Where do folks go for fresh/reman C-85 engines? Are they commonly available, or do folks just have them rebuilt locally and let their local shop off components for specific work? Is there another suitable engine that is preferred, more common, or more economical in a Champ?

I’ve tried several web searches, as well as Barnstormers & Controller. I was surprised at the lack of results. I’m new to this whole thing and just had some idle thoughts the other day about overhaul time, upgrading a 65 to a C-85, stuff like that.

Thanks!

Don's Dream Machines would be my first stop. I like to mostly assemble my own, but I highly recommend them for any machine work on an 85, 4JOhn

C-85 are getting harder to find. Most of the Cub guys bought them to hang on their J-3’s. Now that Bill Pancake got the STC to hang them on Champs the surplus is going to take another blow. Guys are now opting to buy flying and non flying Cessna 140/120’s, removing the engines and parting out the airframes, that’s why there’s so many cheap Cessna 140/120 projects laying around with no FWF!

A C-90 is a very good option with very little paperwork needed.

Is that desirable to the O-200 in some way? Because of existing STCs? Or some technical reason? Seems like O-200s are plentiful.

Zzz wrote:Is that desirable to the O-200 in some way? Because of existing STCs? Or some technical reason? Seems like O-200s are plentiful.

I don't know about STCs, but O-200s are more or less a C90 with a cam profiled for horsepower at higher rpms.

Change the cam in an O-200 and you get C90 performance.

I've heard of, but not seen the Wagner STC for O-200s in Chiefs/Champs.