Motor mountin'... will this get me killed?

[Kojack]

Okay. Finally moving with this damn car... I'm starting to really get the drive back to see this car on the road and make it what I want. With a job comes money, and money for cars. I've just bought everything for the top end of the 307 that's going in it(cheap motor), so it's time to mount the motor up.

Here is a drawing(poor) of what I was thinking of doing to get the motor in. I'm forced to use the front horseshoe type mount on the front, as side mounds bring the motor up forwards too much, and messes up shifter alignment and room for a fan.

What I was thinking of doing is welding some thick ass steel right across like a bridge, welding in some support under it, and bolting the motor right to the "bridge". Seems like a good idea... anyone have any imput? Bad idea? Improvements to how to weld it up? This should be interesting for my first build, and for a lot of my buds, but we should beable to get it to work.... I hope...

[dehudso]

I think that that style of mount might allow the engine to rock a little too much. From what I have seen on here with some flathead mounts they have that same style , except with the mounting points spaced out a little farther to give resistance to rocking motion. It might work with a torque strap kind of limiter though.

[burger]

http://home.earthlink.net/~edmurder/420-Front.jpg

kojack,

here's a shot of what i have going on in my chevy. i had a kinda unique situation, so i ended up making the bracket you see above. it's strong as hell and isn't going to break anytime soon. i got the buiscuits from McMaster-Carr for like $9 each. they're pretty similar to the ford-style mounts, except that they're true vibration isolators. i wanted to make sure that engine vibration wouldn't get transfered to the chassis, as there's way too much cam in my engine and i don't want to rattle my nuts off at idle.


ed

[jeff]

how about using a piece of 1/4 inch thick channel across the crossmember??

[jeff]

ed- you should put some more welds in that thing.. it looks like it could break.-j

[dehudso]

Maybe like this? Kinda reised your drawing.

[Sean]

Check out this ebay auction for an old Hurst front engine mount...
Click here (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=34202&item=7901992 555&rd=1)

[Fat Hack]

You can buy mounts like that new from Speedway...not too pricey either! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Kojack]

I was told about those types of mounts as well... kinda cool that one says Hurst, though! Now, that mounts directly to the block, and to the frame rails... no rubber? Must be a bumpy ride...

[dehudso]

Rubber biscuits in-between the mount and frame.

[Crestliner]

you put rubber biscuits under the hurst mount.

[Kojack]

Makes sense... couldn't tell from the picture at all.

I saw your edit, dehudson... would be nice to do that, only that would be a lot of modifying to the mount I've got. I just don't know if I've got the skills for that... the bridge was pretty simple, welding wise. Perhaps with a strap, I'll be alright..

[SimonSez]

In your first drawing, are those little boxes that stick up from the front crossmember the original mount brackets ?

If they are in line with the front of the engine, can you extend your fabricated plate to bolt on there ? With a bit of luck, you may be able to use the original rubber insulators as well.

[zonkola]

You'd have a lot of leverage pulling at that first motor mount--it might eventually snap and cause much heartburn. Here are a couple of the motor mounts from Speedway that have been mentioned. They start pretty cheap at $50...

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/eCCStoreFront/smi/product_images/medium/1356023.jpg
Motor mount #1 (http://www.speedwaymotors.com/xq/asp/strBase_List./hilt./source.2192/base_no.1356023/str_base_no.1356023%2C5505285%2C7026640%2C7204145% 2C7204175%2C7204695%2C7209313%2C7209314%2C91018030 %2C91018031%2C91018991%2C91089431%2C91618002%2C916 18005%2C91618009%2C91618011%2C91618012%2C91618013% 2C91618014%2C91618015%2C/header_title.Street+Rod+Products%2DMotor+Mounts+%2 6+Conversion+Kits/page_name.prod%5Flist%5Fdisplay%2Easp/search_type.L2%7E405/search_option./deptsearch./deptSearch_id.225/dept_id.L2%7E405/dept_id_p./dept_name./dept_name_p.Street+Rod+Products/ShowImages.yes/sq.0/cont.1/intPgNo.1/redirect./qx/product.htm)

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/eCCStoreFront/smi/product_images/medium/91618012.jpg
Motor mount #2 (http://www.speedwaymotors.com/xq/asp/strBase_List./hilt./source.2192/base_no.91618012/str_base_no.1356023%2C5505285%2C7026640%2C7204145% 2C7204175%2C7204695%2C7209313%2C7209314%2C91018030 %2C91018031%2C91018991%2C91089431%2C91618002%2C916 18005%2C91618009%2C91618011%2C91618012%2C91618013% 2C91618014%2C91618015%2C/header_title.Street+Rod+Products%2DMotor+Mounts+%2 6+Conversion+Kits/page_name.prod%5Flist%5Fdisplay%2Easp/search_type.L2%7E405/search_option./deptsearch./deptSearch_id.225/dept_id.L2%7E405/dept_id_p./dept_name./dept_name_p.Street+Rod+Products/ShowImages.yes/sq.0/cont.1/intPgNo.1/redirect./qx/product.htm )

[burger]

kojack,

the way i read your post, i thought you couldn't use the hurst style mount. if the mount would have worked for me, i would have used it instead of the homebrew job.


ed

[BELLM]

I have seen some heavy duty Chev truck engines with a front mount looks like your idea. If you use a 55-57 Chev bellhousing with the mounts on the lower sides of the bellhousing should be ok. But if you are using a rear mount that is on the transmission extensing housing might not be too stable. Plus you will have a long unsupported space between mounts, could crack bellhousing. Front mounts on a Chev V-8 result in more vibration being transferred to the frame etc but I have used Hurst type mounts years ago and rear mounts on the transmission and survived but they were not bad assed engines, either. Just my humble opinion http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[krupanut]

I got an old hurst mount on my 31 w/h small block.
Works great!

[manyolcars]

It would help if you said what car its going in. 1 1/2 inch thick metal is for railroads, not automobiles. Someday someone will cuss you for welding that kinda crap to the car. Use standard accepted methods to do your work and you will be happier. I dont believe sidemounts will not work--you just need to redesign them. Hang the engine where you want it, then briddge the gap between your frame and the chevy rubber mounts. Since you can weld, this should be easy for you. You can even make your new mounts attractive (curves instead of straight lines)

[Kojack]

Zonkola... I've been rethinking things a bit more, and perhaps something like that cross mount would be a good idea for better stability and realiablity. The first one you gave me a link too wouldn't work, as it's too far up... say I used the side mounts? How does the second one work? I'm having a hard time visualizing it...

[Machinos]

Chrysler did something like that for all their flatheads, they called it "floating power(tm)". Basically it's just a big bracket around the timing cover that bolts directly to the frame and has a wide, flat rubber mount on top that the engine bolts to.

[DrJ]

Like mentioned above...
The front of the 235 in our 55 Chevy truck is suspended on a couple of long bolts like pier pilings. What keeps it where it's supposed to be is the two wide set bell housing mounts.
Think Triangulation...