Technical 265 chevy rear mount/th350 or powerglide front mount ? help..

My old '39 Ford used a Hurst front mount, and some kind of 60s 3 speed out of a truck with its 283. No mounts in the middle. Motor was basically stock, but I ran the shit out of it for years, no problems whatsoever, nothing seemed to move too much, nothing broke.

 

^^^^^Bell housing for standard trans are built heavier than OP's PG Aluminum bell.^^^^

 

actually the transmission bolts firm the hanging bracket, the 2 rubber mounts are in the ends about 16" apart. this will give extra leverage fight against torque rotation.

yes, i'm thinking something like this maybe.

 

you probably should just finish building it, and if you have trouble with the trans breaking, then get a later block.

 

And trans

 

LOL..... you guys are funny
I could just scrap it now and put the engine/transmission everyone here thinks is the best in.

assuming everyone can agree on which is best

I have acouple weeks to keep thinking about it, need to finish boxing frame and a few little thing...... then will install engine/transmission with exhaust to look at everything and triple check clearances

 

I think you can make some type of bracket that uses the trans to engine bolts ( longer to go through the bracket) and use some kind of biscuit type mount on the frame. Just have to make sure there's clearance for exhaust etc in that area.
My comment about the trans is based on I have never liked a 2 speed trans for the street! ( see my signature line ! LOL)

 

I'm leaning towards that more and more.....
sad thing is I have a good used th350 also, and mounting dimensions are the same
so I'm still considering it. (that's why title of thread included it)

 

Even with another GM Auto the mounting dilemma for OP would be the same. Wonder what the percentage of weight diff. on the trans is between a SBC with motor mount bosses & a front Hurst mounted SBC?

 

Personally, I would use the TH350 as you already have both.

My '52 Chev with 6/3 spd was much quicker than my '56 Bel-air with 265/'glide.
My '63 Nova SS 6/ 'glide was a dog
My 65 Skylark was much quicker with the 3 spd stick I installed when the dog 2 sp auto died


Just my opinion......I'd use the TH350 seeing you already have it!

 

someone not as lazy as me could sum the moments, and figure it out....

 

My first Pro Bracket, Bracket Car was a 1956 Chevrolet, Model 150, Utility Sedan (Business Coupe) with a 375 HP 396, 1.82 first gear aluminum Powerglide that came out of a Chevy II/Nova, and a 68 Camaro 12 bolt rear end with 5.38 gears on a Moroso Brute Strength Positraction differential. Hurst saddle mount on the front of the engine, and a crossmember mount on the transmission extension housing. I NEVER had any problems with the "span" between the engine/trans mounts, and other guys I know also did't. I've heard the "stories", but never seen it first hand. And, this was an aluminum Powerglide with 4 cooling holes in the bellhousing that was in the 56 Bracket Car. IF you go with any form of aftermarket mid-mount, other than a full plate between the engine/trans, you'll have to remove those tabs anyway (they're only there for locating/machining purposes). I'm also on board with the TH350 VS Powerglide question; 3 gears are far better than 2 on the street; Powerglides are just "boring" on the street. And, I build Powerglides on the side. JMO. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Years ago when I was younger I would regularly R&R BBC using the 4 carb bolts on the Aluminum intake manifold, these were full blown long blocks. Today at almost 70 my mind says that wasn't so smart and I lucked out not dropping one on my head. What does this have to do with this thread? Well my mind is saying there's just to much at stake not using a mid mount to help span the distance. Does that make me a scaredy cat?
Butch, Would you build it the same way if you built one today?

 

I'd side mount the engine and keep the crossmember trans mount, unless it was a TH400 with straight cut gears (mobile home trans with thicker case and bell). That car was on E-Bay about 2 years ago with as BIN of 56K. Full on street car that would lay down 8 second ET's. He's the third owner since I sold the car to build my FED. Only the roof and quarters are steel; tube chassis and lots of fiberglass. The guy he bought the car from won a Super Chevy event with it one year. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

putting side mounts on the block isn't really that much different. You are only moving the mounts back 8 inches.

 

wasn't going to but cut off aluminum tangs (they were just in the way) will blend into transmission later.
thought i'd share the process I used to make the mounts.... still gotta make some tabs to mount to frame..

 

The 265 block doesn't have bosses cast in for side mounts, if I recall.

The engineer in me says to build a mount off the bell housing bolts to mimic the engineering GM did. Those guys back in the early fifties were smarter than you would expect. They knew a thing or two about power train stiffness and bending moments, even without modern computers and finite element analysis models.

Anecdotal "it worked for me"....not so much.

 

So you started the thread asking for our thoughts than you give us a "schooling on it", seems weird, but I like the mounts! Doing the same thing with my motor/trans combo but using a manual trans with steel scatter shield, easier to weld where I want the mount................

 

Those mounts look great!

 

The 283 blocks were the first with side mounts and provision for block mount starter.
These changes were for Turboglide transmission.

Which brings up a question? Just how do you plan on mounting the starter. With no block mount starter holes provided and the aluminum Powerglide or TH350 needing this kind of starter, what you going to do???? The cast iron stick shift bell housings had 3 holes for bell mounted starter.

 

If you look closely, you'll see he has one of the aftermarket, starter motor, adapter rings. They are mostly sold through the Tri-Five vendors. They are needed when a more modern automatic transmission is installed with a 55-56, 265 engine. They can also be used to "repair" a broken starter motor pad on a block that has a broken one. Also, the 57 265 also had provision for a block mounted starter motor; the 57 265/283 used the same casting number and could be bored to 265 or 283; the 57 265 was the base engine in all 3 speed, 2 barrel equipped cars/trucks that year. The 283 was used with all Turboglide, Powerglide, 4 barrel engines, but was also an option. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I wasn't planning on making any mounts, but decided to and figured since I am might as well post here, I only posted 1 pic in my build thread.
anyway...... about ready to weld up....

 

I got this adaptor ring....


I guess I didnt' say in the first post, but the 265 chevy don't have any side cast engine mounts....

SO........
Here's a big question.............

I've been looking at MgtStumpy's posted B&M instructions and was surprised it says "OR" with the cast engine mounts


this is closer to mine. but without large adaptor...


Should I use all 3 mounts?

 

hi, built a t bucket in 1969. not a kit. used hurst front mount, 57 bellhousing with side mounts,(homemade) and rear crossmember with 1962 type rubber mount. worked great, however no stock fuel pump and difficult lower hose for radiator. if you are using p/s , you don't have holes in your heads. by the way I can see you have excellent fabricating skills,so if it does not exist, invent it!

 

If you were doing a stick conversion, you could use a stock truck V8 stick bell housing. It has side mounts.

 

The car in my avatar has a front mount and rear mount only.....

Nice mounts btw.

 

finally got installed, i'm real happy how they'll hold the engine rearward. I have very close fan/radiator and crank pulley/front cross member clearances.

 

I've looked at ALL of these threads, and none of them are what I'm actually looking for. Aftermarket bellhousing, attached to the front pump bolts after the stock bellhousing has been cut away/off, and the "new" one bolted on, WITH cast in side mounts for the transmission bellhousing that bolt to the stock transmission mounts and frame brackets. I thought "finally", someone is doing just what the current Stockers for NHRA Tri-Five cars need. I really should have have copied that thread when it came up, but I also did't think I'd forget about it. Using the stock front mounts, this aftermarket bellhousing, with the mounts for the stock transmission mounts (they were actually standard transmission mounts bolted to an aftermarket bellhousing), cast in, and the transmission just "hangs" out there, like the stock ones do. BUT, I'd use a rear transmission mount/crossmember for added support. Whomever finds this thread, will have my heartfelt thanks, and if there's anything I have that you need, and I have it, it will be yours (I have a ton of stuff too). Someone will solve my puzzle; at least I hope so. I could use a block plate, but this setup is really the answer. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.