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dsraven · 12-23-2018, 03:39 PM

raise engine/trans up the required amount to get it to fit properly and have clearance for worst case scenario in all directions. leave room for some sort of fan, exhaust manifold clearance, steering column shaft clearance, front pulley clearance, firewall clearance, etc. remember it will be a royal pain to swap out belts etc if you need to jack the engine up for access. all the things you cuss engineers for now when repairing a vehicle-try not to do that. try to get the engine angle around the 3 deg mark. you can use the trans tailshaft, the oil pan gasket surface, the front pulley surface etc for an angle reference
block engine and trans firmly in that position. remember to keep the engine/trans centerline parallel to the frame so you will stay 90 deg to the rear axle. this doesn't mean the engine must stay in the center of the frame rails. some guys will offset an inch to the pass side for clearance
bolt up the middle section of your trans cross member but leave the ends off for now
fab up a new set of trans cross member frame brackets and try to hang off the web of the frame or, if hanging off the lower rail, try to connect the upper and lower rails when all done. check out a 70-80's chevy trucks trans cross member to see what I mean, it hung off the bottom rail but was braced to the upper rail as well
fab up a set of engine mounts
fab up the required trans hump cover and/or firewall cover if you needed to cut away anything there.

12-23-2018, 03:39 PM	#210
dsraven Registered User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: calgary alberta Posts: 7,858	Re: 57 Panel "FAKMLC" build raise engine/trans up the required amount to get it to fit properly and have clearance for worst case scenario in all directions. leave room for some sort of fan, exhaust manifold clearance, steering column shaft clearance, front pulley clearance, firewall clearance, etc. remember it will be a royal pain to swap out belts etc if you need to jack the engine up for access. all the things you cuss engineers for now when repairing a vehicle-try not to do that. try to get the engine angle around the 3 deg mark. you can use the trans tailshaft, the oil pan gasket surface, the front pulley surface etc for an angle reference block engine and trans firmly in that position. remember to keep the engine/trans centerline parallel to the frame so you will stay 90 deg to the rear axle. this doesn't mean the engine must stay in the center of the frame rails. some guys will offset an inch to the pass side for clearance bolt up the middle section of your trans cross member but leave the ends off for now fab up a new set of trans cross member frame brackets and try to hang off the web of the frame or, if hanging off the lower rail, try to connect the upper and lower rails when all done. check out a 70-80's chevy trucks trans cross member to see what I mean, it hung off the bottom rail but was braced to the upper rail as well fab up a set of engine mounts fab up the required trans hump cover and/or firewall cover if you needed to cut away anything there.