conventional wisdom suggests offsetting the engine to the passenger side of the engine compartment makes it easier to install and clear the steering box (if your are keeping it stock) After everything is buttoned up it is not noticeable. In fact the factory did it later when stuffing V8's into A bodies.
Thank you for that advice, i have heard about 1.5" is what it needs. once we get it in and make sure the exhaust manifolds are going to work i am going to have them cleaned up some
Today was a good day, we pieced the engine together and lowered it into the engine bay to see what kind of clearance issues we were going to have. With the engine all the way back the fan is in line right where the radiator is going to need to be. Tomorrow or Thursday we are going to looking into cutting out sections of the firewall to push her back just a few inches. If the water pump didnt stick out so much we might be better off but, not sure if they make a shorter water pump like they do for Chevys.
Here the engine still had a few inches to go back but as far as that water pump stuck out still will give us problems since we are wanting to run a manual fan
Hey Yoo, Mr VooDoo, Love the Chop ! Nothing but a Definite Improvement. I know You'll Enjoy. Good Job Jay.........
Curious, are you running a fill tube through to the outside of the rear of the car or will you be putting gas into the tank in the trunk? Thanks.
Thanks Smokey! People that walk into my shop ask if it is a Merc. That makes me smile. Fill tube is going to stay in the trunk with a vent tube to the underside of the floor.
I am Looking for an old MOPAR, will keep it all MOPAR (318 & 727 with a push button shift) and I am not a MOPAR guy!!!
Sorry i havent had too many updates, lately. Car is moving along nicely but I have had my butt handed to me at my main job so luckily Jay at Riggs Fabrication and Restoration and our buddy Jason have been knocking out the engine and transmission mounts. Will get some good pictures this weekend, followed what a lot of people recommended and went with a B body driver exhaust manifold and offset engine a inch and a half. Instead of taking a hammer to the firewall we decided to have Jay rework the firewall and just cut out what was in the way. Felt the end result would look more factory when completed.
Jay has been knocking out the floors this last week, and if you look closely you can see the 318 coming through the fire wall. Very excited to see the car moving along.
Will get a picture of the new floors uploaded shortly, should have all the sheet metal done this week or early next week and then we can start putting down the lizard skin
While Jay was working on the fab work for the firewall i decided to st rip the remained coating out of the interior and start on the primer. The goal is to put lizard skin down on the metal but debating on putting down por15 on the surface rusted areas, just have read a primer needs to go in between them. Here is some updated pictures from todays progress. Going to be sad to cover up all of jays work with paint
Well guys the car is moving right along, Rick came by this weekend to let us know what the chop needs before he can put the glass in. Dad and i sanded down all the welds and cleaned up the old metal in the interior so we could prep it for POR 15. We also got the firewall and engine bay all cleaned up and painted to keep it from rusting. Figured we are a ways away from the actual paint job so rattle can will have to do for now.
Just read through the whole build thread and I must say I love the fabrication work so far. This is going to be one awesome car when it's finished. Keep up the good work!
The Jalopy Journal
