292 inline into 1956 Chevy 3100

Hi there, I need some help and advice. I have a 292 inline 6 1968-1988. I have a rebuilt Gm turbo 2004r
I want to swap out the original 235cu motor and the original 3 speed and fit the engine and trans combo.
The original gearbox cross member sits too far forward to be able to use it in its original position. It is rivetted to the chassis rails on both sides it looks to give additional strength to that area.
Has anyone tried this combination of 292 + 200? What did you use as a crossmember?
I know that I need to fabricate engine mounts I think thats ok, but it was the transmission crossmember and getting the right hight / angle to get proper propshaft alignment that I was thinking about...

 

Summit has a universal tranny crossmember for about $40 that you could use

 

Hi Mac thanks Ill check them out...

 

We put a 292/ TH400 (which is a little longer than a 200r4) in a 57 3100. A universal crossmember like Mac suggested worked just fine.......

 

The engine mounts are a little more fun, since they are not in the same place on both sides. It's good to add a crossmember to mount the engine, so you don't put twisting loads on the frame, especially after you cut out the bellhousing crossmember. I'd probably start with one of the V8 swap type engine crossmembers, and modify it to work with the oddball 292 mount positions. use the 64-72 type engine mount brackets, and 60s car V8 mounts, and do some fab work to make it all fit.

 

Hmm thanks Josh and Squirrel,
I hadnt thought about an engine crossmember ...seem to remember most V8 smallblock installations dont use an additional crossmember or do they?
Currently the 235 just hangs off of the rails on a couple of early style doughnut mounts...

 

I'm not sure you actually HAVE to remove the original cross member, but doing so would make trans removal/install easier, if needed, in the future. You can easily fab up a trans cross member, and engine mounts; unless you've bought everything in your photos, and had someone else do assembly work, you've obviously got the skills to do it. Your trans slip yoke will work with the truck driveline/U-joint without shorting/lengthening the shaft. I'd install the engine trans combo, connected to the driveline, and go from there to fab everything up. Nice looking truck, and the setup should work well with the trucks rear end gearing. There are many manufactured crossmembers out there, and even motor mounts. I'd try looking at a Chassis Engineering Catalog for a rear mount, and maybe Cliffords 6=8 for motor mounts for the 292 swap. Like Squirrel said, the 292 mounts are different than the 194-215-230-250 engines, someone has to be making conversion mounts. Good luck. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Originally the 235 mounts on the front crossmember, not on the frame rails. And at the bellhousing crossmember. The trucks all had that bellhousing crossmember, but many guys cut it out when swapping in an auto trans. You don't need to remove it, but it makes life easier if you do. Hydramatic equipped trucks had a bolt in center section on the crossmember, I haven't seen one for sale since the one I didn't get from the junkyard over 30 years ago. YOu can cut the center out and make and weld on some plates to bolt it back in, if you want...but that's a lot of work, and it doesn't seem to be necessary.

I have seen a cracked frame on one of these trucks that had side mounts hanging off the frame rails, instead of using an engine crossmember to mount it.

 

When I put the 292 in my 55 BelAir I made my own front mounts to go right thru the same front X-member holes the 235 used. There are a few unused tapped holes in the 292 block front/side corner area to bolt mounts to. I used a set of Speedway's donut rubber/thrubolt assemblies.

Here's a pic taken after about 80,000 mi. on it.

 

Did you keep the original style bellhousing mounts?

 

I cut off the orig. mounts & made my own there also. I have a later truck bellhs'g. & another set of Speedways rubber parts there. Lets see if I can get lucky & show another pic.

That is a MY6 trans & a removable X-member I made. I also built a removable sq. tube rear X-member & have a stock trans. tailshaft mount on there. There is NO torque movemement with this setup.

 

Here is a better pic of the frame mount I built.


You can see here the 'upper' support on the front side & the lower support at the rear edge.

 

wow, that's interesting...I would have been tempted to use a v8 bell and stock manual V8 mounts. Although if the horns had been cut off the frame, then what you did is a reasonable way to go

 

i have a 292/200R4 in my 37 chevy. the left eng. mt. was moved forward to clear the stock steering box and we offset the eng. about 1-1/2" to the right. also had to recess the firewall about 3". i cant remember what we did to the trans crossmember and i'm not near the car to go look.

 

HA, HA. read my edit line. Actually the orig. horns were there, 235 bell was the only one I had, but I did have access to later truck bells, both large & small register hole styles. Used a large hole one to accomodate the trans.

 

I have seen the mounting holes at the front of the 292. It would be a great way to mount everything up using them...especially if they at close proximity to original 235 mounting position. Also avoids the offset engine mount bracket.
I must say Im a little excited about getting this swap done im looking forward to crispy performance from the 292 and easy shifting with 2004r 4th gear final drive ratio is only .67 so im hoping for decent cruise speed of 70-80
Has anyone used tried using the original factory transmission crossmember?

 

If you're mounting the transmission at the rear, and the engine at the front, you might be asking for trouble...when Chevy mounted the engines at the front, they also had mounts at the bellhousing.

 

Inline 292 where did you get those doughnuts !
Ok that sounds a little weird but you know wht I mean.....
Mr Chevrolet whats the 292 +200 like to drive? Its quite refreshing not having a V8 feel like a real renegade yee haa...

 

An MY6 trans.has almost exactly the same ratios as a 700R4. I am running a 3.36 axle. Its good, I'm sure a 3.54 would also be a nice driver. I had a 3.08 in when I started, it was too high for my liking. Yours should pull really good with benefit of a torqe converter.

 

Squirrel....I hear ya...I think thats why I didnt look at them seriously before...there is a long s-t-r-e-t-c-h between the very front of the engine and the rear trans mount..

 

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Universal-Bolt-Through-Engine-Mount-Cushion-Kit,1199.html

 

inline 292 I'm using the original axle I think its either a 3.90 or maybe a 4.10 !! big numbers eh ?

 

Most of the trucks came with 3.90. Should work nice with the overdrive, although it might drop it down a bit too much! 200 trans has a .67 overdrive, I think

 

Well, you gotta start somewhere. Try it, then you'll have an idea how far off you might be for your driving style. With these online calculators it helps quite a bit now
to figure it out.

 

just checked the doughnuts.......Speedways always have something interesting tucked away.....

 

somebody posted on another thread that they been involved in testing and dynoing some these 292 motors. There was a figure of 300 ft pounds of torque at 1800rpm upwards.
I have a few upgrades on mine 600cfm carter afb Cliiford intake and headers, Hei with seperate coil. A little headwork. 2004r has been rebuilt along with torque converter.
Does the 2004r shift into overdrive by itself or is there an additional reference, I guess what I'm asking is does it shift 1234 and stay ? or is it 123...then you switch into overdrive with a seperate control on the dash...

 

200's have a lockup torque converter, you'll need something to do that or you'll burn it up.....

 

Hi Josh ( cool car in your avatar ! ) I'm not sure if a seperate switch would lock up the torque converter, so you get 123 shift then choose to switch on the overdrive on interstates etc..

 

The trans will shift into 4th, but the converter needs to lock up as well once in OD. A simple toggle will work, but you have to remember to lock and unlock. B&M (I believe) makes a kit for that purpose that works like the factory ecm....

Some other great advise here on the swap. I forgot about the engine crossmember and offset mounts. That was 6 years ago.....

 

Hi Josh just checked out your sedan pictures that you have posted...wow what a journey your car has taken, well done your car looks great now.. I had a friend that was building a 31 pickup with a 396 bbc and twin tunnel ram...looked awsome.
A primered hot rod on a bare chassis ...well nuffin could be finaa