912 engine mount for a model C?

[birddog486 21]

Anyone know where to get an engine mount for a 912? I've left several messages on the phone and email for Brett at Airdale over the past few weeks and haven't heard back from him.

Travis

[Av8r3400 1179]

He's been out of town lately with family-medical issues. Try sending him an email message. (Sales@airdale.com)

I believe he does have the 912 mount in stock, if I remember right. I think there was at least one hanging on the rack...

[ChrisBolkan 130]

Not exactly sure how to try and explain this, but here goes. If you imagine the 912 engine mount on two planes, one plane the firewall and the other plane the ring that has the rubber motor mounts on it, the two planes are about 5 inches apart. Between these two planes are pieces of straight tubing that connect them together. One of these pieces of tubing on the mount Brett makes is larger diameter for what appears to be no aparent reason. That is until you try to mount the motor. Then that piece of tubing interfers with one of the intake manifolds. That is when you realize the reason this particular piece of tubing is larger diameter because it is supposed to be bent and needs to be larger to maintain strength. We suspect brett inherited the fixturing that shows what tubes connect where and what the tubing diameters are supposed to be, but somehow the information about required bends in the tubing got lost somewhere in one of the many ownership transfers. My friends Max and Jeromie had conversations with Brett, but communicating how the mount needed to be made was difficult over the long distance. Anyway, If you buy the mount, expect to have to cut some tubing out and bend up and re-weld a couple spots to make everything fit correctly. Still the slightly wrong mount is far easier to modify than trying to make one from scratch.

By the way, WELL worth the effort! The 912 powered Avid absolutely rocks.

Chris Bolkan

[ChrisBolkan 130]

I should also add that it is possible to use the mount pretty much as-is if you mount the 912 carbs out instead of in. one friend has his this way, but it is far less than optimal in that the top cowl needs to have bumps put in it to clear the carbs and ocassionally on shutdown a carb has been known to shake out of its socket.

If the carbs are mounted inboard as they should be, the install is very clean and the carbs will never shake off and no cowl mods are necessary to clear the carbs.

Chris

[Av8r3400 1179]

I understand the difficulties the mount has had.

Recently a local builder and excellent fabricator modified his mount and Brett was part of this. I think he has since modified the jig to incorporate these changes and updates.

[ChrisBolkan 130]

That is fantastic news. very nice to know. My information is a year old. Many thanks for the update!

Was only trying to describe what we encountered so there would be no surprises. No suggesting not to do it. IMHO it is the best option for the Avid if it is a model that can tolerate the weight increase without destroying the useful load.

Two of my friends are currently running the 912 in their MKIVs. One is stretched and pretty heavy because that's the way he built it, not the way it has to be. His is 670Lb. The other is not stretched and he took care to keep it light. His is 630LB. Not a bad tradeoff for the 595 it was with the 582!

Chris

[Av8r3400 1179]

I would never argue the "old" 912 mount is not a total pain in the a$$.

I haven't seen the mods made to the new mount in detail, but I have seen the one that Dave was prototyping. Much improved...

[birddog486 21]

Thats all great info, thanks. Now I just need Brett to get back to me

Travis

[Av8r3400 1179]

I stopped by Dave's this afternoon and took a couple of photos of his engine mount...

[birddog486 21]

I stopped by Dave's this afternoon and took a couple of photos of his engine mount...

Thanks for the pics. That looks great, I'm hoping I can find one that nice.

Travis

[birddog486 21]

Now after driving 850 miles today I'm the owner of a 912 for the Avid. Now I need to find a mount.