Technical SBC positioning on a 1930 model A advice

I am redoing a full fender 31 PU. I sunk the firewall about 3". and the fan is less than a inch from radiator using a Zips waterpump
I started by installed a radiator (or mock up) and putting the engine on the hoist in place with a set of motor mounts installed. (I use a plastic motor). I got the engine as close as practical to the radiator and that was the position. I figured this would give me the smallest firewall inset.

 

Boones what is that water neck off of? Am also using a Zip riser on a SBC in my '31 sedan.

Thanks

 

I have the PN I think, let me check. I got the number from Randy (Deuce Roadster) many moons back.

 

I could use that PN as well!

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

If the motor is set in right, a stock water pump and fan will work find...

 

I show it as a W5031 in a carquest box

 

My car is a 28 so the measurements don't mean much to your car, and I'm using a blown small block. So, mock up, mock up, and mock up again. I did reverse the lower part of the firewall, and had to make a "box", for distributor clearance. Radiator is in the stock position, and the body is in the stock place on the original boxed A frame. The 2" drive helped, and the Zips water pump gets the fan up high enough. I did put the crank centerline in the same relationship to the car as the stock A motor. I can still mount the stock hood if I go naturally aspirated. Headers are a bitch!!!!! That's why I built outside "sprint car" type. It all fits, but again MOCK UP, mock up, mock up!!!

 

Hello Scrap Metal.
From your picture, it seems that the engine mounts are welded level to the top of your frame, is that right ? Do you have enough room to put the top part of the Hood ?
Are you using the stock frame ?

 

Go twichy,

Is it a stock A frame with radiator in the stock position ?

 

not a stock frame, but a so-cal frame. no motor mounts were on it when I got it. it had only running board bracket mounts marked and hood latch and cowl mounts marked on it, stock front crossmember.

 

Hi Jeff, The mounts are actually about 3/4" above the top of the frame and even with a big old oil bath air cleaner there is plenty of room for my hood and also there is barely a tranny hump.. It is a stock dimensional frame...

 

hi scrap metal and go twichy!
Thanks for the imputs!

 

...here's some relevant information that may help. It's an old but excellent thread.....
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=150434
Good luck with your build....

 

I had my body bolted down to where it had to be. I mounted the trans to the engine and had them supported at the correct angle and height, then I moved the pair rearward until the dist. touched the fire wall. Once the dist. touched the firewall I tried to put the radiator in place, of course it did not fit. But now I could measure how far back the rad. had to go to bolt up.

Probably not how others would do it but I cut a distributor sized hole in the firewall and moved the engine back until I could bolt the radiator in place with 3/4 inch clearance between fan and radiator.

Once the trans. mount and engine and radiator were all correct I bolted my biscuit style mounts to the engine nice and solid. Finally I welded them in.

The right and left side mounts are not identical, the measurements will be different, having them bolted to the engine is the very best way to get them right. One mount is at a different angle from the other too.

When the engine mounts were trimmed and welded in and the transmission mount was installed I made a firewall indent about 1 and 1/2 inches deeper than Henry had the original indent, I also had to trim the firewall some where the right side head was touching. I am using a 32 frame but mounting engine mounts is about the same for any build.

 

Will have a look on this thread, thanks bgbdlinc

 

Will bolt the mounts on the engine before tack welding for sure!
Good explanation norms30a, thanks.
With all this, i have lot of ingrédients to do my own recipe and do things correctly...it's smelling good
Jeff

 

Sounds like you are heading the right direction. I sure hate to see folks make more work for themselves than they need!

 

I hope so Tman!

 

Hi!
Just wanted to say thank you to all of you guys that helped me to set up correctly my engine. Engine and trans are now on my frame and everything seems to be ok.
Thanks a lot!

 

yea! U-S-A, U-S-A!