My favorite flippin Chevy engine stand

I'm building a new stand to replace my off kilter stand of 30+ years. I used 2 - 3' and 3 - 2' pieces of 1 1/2" x 1/8" thick square tubing, 4 wheel plates and 4 330lb wheels from my favorite Chinese tool supply. I made 12 gussets from 1 1/4" square tubing 10" long ( 1/4" plate can be used for gussets). The axles are 2 - 6" x 3" diameter pipe and 2 - 10 x 2 1/2" diameter pipe. The mount plates can be started with a 2 - 5" X 8" - 1/4" plates and cut down from there. The axles are cut at a 45 degree angle and centered between the middle cylinders.To center the mount plate I measured 5 3/4" from the center of the forward mount bolt and made a center line for the axle. Tack weld these and find a motor or block and bolt it to the stand and make any necessary adjustments to square the block. With the plates welded and trimmed and the block level in the stand, drill a stop pin hole, the cut a ring from the 3" pipe and make an axle retainer for both sides. Rotate the block, drill stop holes at verticle, upside down and nose down. I like this stand because I can drop a cam straight down into the block, and bolt a flywheel,clutch and bell housing to it. Different axels can be made for other engines as long as the stand is made wide enough for them to rotate.

 

Oh man am I going to steal this idea! I love the whole thing.

 

Trying to get into tech week. this will hold both SBC and BBC.

 

That's pretty damn cool.

 

Wont hold the early front mount small blocks but still really cool.

 

Great idea!
How about welding a cheap socket into the end of one of the tubes. Throw on a long power bar to make flipping it easier (or to launch you across the shop when that BB goes over centre)

 

turned out really cool . might have to steall this one to work on my desoto hemi . talk to you later el jefe .

 

That is awesome, we had one in an agricultural shop I worked in once, it held the John Deere in line 6 engines and had a hand crank to turn it. Somehow it locked when you stopped turning the handle so it couldn't go into a death spin on you...I like your "enginuity" (spelled wrong on purpose)...

 

I like everything about it but for the concentration of mass on one side of the axle when the heads (and manifold) are in place. That has got to be a hand full to rotate to/from verticle or from upside down. Seems to me building an 'offset' from the axle at the stand to the axle tube that attaches to the engine would offer improved balance of the mass in all rotational positions and still maintain all the advantages your design offers.

All in all a very nicely done stand and far more versatile than the 'traditional' rear block mounting style.

Regards,
Ray

 

It is surprising balanced without the extra weight of the bell housing and clutch and rotates fairly easy.

 

I like this stand; I’ve been pondering building one similar. I have a few questions about the pipe you are using for the “axle”. I hope I explain this in a way it can be understood; hopefully it will help some out there. If you don’t want to read this entire next paragraph, just skip it, my question is at the bottom.
I am a piping designer; I design chemical plants and oil refineries, so when people talk of building stuff in the garage out of pipe, the dimensions they use always throws me for a loop. I don’t know about the black pipe sold in hardware stores, but in my industry, pipe 12” and under is measured a little funny. It goes by nominal dimensions, not actual, until you get to 14” and up. “Three inch pipe” isn’t actually 3” O.D.(outside diameter) or 3” I.D.(inside diameter), it’s 3.5” O.D. The I.D. changes when the wall thickness changes, but it rarely is an exact match to the "nominal" size. “Two and a half inch pipe” is actually 2.875” O.D. This got me to wondering, so I called a fence supply company. What they sell as 3” pipe, is actually 2-7/8” O.D., which technically is 2 ½” pipe. They don’t list a 2” size at all. Now, heavy wall tubing is another story all together, you can get it in specific O.D.s or I.D.s, I believe (I don’t deal with tubing so I could be wrong).
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For the “axle”, are you using schedule 40 pipe? Do you get this from a fence supply? If so, can you clarify the actual dimension on the pipe you are using?

 

I used 3/16" thick steel tube for the axle and 1/8" thick steel tube for the housing. The diameter of the tubing isn't critical, as long as they fit inside each other. I just found it at the scrap yard.

 

Very Cool!
This is proof maybe everything hasn't been done or invented.

 

I curious to know why you would choose this design over a traditional engine stand? Cool idea for sure, and I mean no disrespect by my question. What are the pros vs. the cons if you will......

 

It's easier to install a cam and you can also add your flywheel, clutch and bell housing. Most of all it is more stable than the traditional rear mount stand. I have had those start to tip if you hit a seam in the garage. in fact when I was younger and living at home a motor went tits up onto the floor and shook the house! Also you could put larger 8" pneumatic tires on it and move a motor across the yard.

 

This is my pick for tech week. Get a patent on this ASAP

 

Nice, I do like the idea of the wider footprint to curb the tipping issue And I was thinking the cam would be easier great idea man. Patent might be a good idea!