Engine Running Stands - What Do You Use???

I've been fooling around with a design for an engine stand.
I dont mean just the run of the mill ones that hold your engine so it can be flipped over etc.

I mean the type of stand that you can run your engine in...
I looked at a few in friends shops and have made my own version of what I think will work for me.

My critera was to build a stand, some may call it a cradle, that would be universal and able to carry most engines.
In my case, I have the capacity to run a standard more modern radiator or a flathead style item which can accommodate the two outlet radiator hoses.

I also wanted to ensure that my garage crane was able to get its legs under my stand for easy access to lifting and placing engines.

I originally purchased somebody elses home made version from a yard sale with a view to doing a few simple modifications to make it workable.

However, once I tried knocking it into shape for my very heavy Cadillac flathead engine, I very quickly discovered that more work was required.

What you see now has taken me sometime and several additional modifications including raising it and adding better wheels.
I have already junked earlier mods and finally I have gotten to a stage where I am kinder happy with what I have so far.

I still need to mount a small gas tank I have and setup a gauge panel later.
I have been a little side tracked for now trying to install an a/c compressor out of view.

As you can see I have made moveable supports and am aiming to be able to attach a ****** as well should the need arise.
The ****** support part I have not finished yet.

Any ways, I am sure looking forward to see what other folks have done with there versions of engine stands.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=349175

 

here's the one I made. works well!


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I made this one out of s**** metal and spare parts

 

On mine, I used the mounting part of a regular engine stand (with the 4 adjustable arms) to mount the rear of the engine; it's infinitely adjustable. It is also mounted on an ***embly that slides back and forth on the main rails of the stand to adjust for different length engines. For the front, I have it set up "Hurst-style". Remember Hurst used to offer mounts for a variety of engine that all mounted to '42-'48 Ford mounts, and then offered adapters for different frames? My test stand front mounts are an ****og to '42-'48 Ford. I also have a flathead radiator mounted. I use the rubber caps that they use on the bottom of chair legs (available at any hardware store) to cap off the unused radiator inlets/outlets for "regular" engines.

I've had a couple of flatheads, an early hemi, and an Olds Rocket on it so far with no problem. It's got a battery box, a small fuel tank, a "dashboard" with a full compliment of gauges, and an old lawn mower throttle ***embly. Instead of an ignition switch, I have a center-off SPDT toggle switch; one position feeds the coil through a ballast resistor, while the other feeds the coil straight 12 volts. It's mounted on heavy duty casters (two fixed and two swivels), and yes, I did make it high enough so the legs of my cherry-picker will slide under the side rails. I've run engines for 20-30 minutes with no problem.

 

Good work, guys. Ive been thinking about building one too. Thanks for the good ideas.

 

Mine is made from an old Coca Cola outside bottle display cart. Added two pieces of 2" square tubing to top rail. Dash is an old GM front license plate holder. Radiator slides on over top tube. Engine sets in a cradle front and rear and rolls on the floor then entire unit is loaded on stand and attached with pins to top rail.

 

been thinking of building one too. my plan is to use a flathead radiator. that way, it's usable for a flatty, or i can block off 2 hoses that don't work for the engine that's on there at that time.

 

I made an engine stand out of an old model t frame. It's great because I can reach everything on the engine to work on it. I put a radiator on the front of it and some gadges in a "dash." Then I put some wheels on it and drove it into town to pick up parts

 

I used this engine stand for quite a few years and it worked great. It saved a lot of time by troubleshooting the engine before installation.
Nothing I hate more than removing an engine over the fenders of a freshly restored car.

Dave

 

local guy has one he built into a trailer ,made from the left overs of a sub frame job on a 55 chevy---puts it outside when not in use...

 

put it in the car ..run the valves ..burp the cooling system , then test drive

 

Store bought ones work good too

 

FiftyV8, tell me about that biscuit on the back of the flywheel? Is that part of an adapter to mount a newer trans to the motor?

 

Made this one for chevy v-8's but have used it for inlines and this nailhead.

 

if you run the engine on a stand ...you should put a load on it ..Old Timey Winston Cup Racer James Hylton used a propeller

 

Hey Ebb, yes the biscuit is part of the Cadillac flathead to GM 700R4 ****** adapter kit.

It is kinder weird having such a big hunk of metal hanging off the end of the crankshaft like that.
It is a Bendtsen's kit from IL.
I've emailed him to try and understand his thinking regarding his kit in general and see if he was up for some feedback, however he did not even reply to me.

His kit does not fit all cadillac flathead engines and I have had to make a few pieces of my own to make it work for me.
It seems the early engines are the ones that it does not work with.

Any ways, I have acquired a piece of round billet and plan to have it machined to replace that biscuit and get rid of some of the weight to about half.
I dont see how having that much weight could be good for the rear main bearing for starters.

For the folks at home, a 3 legged plate attaches to that biscuit and the Chevy torque convertor bolts up to the 3 legs.

I am guessing that with a few mods the kit could be tidied up and the adapter stuff shortened.

I have a feeling that the kit is actually the length it is because it is designed to fit and be compatible with a Cadillac car ****** swaps and not hot rods.

That is the way I see it...

More detail here.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=674729&page=3

 

Hey Fiftyv8, I do hope you are planning to increase the welds I see on the stand? Those are mere tacs and will not hold up to very much shake and vibrations.

 

Oh yeah, just got to lift the engine and finish all the welds.
Most gravity holding it down but I would never consider running the engine with those welds.

I think I may have too much adjustable stuff and need to factor in a little bracing before firing up.

 

I sold mine years ago like an idiot. ( thought I was getting out of playing with cars, yeah RIGHT!) It was built from the rolling front clip I cut from a 53 Studebaker truck. I had the wheels welded straight and a tongue from an old rusty boat trailer on it. Had various "perches" that slipped into old reese hitch pieces cobbled from the junk yard. I could haul it around, shove it out of the way and even use it to show engines running at swap meets. Most of my stuff was v-8 ford/chey post OHV engines so wasn't hard to do. I had a topflow radiator I soldered inlets/outlets into on all four corners and made block off hoses for any not used, had a small electric fan, electric fuel pump, motorcycle tank, gauge set, battery box and a trans cooler. Even had a small fire extinguisher hung on it in case of tragedy!

 

Here is a stand my buddy in TX uses.

 

I made this stand when I put a new engine in my avitar car.

reminder: never use Magaphone headers when trying to break-in or tune a new motor, deafening sound!


I set it up to run either injection or carbs