To make a long day short i will be posting tons of pics. I figured out today how to use your stock Buick 401 motor mount in two variations to bolt it up to stock 322 motor mounts! Check this out. I saved myself about $80 and have the template. This template is based on the conversion kit plate that C.A.R. Nailhead Buick guy out of Gr*** Valley sells to swap in the 401 to your 322 mounts. I didnt cheat it but i will be ytriple checking my template with his once it shows up in a couple days. I called him to buy his plates and he was sold out and said he will send me a template of it to make my own when i sat and thought for awhile about it and BAMM! I figured this out. 1. You can use the original 401 mounts with the rubber on them! No steel plate needed. 2. You can flip the mount upside down also and still use it! 3. You can use the 401 mount as a plate if you just cut off the 7/8" rubber off of it and use it as a plate right side up or upside down! 4. So pick extra rubber or no rubber but start with a stock 401 mount with 4 holes already drilled in. Whatever you want. I have the pics you can see what i mean. I am going to run the 401 mount without the rubber on it since the 322 mount alreafdy has it. All i will do is cut off the rubber on the 401 mount and either BEND the tab to a 45 angle wich clears it or just cut the tabs off creating a flat plate. Just like they sell. So this pic is with the 401 mount with its rubber on. The second series of 322 holes on the template that are lower will allow you to run the mount this way just bend or cut off the extra tabs. Everything lines up and clears nicely. And if you can see in the pics you can even use the 401 threaded hole to secure the mount on using a bolt! Then figure bolt or weld it to the 322 mount with the other two holes or not. The upper holes 322 are for using the mount without the thick rubber. Cut off the extra tabs too or bend them at a 45. They fit. Use the mount as the new conversion plate. Just add the 322 holes. The top set of three. The bottom set of three are for completely stock 401 mount use. You can use it like a plate this way and not have to cut off the extra tab. It fits and clears this way or upside down. Actually they both. If like me you want to run the 401 mount complete then run it like this. And just cut off the long extra part of that mounts the generator because you will be using an alternator! The other side mount is already small so cut this one to match. Just lable them to use on the correct side as they are offset a little. But the template will give you the correct 322 holes to drill for in this setup. And that big hole at the bottom of the mount is tapped so use if you want to line up the other two holes. Bamm. Mount it this way and the upper big hole lines up perfect! Weld or bolt it or just look at it. This is the 401 mount with the rubber off and lined up with that big hole. Lots of pics on the motor. Clears header both ways with pleanty of room for through bolts on back side of 322 holes you will drill. Clears this way also without bending it or cutting extra tab. Just no 401 rubber. For reference. with 322 plate on top Template on top of that. With plate. Upside down plate This you can see what extra to cut or bend to get it to sit flush but with original 401 rubber attatched. It fits! Just weld or bolt extra 322 holes to it. This will raise motor 5/8" And still sit motor down perfect on mounts. This way works with some tab cutting and 322 holes drilled. Motor lifted 5/8" It fits because the second set of 322 holes i made up slides up the mount to create the required distance from 401 mount to 401 mount! Next pic. Triple checked the horizontal distance needed to sit motor down. This is 11 1/8" across from bottom of 401 mount to bottom of 401 mount lower holes. Using stock mount with rubber still on. Its the same distance needed across if you use a plate with all holes drilled. Motor just sits a little lower. I dont see a problem with the extra rubber or the motor lifted 5/8". Kinda cool. But this way you get to pick and drill whatever setup you want. Dont have to buy a thick plate to cut 4" by 4" and try to line up the 401 holes and counter sink the top left hole. Nothing. Just run the stock 401 motor mount onto the 322 motor mount using the original frame mount! Bamm. Done. Im tired. Time for a beer. Hope you all like this and use it. Cheers. PM me for the template anytime. I will be triple checking this with the conversion template no worries.
Cool little project. I did this a few (20)yrs ago on my 55 Special to get the 401 in it. But, back then I didnt have orig 401 mounts to cut so I drilled both sets of holes (322 and 401) into some 5/16 plate, Then after realizing it had a slight interference somewhere, we flat towed my car (no nose on the car) and with a chain a few miles across town to have my pops friend weld the plates to the orig 322 mounts. I ordered some new rubber 322 mounts from Terrill Machine down in TX. Many miles and a few engines later the mounts are still in there. Just takes some time and a little imagination. Nice to be able to make something and not have to order it. Although if you do need Nailhead stuff, C.A.R. is a great source. Russ Martin who owns it is a extremely knowledgeable guy with these motors and has spent the time and money to make and have made some Buick stuff to retail.
Nice. (no 401 mounts) back then huh? Ha. Wish i could have lived then! Yeah its a good project thats gonna get a lot of love from Russ Martin!!! I just needed to figure out how to get the motor in quick and cheap because im moving all my life up to Oregon in June/ july. I'll save a buck if i can. Good to know that the 322 rubber mount side has been so strong through the years. Just what I asked Russ about Monday.
Reminds me......... Quick disclaimer. I figured this out on the cheap today to bolyt this motor in for towing it to Oregon! I dont plan on giving this motor 2 rubber bushings and run it on the street. Even if the motor likes to be treated like its in a cadillac frame, i will pick a side and run only one rubber mount. Just saying.
Im leaning on using the stock 401 mount with rubber bushing and all. Without the 322 side rubber bushing. Making a spacer for those and welding the mounts to that so the only bolts are the 4 on the motor and the ones for the 401 mount. Cheaper to get 401 mounts then 322 mounts. when i need them. Uh, and im a bit cheap. Glad to hear that these mounts are so strong though. Hey and please let me know if any of this sounds dumb! Im ready to change plans.
Ok, how are you going to mount the rubber 401 mount to the orig 322 mount? or are you just making a complete new mounting bracket to fit between the original frame bracket and the 401 mount. Thus eliminating the stock 322 steel mounts? Or, use the 401 plates mounted to the 322 steel mounts.Add a plate under them and install a Flathead Ford style biscuit between frame mount and modified 322 mount. these are dirt cheap from local V8 Ford dealers, Speedway Motors etc... Just a thought.
This is how to cut the extra tab. Then it fit onto the 322 mount. Weld it right up here, And bolt ot right up through here on the center 401 hole. And its done. Unless you want to drill more holes through it for more strength or more welding along any edge. It fits and you get to use it without buying anything. Plenty of options.
The Jalopy Journal
