will spend 90% of your time solo, I can garantee once you have an RV-8, potential RV pilots will start begging for rides -- and the most demoralizing thing you can say to them is sorry mate, you are too fat for my CG range. With the RV-8, you won't ever have to say that. Ever. If they are too fat for an RV-8, they are pretty much too fat to fly in an experimental. I've had 230 pounders in the back, and with the right weight added up front, can take a 260 pounder for short hop before the fuel burn gets me too close to aft CG.
Then there is the sliding bubble canopy. Danny hinted at it. Nothing like feeling like you are in a P-51, and since most of us cannot afford that, the RV-8 is the next best thing. Its reasonably priced and sips 7 to 9 gph all day long. I love the RV-4 but having the windscreen nearly touching my nose is a bit disconcerting, although you get over it quickly. But the sliding canopy just beats it to death for style, and ROOM, not to mention emergency egress. Even taxiing is nicer. Open it four inches, or half way, it just feels great. Personally a tip up would drive me nuts. I hate that so many designers have resorted to it. I keep waiting to see one snap off in the wind when a pilot forgets to close it. Anyway, the RV-8 has a ton of room inside. I have friends with RV-4s and to a man they complain about head room with a headset on. Forget a helmet, if you like em, cause thats even worse.
Transition will be a snap for you. As tail draggers go, the RV-8 is a no brainer. Its easier to handle, directionally wise, than most commerically built TDs from the 1930s and 40s. In fact it may even annoy you some because its rudder is about "useless". By that I mean the aircraft is so well balanced that you really do not need to use rudder all that much for normal flight, and will find yourself over controlling rudder for a while. You could fly it with your feet on the floor and do most turns without the ball leaving center. Personally I find that boring, but its outstanding for most pilots with low time in Tail Draggers. Happily, when you do stomp on the rudder, its there for you in droves.
Finally, in a case of "the grass is always greener", I SERIOUSLY want to fly your C-180!!! LOL. All my adult life I wanted an RV-8 or a C-180. Two of the most versatile aircraft a working man can buy. But even now, with lots of time in the -8, I still look at antique/classics with a sense of longing. The only thing I do not miss about my former classic was the polishing! At any rate, there is irony for you. You own my other dream plane!
