[Missyblue]

Originally Posted by dsraven

if you haven't got the engine mounts yet sometimes it is better to have the engine mocked up but sitting on blocks instead of welded in mounts. secured at height and centered. sometimes even some tie wire on each side from the engine to the frame will keep it in the middle if it is sitting on secure blocking. that way you have the option to raise or lower the engine/trans if needed for clearance or a better run for the steering column shaft. I use a few pieces of broom handle for mocking up the steering shaft. it's cheap and easily cut to length. if you have some u joints, and some broom handle that fits inside the joints like shafting, it makes it easier to get the mock up done and also the shafting cut to the proper length once you are satisfied with the mock up. on my 57 frame I used a couple of vertical sections of flat bar welded to the frame and then the engine mount parts that connect the dots from there to the engine were simply flat sheet cut to fit the steering shaft through the area. the engine brackets were easily unbolted from the frame and the engine so the whole area was wide open to slip the engine in/out easier. the pics show an LS engine with camaro mounts but the sbc could be done the same if you wanted.
here is a pic of what I meant. the white tube is just a piece of tubing I had laying around to shop where the steering shaft would run. the engine plates are not completed as I planned to reinforce them by connecting the plates together on each side (bolted to make life easier).

Thank you for the photos and suggestions. Picking up engine mounts today and will move forward. Here is my column. So appears to be collapsible yay and I was measuring wrong I think. The column is like 33.5 and the dd end add's the extra length so hopefully wont have to be shortened like I thought.