The lockoff is vacuum controlled, so that's one reason for mounting it up front... No propane flows until the engine generates some vacuum to open the lockoff. The less length in the hoses, the less time it takes to get propane into the engine. I suppose you could get an electric lockoff and mount it in the back, I've just never seen it done like that.
I might make a bracket to support the converter, but it's a 1" pipe nipple holding it in place, and even with only 2 bolts in the mixer, it doesn't flex a millimeter. I've even seen a picture of an OEM app with all 3 components mounted right to the mixer... for what it's worth. The converter doesn't weigh alot, but I did it mostly for space reasons, and to avoid using any of the vapor hose... it supposedly runs better this way.
Hoses, fittings, etc... Dillon's forklift shop. The shit ain't cheap. Hose is ~$4 a foot, the fittings are $3.17 each (you'll need a minimum of 4 with one tank, more if you run 2), and the connectors to the tank were like $12 each. The brackets for the bottles are $50 each. This is prices for new stuff... The fittings are very cool because it allows you to make your own hose lengths. The downside is, they don't swivel. makes attaching them a pain, but ya just gotta plan the order you attach them.
I bought the 3 major components as a set on ebay - was pulled from a vehicle. VFF30, Model E, 425 mixer... the 3 most common vehicle components.
I've got $425 into this, and I'm basically done. $200 of that was the brackets, hoses, and fittings. I got my tanks super cheap (don't ask, because it won't be a good reference), and the 3 major parts for about $125. But, to have a stone-simple, run-at-any-angle system that doesn't give a damn about water, dust, and all the other crap we deal with, I'll take it.
