If there's a similar post, please tell me. I searched and couldn't find anything. Over the years I've saved several engine lift apparatus pictures. Here are some of them. Please add yours. For FLATHEAD FORDS & MERCURIES (I know @Mart made #3. If you made one of these please step up and take credit): KR Wilson (or possibly copy of same) flathead lifting tool:
I use those soft slings, saves scratching stuff up. Sometimes I will use chains, but tie a sling under the mill, just in case.
b-t-w; I used to collect factory lifting point brackets from the salvage yards when I used to hang out there more often. A while back I sandblasted and painted them. Please ignore all the miscellaneous stuff in the background.
Tow style strap , seat belts ….works well around exhaust on a v8 and wont damage tin .. i use seat belts pirated from junked cars to lift motors..
Although I've done it in the past, always wary of lifting a flathead with straps around the exhaust manifolds. They have been known to break.
One thing to consider is that when installing OR pulling an engine, one thing that happens when the chains pull toward the center of lift, things like valve covers and distributors sometimes get damaged. By making a lifter that spreads the lifting points to 4 locations (near each corner)there is much less chance of damaging things. Its cheap and easy to use one of those tilting HF lifters and add two welded crossbars to them. It also fits virtually any engine or engine AND transmission combo unlike brackets that tend to work with only one engine and are not adjustable. More versatile ............
b-t-w; I guess I'm just overly cautious, but I've never trusted (or used) a lift plate attached to an aluminum intake manifold where the carb would otherwise be. Has anyone ever had one of these fail and drop your engine?
My over-riding thought is always like this: I coulda had the engine out and put back in while some of y'all were making those nice devices.
The Jalopy Journal
