Installing engine with motor plates...

[Mezmorized]

Can anyone give me some good pointers on installing my engine in with motor plates?

I have a first generation Chevy S10. I'm getting ready to put my small block Chevy in it. The truck used to have a Chrysler 440 with a 727 transmission

The firewall is already set back about 8-10 inches. The truck is back halfed with ladder bars, narrowed 9" ford and coil overs.

It's a regular cab long box and a measured wheelbase of 118" as opposed to the stock 117".

I've seen where someone used a long piece of exhaust tubing to represent the crankshaft center line. I was wondering, if I use that, should I just point it to the diff yoke? If I do it that way, that means my front u-joint will be at 0 degrees... Is that acceptable if I have an angle at the rear u-joint?

The other question I have is this: Should I center the engine in the chassis or in line with the diff yoke?

Thanks in advance

[Mezmorized]

It appears that either not many people know how, or it's too complicated? Seems any forum I try to post this on goes unanswered

[supernova]

Ok, I'll give it a try.

First off your sbc probably weighs less than the 440 motor which means that if it was moved as far back as it could be moved could mean that the sbc needs to go forward some ( not enough weight on the front could be a bad thing). Another thing is how high ( or low) it should be in the chassis. and always center it.

Now then with those things ouy of the way. You would have to know what the power rating and weight of the new motor and weigh the truck to find the weight ratio front to rear. Where you put the motor (front to rear) and how much it weighs will highly effect the weight ratio front to back. So it is very important the you get it right or the truck will not handle worth a crap!

See how complicated this is getting quickly. That is way it is hard to get an answer. Now I'm not trying to be a smart ass here I'm just trying help. What you could do is get Dave Morgan's book, it could give you some insight to what you are asking. I think the book is
(Door Slammers by Dave Morgan)
You can pm Dave to get the name of the book, He is one of the moderator's on this form.

I hope this has been some help.

[Mezmorized]

Ok, I'll give it a try.

First off your sbc probably weighs less than the 440 motor which means that if it was moved as far back as it could be moved could mean that the sbc needs to go forward some ( not enough weight on the front could be a bad thing). Another thing is how high ( or low) it should be in the chassis. and always center it.

Now then with those things ouy of the way. You would have to know what the power rating and weight of the new motor and weigh the truck to find the weight ratio front to rear. Where you put the motor (front to rear) and how much it weighs will highly effect the weight ratio front to back. So it is very important the you get it right or the truck will not handle worth a crap!

See how complicated this is getting quickly. That is way it is hard to get an answer. Now I'm not trying to be a smart ass here I'm just trying help. What you could do is get Dave Morgan's book, it could give you some insight to what you are asking. I think the book is
(Door Slammers by Dave Morgan)
You can pm Dave to get the name of the book, He is one of the moderator's on this form.

I hope this has been some help.

Thanks for your input supernova...

I'll first say that I have Dave Morgan's Book There is a lot of knowledge available in that book for the $$$

I'm not worried about how the setup was with the 440 cuz it didn't launch the way it should anyhow. I will set the engine where I would like it to be and then get the corners weighed and get the proper front springs and shocks for all 4 corners and adjust the ladder bars to suit it. (I hope LOL)

So, center the engine in the chassis? I was wondering about that since the 9" rear has an offset pinion, but I guess the 2 angles cancel each other out.

I think I'll try to set me small block's crank center line the same than the 440 was at.

If anything I'm saying doesn't make sense... please let me know :)

[HAULIN' IT]

Working on something that has been started/built by someone else may require that you look at some things differently than if you were starting with a clean slate, unless your willing to...well, start at the begining.
The U-joints will make up for varriances in the angles, however for strip only vehicle the straighter (under power), the less power loss is the "rule". As to how much, if not perfectly straight... I have no way to tell you.
Really, if this is a bracket type vehicle, I would mount the engine/trans where it fits best (headers, oil pan, starter, steering shaft, ect. ect.) within reason & go from there.
How far off-center is the pinion on the rearend? If it's 4" to the Right because someone made the housing/axles that way...thinking you should have the engine way over there just isn't the best thing to do. Same goes for the pinion angle, if the ladder bar brackets were welded on so you have 4*-5* positive, to try to raise the engine/trans to make a straight line wouldn't be your best bet. See what I mean? Have Fun! Lorne

[supernova]

The off set pinion throughs alot of people off. It sounds like your headed in the right direction.

I think I would find out what would be a good front to rear weight ratio with the motor in it. I've always been told that 55/45 F/R was a good ratio but don't hold me to that, check for yourself. Also how high or low it needs to be.


A 440 in that?
Someone is a mopar nut!

[Mezmorized]

A 440 in that?
Someone is a mopar nut!

Yup! He is... He used to have an old school funny car (71 Javelin I think... Claimed it was an old Jungle Jim car. I searched and never found Jungle Jim to have ever raced a Javelin) and the fist few times out after the blown hemi was in it... it broke an axle and he tried to climb the christmas tree with it. The chassis got bent. He still has it but never touched it after that. The next available toy was his dad's S10... so it got tubbed and stuck a 440 in it.

[Mezmorized]

Working on something that has been started/built by someone else may require that you look at some things differently than if you were starting with a clean slate, unless your willing to...well, start at the begining.
The U-joints will make up for varriances in the angles, however for strip only vehicle the straighter (under power), the less power loss is the "rule". As to how much, if not perfectly straight... I have no way to tell you.
Really, if this is a bracket type vehicle, I would mount the engine/trans where it fits best (headers, oil pan, starter, steering shaft, ect. ect.) within reason & go from there.
How far off-center is the pinion on the rearend? If it's 4" to the Right because someone made the housing/axles that way...thinking you should have the engine way over there just isn't the best thing to do. Same goes for the pinion angle, if the ladder bar brackets were welded on so you have 4*-5* positive, to try to raise the engine/trans to make a straight line wouldn't be your best bet. See what I mean? Have Fun! Lorne

Yeah, it's a bracket car. The front end is still stock but with dropped spindles and 90/10 shocks. The stock S10 coil springs are still in it (for now). The truck hardly moves when it launches. Judging by the pics below, it looks like we were a little low on tire pressure... But the truck would spin with more.

[Mezmorized]

Alrighty... I took the front body work off and now it looks like I'll have to notch under the cowl for the distributor to fit.

But what I'm curious about is seeing some motor plate mounting pics... It looks like I will be just ahead of the crossmember... So I would possibly be better off to make mounts on the top of the frame? Or maybe on the inner part of the frame rails... but it might be tight.

[want-a-be]

So I would possibly be better off to make mounts on the top of the frame? Or maybe on the inner part of the frame rails... but it might be tight.

Either will work just fine. I've ran them both ways and seen tons of other cars ran both ways also. Make sure you run some kind of a strut to your engine.

Keep us updated as to how this turns out.

Don

[mytmouz]

Here is a link to friends 615 Fulton Big Chief headed stock Suspension S10 with some pics that may help...

http://www.s10dragracer.com/phpBB3/view ... 50&start=0

[Mezmorized]

So I would possibly be better off to make mounts on the top of the frame? Or maybe on the inner part of the frame rails... but it might be tight.

Either will work just fine. I've ran them both ways and seen tons of other cars ran both ways also. Make sure you run some kind of a strut to your engine.

Keep us updated as to how this turns out.

Don

The strut is already in the plans I'll try to take pics... I brought my camera with me but didn't take any on the weekend lol

Here is a link to friends 615 Fulton Big Chief headed stock Suspension S10 with some pics that may help...

http://www.s10dragracer.com/phpBB3/view ... 50&start=0

That's quite the engine in that thing! I subscribed to their message board too