TCI SBC Motor Mount Problem.. Wha da hey?

Here sits my early 350 in my 31 Ford frame.
The frame is boxed and I'm trying to position the motor mounts but alas, the quick weekend project has gone sideways.

In the pictures I've attached, you can see how close the motor is to the stock X cross member. I dont plan on mounting that close, but I pushed it up as far as I could to see where it needed to be to get the motor mounts to fit. And that's the issue... They dont seem to fit*!
*(the p***enger side is positioned as if mounted)

These are TCI mounts and even pushed this close they're still .5" away .

Anyone got any idea's as to what I've done wrong?

 

Move the engine back a 1/2 inch.

 

I will be mounting it back approx .75" from the cross member but.. the TCI bracket is shorter the further back on the frame in goes.
When the motor is pushed back into place the TCI Motor mounts are approx .75" short of meeting the frame.

 

Even when you buy the "right" parts, a little fabrication is required. Apparently your frame rails are further apart than the frame that those mounts are made for.
It's hard to tell in those pics but do you have a short water pump and pulley set on there? If not that could be some of your problem.

 

I see in the second photo a cable hanging down. That was a factory recall retrofit for chronic motor mount'itis, last one I saw was on a '69 Impala. Am I close?

 

Looks to me those are ****py motor mounts. They are too short!

 

the motor is ( by serial number code on heads, block, intake yadda yadda) from a 69 Vette. I pulled it from a 70 Impalla so yeah, I think you're right on.

Has anyone used the TCI bolt on mounts?
I'm thinking that the amount of farting around it will take to make these fit, why the hell do they charge $71.00?

 

there ARE differences in the rubber mounts.....try comparing your existing ones to napa # 602-1054. that is the one Pete & Jakes uses

Napa # 602 -1107 are about 1/2" bigger per side than 1054...maybe that will help

or just make new steel mounts..easy to do

 

Napa # 602 -1107 are about 1/2" bigger per side than 1054...maybe that will help

I'll look into that on monday.. thank you
*(I grew up in Bloomington... it's were i got the bug!)

 

if you don't need the rubber mounts, moroso makes three different lenghts.

 

Well, sadly thing's didn't go quite that easy.
The Napa dealer tried to order the larger (thicker) rubbers and they're back ordered till hell freezes over.

So the same day as I posted the last message above, I also ordered and paid for a set from these wonderful people "http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/ " who according to an email from them, had them in stock.

It's been well over 3 weeks and besides being out $168.00, there has been no communication from them and no parts.

So if you need engine parts of any kind, I'd suggest going anywhere else than to this bunch of A-holes.

 

i suggest you use the rubber mounts you have and fabricate new brackets for the frame that will fit them. not hard to do with some 3/16" plate and some round tubing around 3/4" OD . you could also bore out solid stock

 

wow, exactly 8 weeks to the day since I ordered the rubber motor mounts and they're here.

I've got them sitting in their shipping box and looking very closely at an alternative method for mounting the motor.

Getting a little cranky about now. I'll post the results very soon, I will say this, I'm ready to do something different.

 

Generally speaking, when mounting a SBC in a Model A Frame that big giant scoop on the back of the front crossmember gets trimmed away leaving a short flange, this allows the engine to slide forward a good bit and the motor mounts to fit as designed. By the way a .25" clearance on the front pulley is probably just a shade less than the engine could rock on the mounts in a severe braking situation.