If a picture did not work you can see it in my gallery. This is the start of my 58 short bed, big window. I have had this truck for about 35 years. It was time for a restore, number three. The engine is finished 390 tri power bored and stroked to 410. In the pictures I'm test fitting the motor. Is the frame just under the cab the best place the level the frame to set the motor in? With the frame level I set a level on the air filter at zero which gave me 5 degrees at the back of the transmission and the pinion is at 6. What do you think? The motor looked a little low so I raised it about 1" but still looks a little low to me. Have sent the front axle to Sid's for a 3" drop and the frame is going to the powder coater this week. Will do up dates as it goes. Hope to complete the project for this summer.

 

Got the pictures in my Gallery.

 

Ya nice pic. I've got that same looking finish with Sanderson block huggers on my big window 58 with a 460. nice

Tom

 

And by the way I noted your questions regarding motor/pinion angle etc--All good questions and I've put a couple motors in, but not everyday--and I've got my hands full at the moment, but I need to double check my notes and get my brain in the motor install mode etc. But off the top of my head I recall using a magnetic inclineometer--am I spelling that right? its measures the angles in degrees and has a magnet for mounting itself to things. Its not an expensive tool and should be available, even maybe at Home Depot etc??

But instead of the air filter area, somehow I was taught to use the inclineometer on the starter motor. I was told that the starter motor is on the same plane as the crank shaft--or mostly.

And then one takes the same inclineometer and afixes it to the mounting flange--the flat metal pieces on your differential yolk that face forward/not up/not down, but forward--it should stay there with the magnet etc--this is where your drive shaft u joint will attach to the differential . Hope that's understandable.

Others probably no more about this than me. But as i recall you want your rear pinion angle to be measured as i said that flat surface that faces forward etc and it should be somewhere between 3 degrees or 0 degrees up, and the degrees you get from your starter motor should be somewhere between 3 degrees or 0 degrees down. And the starter angle and the pinion angle should be the same number of degrees. In other words both starter and pinion at 2 degrees or 3 degrees or 0 degrees etc. Somewhere between 0 and 3, and the same number degrees at both locations.

But like I said I'm not a pro, but this is the direction. I wish I had a diagram. Maybe someone does.

As to regarding the height of the motor and its relation to the cab--my first thoughts are that it needs to sit so that the tranny/or bell housing etc will fit OK with your cab/inspection cover etc on your floor boards--or with those sheet metal areas modded. And the motor needs to yes or no depending regarding type of fan--either close or not to radiator. And you need to clear the exhaust headers etc at frame and steering box, plus the oil pan needs to be such that when your suspension with the I beam bottoms out make sure you oil pan will not be impacted. Maybe there's some other things too, but these are some basics.

Its looking good.

 

Thank you for the reply. This is a great site for information. I would have never thought of using the starter. I was using the end of the transmission. Thanks. I was thinking the frame and intake or air cleaner should be level with each other. This gave me about 5 degrees at the and of the trans (or starter). My old 390 use to sit high in the bay. The new after market mount I'm using put the motor about 3" lower. This is the mount sold by many people. I did modify it about an inch higher boxed and welded it in. did not like the bolt in. I was told the pinion should be about 1 1/2 degrees lower. Thanks for the help.

 

Ya you might be right about the pinion being lower degree number--I was thinking it was ordinarily the same, unless one was a drag racer or such because I think for the twisting up of the pinion on a hard launch with sticky tires the entire rear housing can kinda twist up on the leaf springs and the pinion ends up momentarily pointed up and at a bad angle. But maybe it always applies and not just for drag racing? Sometimes I forget. Sounds like its coming along fine. I like the Sanderson headers on my 460. I don't have all that many miles, but still the coating looks pretty good. Some sort of ceramic metal looking stuff I guess.

 

Tom, I see your in Yountville. Love to see your truck some day. Do you make it to the Napa car show in the summer?

 

Sure. Sometimes. Just PM me and we'll meet.