Ok...I FINALLY BORROWED a hoist ( THANK YOU LARRY and MARTYN..)to use and started marking up spots to put my engine..NOW be forewarned..I MIGHT ask the wrong thing or leave something out..I HAVE never done this with a build like this...so be gentle.The frame is now leveled on jack stands.As you can see I have the engine is place but a FEW things are REALLY bothering me...I have read about engine tilt and placement but can ALWAYS use more advice.As you see in the picture the engine is tilted the same angle as the front kick up because I realized that if I made if the same as the frame,when the front drops down the engine would be tilted WAY TOO far forward.Now I was thinking that this set-up would work.I am also wondering if I have the engine back far enough.I am using a SBC short water pump and because I am still waiting for my radiator to be delivered I left more room then I think I need...and the FINAL thing that is just eating at my arse...ISNT that engine seem to sit WAY too high..? The problem is I cant do nothing about it...
Get the radiator so you can be sure of clearences. What fan are you going to use, mechanical or electric? Set the top of the manifold level. The frame should be at down the road angle. (big /little tires?) Engine and tranny looks high and can be lowered by motor mount set up. At this point your going to have a very high tunnel with the channeld body. I think your getting ahead of yourself with out the running gear set up.
Carb pad should be level, will you have rake in the frame or will it be level ? What's the interference with lowering the engine ?
Yes, (in my opinion) the engine DOES look to be sitting very high. Who built the frame? Are you sure the trans tailshaft housing isn't supposed to go under the frame crossmember not on top of it? Simply put. With the frame at the angle that it will be when it has wheels and tires (and weight) on it ... the carb mounting pad should be level ... this will make the engine trans tilt down approx 3 degree at ride height.
Ditto. Most all manufaturers built a 3 degree angle in all their intakes to make up for the normal 3degree pinion angle. The carb should sit 100% level.
and i always thought the engineers tilted the engine and transmissions to gain more leg room in the passenger compartment. and added pinion angle on the rear to make up for it..
Definitely too high. You need to have everything set up before settling on anything. I run a SBC with LWP in my 35 Chevy lower than that with an engine tube and manage to run a flat floor with no transmission tunnel. Set the car up at ride height with body on and correct rake, you need to take suspension travel and wheels into consideration and have sufficient engine to firewall to radiator clearance. My firewall however has the OEM recess that I use for distributor clearance. My engine sits a lot lower than yours with more than ample clearance at transmission pan and engine pan as well. I run 235/75/15 on rear and 205/65/15 on front and approx 3 degree pinion up and similar engine down. No strange harmonics at all. As stated set carb base level and adjust accordingly until it is so float levels are correct in the finished car. Measure twice, cut once.
i don't think the engine angle is that important as far as running is concerned. where i live it's hard to find a piece of flat road anyway. as stated do not put the motor in till you get the radiator, starter, steering column, etc. take a look at all the clearances sometimes having the ability to move it a little helps solve a problem later. engine does look high but sometimes that looks cool.
I'm sure if you do a bit of searching through archives, you'll find what ya looking for. This awesome coupe featured in a very recent build thread. Just 1 side view gives you at least some idea where you want it sitting. But as said previously, there are other pieces to mock up at the same time. Ya dont want to be doing shit over and over. Been there...
Ok..I DID forget of few things...LOL...Big,little tires.....6.00/16 in the front..7.50/16 in the rear.Mechanical fan.The frame was built by the con artist Eric,Vaphead... and there is no way to lower the trans mount.I cant lower the motor anymore because it would make it impossible to have it level.I am headed out to pick up a radiator thsi morning...thanks again guys...well..so far....LOL.
Definitly: There's no such thing as a mistake, just more welding. The centreline of the crank wants to be about level with the top of the front cross member. So a drop of a couple of inches seems in order. And as mentioned already, try to get your carb pad as level as possible. My motor is way up in the air, but that is where I wanted it.
I would get the sawall out and cut and make new trans mount.Lower even to level carb and get idear how it will sit with tires.Once car is on plane level get trans about 3inches above rearend joint.My car the oil pan is about 4 " from ground.
Looks like whoever built the frame wasn"t considering that the tranny mount shouldn"t have been welded in until you mocked up the engine and tranny. The tranny crossmember needs to be replaced with one that fits your engine and tranny setup. Then you can get your angle right with motor mounts.Just from the pics the tranny needs to be at least 2 to 3 inches lower.
Ok..now here are some more pics of what I have and what can and can not be done...(In my opinion..which doesnt mean shit..LOL..) I figure I have 2 or 3 options.In the pics the only way to lower the trans mount is to completely cut out the whole middle carriage and lower it all together..In fact I will only gain about 1 to 1 1/2 inch drop..( NOT happy about doing that,which means I probaly wont..)...The second option is to order a 3 inch drop universal transmount crossmember BUT what bothers me is that the driveshaft will wind up hitting the center part of the carriage. I used a wooden dowel and came up with a 8 degree upward measurement from the center of the rear end to the center of the trans end shaft.Is there a way to just CHECK to see if ti will hit or will I need to have a drive shaft made to fitted to see..? I checked out a radiator at Autozone and the measurements are 19 inches wide by 19 inches tall...everything I saw on Ebay is at least 22 inches tall by 19 inches wide...ok..now for pics...and a added note..YES you guys are helping even though this is driving me crazy...LOL...I LOVE to learn..
Right below trans if you notched out about half way in filled in with medal.Then slide the trans mount back and cut off trans part weilded to crossmember,Low motor try for no more then 3 or4 degres.With the car about the way it will sit, trans about2to 3 inches above rearend.If you are running a machical fan you don,t want it to hit hose or auto trans lines.When you get it right wield the trans tube and rear together,then new trans mount.
I hate to say it with you not wanting to change all your hard work,but it ain"t going to work the way you have it so cutting out and redoing is your Only option if you want it to be right.Its like putting something together and realizing you left out a main part.No choice but to cuss,go back and do it right.Ain"t building if it always works perfect everytime. Good luck with it.Keep pics posted of your work.
Looks to me like you've got tons of clearance. Slide the tranny crossmember forward, weld a mount to the bottom side (kinda like upside down) and the tranny will bolt right up, that should drop the rear of the tranny to just above the raduis arm crossmember. Shove a yoke in it and thta'll put the driveshaft about 6" behind the tailshaft and 4" past the radius arm crossmember - lots of clearance. The subframe seat lateral might be in the way but that is on the topside and you expected that. When you set the motor make sure you have the intake that you'll use. Some have an angle, some are flat. The reason that motors are set at an angle is so the oil will run to the sump/oil pickup - it has nothing to do with pinion angle (don't get me started on that subject, i already yelled at some poor inocent bystander on pinion angle). Anyway, i set my engines level and use a flat intake. You might also want to check with the header mfgr that you plan to use and find out what works for them the best. And the body looks pretty good, did you do that or get some help? Later oj
I had to cut out the tranny crossmember on the chassis I got from Eric to straighten the frame. After it was straight, I rewelded the crossmember back in but my crossmember is about 1/2 inch down from the top of the frame rail, not level with it like yours is. I also have the Z'd frame right at the firewall and your frame is not. Don;t know if that is how your ordered it or not, but our frames are difinitely different. PM sent... Outlaw
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