Mopar starter motor dilemma

I have a 360 engine, ax -15 transmission, and a mini starter I have installed in my 41 Plymouth. The mini starter interferes with my steering shaft u joint. Is there another "inline" motor that will work and that is not offset as much? I've really painted myself into a corner on this one.

Thanks for your help.

 

I do believe that the 'mini' is as small as a starter will get. How about a pic?

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On my '48 plym I moved the coloumn left a bit....

 

Here are some pics I shot while doing the build. I didn't realize the Borgeson joints were as large in diameter as they are. There is not enough room between the starter and the frame for the joint to fit.

I'm not sure what I'll do from here. Perhaps, notch the frame...........I'm not loving any of the options I have.

 

Offset the engine/trans to the right a few inches. ford pickups in the '70's were offset from the factory.

 

Ya didn't off set that engine to the right a bit, did you?! How about dropping the base of the column down and going out beneath the starter?

 

Can you shift the rack over an inch?

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Or move it forward and angle it down slightly?

 

I need more space between the frame rail and the starter motor. Moving the rack won't help.

 

Can the Borg. joint be moved up or down to give you a shaft, not a joint, in the starter area? Maybe add another u-joint? Just guessing, may not work. Otherwise notch the frame, not fun.

 

Yes. What he said. A straight coupling should be small enough to fit in the space you have. This would let you move the U-joint back past the starter.

 

I think I have it worked out. The real problem was I was having to use a double u- joint on the rack in order to be able to bolt the end of my steering column to the floor.

If I use a single u- joint on the rack, I can get the joint on and have room for the shaft to pass between the starter and the frame. The down side is, I will have to make my steering column a "shorty" and extend the shaft through the floor at a lower position and use a longer shaft. By doing that, I can get by with two single u- joints.

Compromises,compromises, compromises.....

 

All part of the game Rock! Glad you found the solution.

 

I'd say that 90% of your problems are that you bought into that theory of "all the cool guys run mini starters so I need one too".

Here is the stock Mopar starter on the 360 in my 88 Dodge van. Note that the body of the starter is above the bottom bolt and above the bottom ear of the bellhousing. It also sets even or slightly above the step in the pan that goes over the crossmember. I can go out and measure how deep the pan is there but I think pulling the mini starter off and putting a stock starter back on will cure most of your problems.


OOPs your photos were from the top


This one is the one on the van from the top. I don't think it sticks out as far as what I see on the mini starter as it sits. I'd do as someone else suggested and see if I could reclock the mini starter to get some clearance where I needed it.

 

Thanks. There is no easy fix here. I would have to re-do my exhaust if I used your starter. I'm going with my change in the steering column. I'm pretty sure it will work out fine. Thanks again.

 

I know this thread is old but I found a solution to the starter interference problem.
Check out This mini starter by RobbMC Performance. I bought one to solve this problem on my 56 Dodge and it is a really nice unit.

http://www.robbmcperformance.com/products/mopar_starter.html

Scott