Will you need to put a plate in front of that oil filter, it looks like it might hang low and have a chance of being punctured .

 

So today I got a little deeper in engine mock up. I'm blessed with a POS Harborjunk engine lift. It bleeds off slowly. Just enough to make it tough to fab engine mounts or the like with weight on it. One thing I noticed yesterday when installing the oil pan is how robust (and heavy) the pan is. It has nice squared and flat bottom sections, fully welded 1/16" steel. Its stout. I set the engine back in and built up some wood shims between the crossmember and pan and lowered the engine on it. I built up some dunnage under the rear part of the pan too. No issues. Now I have a solid platform to work with. I wouldn't try this with a stamped pan, or a 7.3 deisel. But it is plenty strong for the aluminum mill.

Next I set the frame to my desired rake which I already sorted out at 1.5° when in the chassis phase. To do so I made some stilts to replace the rear coilovers.







I checked the frame in several spots to verify the 1.5° rake.






While I'm not at actual ride height, I'm at my actual frame rake. That's all that really matters at this point. So a little shuffling around with wood shims I got the engine as low as possible and still be able to remove the oil filter. You can see the dunnage under the pan here also.




Knowing that is as low as I can go in front without a oil filter relocate (which may happen) I adjusted the angle by lifting the transmission. A ratchet strap works well. With the engine supported in multiple spots with dunnage and the transmission supported like it is the truck and be rolled around the workspace if need be. A prevention for one of my drunken friends leaning on the truck and rolling it off jacks and stuff. Live and learn.




I'm at about 3° down which would work okay. But I think I'll have to modify the trans cover. Not a big deal. I could lower the engine more which would also lower the transmission and think I could use a stock trans cover. But then would need to relocate the oil filter. 12 one way a dozen the other I guess. I'll have to mull it over a little. I'm going to order or look for a trans cover before I go much farther, don't have one yet.

Getting a look at my steering shaft. The engine is offset 3/4" to the passenger side. It will run outside the header. The tinman engine mount won't fit with the steering shaft, so that mount will need to be remade.





Ive got quite a few ideas of how to make the mounts. Lots of things to think about though. This is the most "together" its been in a while.




This still just in the "thinking about it" stage. I've yet to cometely level the frame. Just getting the wheels turning in my head.



Brent, if I go the relocate route I post up some pics of the adapter. Like John said you might want to make a little skid plate, or use a different filter. That one looks bigger than the stock, is it an FL1A?

 

Looks good!
EFI is not as sensitive to engine angle, I have run 5 degrees down no problem, just set the pinion up to match. That may allow you to just lower the trans and not have to modify the trans cover.

 

Thanks Dave. You're right on the angle. Without a carb, no worry about fuel bowl levels. FI can be set level, to as you mentioned probably around 5° down. Pretty much what ever fits best for all the considerations that need to be accounted for. I ordered a trans cover from LMC just so I know what I'm dealing with. It might fit as is for all I know. That would be sweet, but I expect it won't as that is just how this stuff goes ha ha.

 

That picture showing it with the ratchet strap I'd say a stock cover would fit no problem Nick.

 

56panelford, The angle of the pic makes it look lower than it is. It's about 3" lower than the front radiator cross member. When the front valence and grill are in place it will be protected. It's higher than the steering rack and TCI cross member at the lowest point.

 

Gotcha, would hate to think a stone or some other object on the road could kill that beautiful motor. I know a guy who was traveling on a gravel road in his Camaro and a rock took out his oil pan and cooked his motor.

 

It might seem like I'm jumping around here. But like the song we sang as children... The leg bones connected to the thigh bone...the thigh bones connected to the hip bone...the hip bone... Well, you know. I'm getting started planning the engine mounts. Particularly the drivers side as it interferes with the steering shaft. To know for sure where the steering shaft will be I needed to do a little mock up of the column.

I lost my old mock up column or threw it away at some point. So I made a new one.




I'll be using an Ididit 2" shorty column so I used 2" PVC. I used the measurements Ididit gives on their website for the various sections. 4" long for the collar and 3 1/4" long for the taper section. This will help later down the road when I am taking final measurements to order a column.





For now I just need a window that the steering shaft will operate in. Eventually I'll notch the dash for the column to get it a little higher. I used pipe straps to attach it.





The steer clear will drop the steering shaft down on the other side of the firewall. It comes in various lengths. I think a 12" drop will be the ticket. I transfered the column placement to the firewall.





Sort of hard to see in the picture but the sharpie "x" is where the column is on the other side. The steer clear will drop it down 12" from there to attach my steering shaft. So I'll take the angle in a 2" plus or minus swing on the steering shaft and build the engine mount around that window.


Having the cowl panels off will help with all the bracing that will need to added for the column, and also with the evaporator core. Those won't be attached until mock up is done in side the cab.

 

Will you have any interference with a brake booster if that's the area you are putting it. Only mentioning it because sometimes we or at least I get thinking of one thing and shortly after discover I need to come up with a plan B. I like the mock up of your steering column.

 

I hear ya John and good call. It would definitely be an issue. I'm going to run manual brakes though, with good binders in all 4 corners I prefer the feel. With the 13" front rotors and 6 piston pots combined with the 12" rear rotors on 4 piston pots it will stop nice. Wilwood makes a nice pedal box just for this type application and weight vehicle. It has a high mechanical advantage.

I know that isn't everybody's cup of tea. But there is something that I really enjoy with manual brakes, as long as there is good equipment involved. It gives good feedback to the brake foot. That's the only reason I spent the loot for the big brakes.

 

Thanks for the info Nick. Great project you got. Looks great.

 

Interesting, looking forward to your posts, we'll be gettting some lessons on bodywork, welding, and chassis alterations.

 

Been busy with the holidays and work and stuff. I got a little break for my day job, so I got busy on the motor mounts. I was originally going to use the Tinman mounts I purchased. But I had interference with the steering shaft. Also because I moved my suspension crossmember forward, I really needed to just make my own set. Pretty much all I did was copy the Tinman mounts, but built them to fit my application. I used the same thickness steel as Tinman used. All the parts are 3/16".

First I made some paper templates like I did with my fenders on the first page. I cut out some 3/16" plate for the motor plates. The Tinman mount is on top. Notice how the arm comes out at 90° to the plate. When mounted to the motor the arm actually points down because that section of the engine is angled. That is why I have interference. It points right at my steering shaft. I need the arm to come off the engine level to the horizon. Because the arm will be mounted angled on the plate I need to actually make the plate larger. There are additional mounting holes in the block, so I made the plates bigger and utilized another bolt. Mine are 4 bolt instead of three.




Then I drilled out the bolt holes on my drill press.




Here it's noticeable the extra area of the new mounts and added bolt hole.




I test mounted to the engine. Drivers side is purrrfect. Passenger side... DOH!. The extra bolt hole on the passenger side is in a different location. Ha ha. I deserved that for not looking. The tinman mounts are identical, but mine use an extra bolt and that darn hole is in a different spot on the passenger side. No biggie. I made a new plate for the passenger side:







I noticed the manner Tinman fabricates the mounts. They cut channels in the plate and welded from the backside, as well as the outside. So I copied that. I cut two channels in my plate and left doglegs on the arm to extent through the slots. Tinman used two pieces of 3/16" plate for the arms, I used 1 1/2" square tubing with 3/16" wall thickness.




Then I mounted the pate to the engine:




I left the arm long at this point so I could clamp it to the frame securely. This helps get it perfectly level in all directions. Here I slide the arm into the slots on the plate and clamped it in position. I made a temporary mock up plate out of L channel and clamped it to the frame so the arm rests on it. Once I was happy with the fitment I tack welded the arm to the plate:




With the arm tacked on I removed the assembly. I used my Notchmaster to bore a hole for the bushing tube. I used 1 1/2" DOM tubing 3/16" wall rather than the 1/8" tinman did, just cuz I had some kicking around. Because I used 1 1/2" square for the arm it also cut it to length.




With the notch cut, I chopped the bushing tube with my band saw. Then set it in the new mount. Its really noticeable here what I needed to do to get my steering shaft clearance, and why I needed to roll my own mounts.




Here is a backside pic that shows how Tinman welded their mounts fro. The backside and how I copied that:





One down, one to go. Next time I get a chance I make the passenger side. Then mounting ears to the chassis.

 

Damn nice Nick...

 

Excellent work!

On the picture of the plate mounted to the block, are those flange-head bolts for cross-bolted mains? Also, what is the half-moon-shaped "gap" in the oil pan rail? I'm not familiar with these engines.