Projects BBC Mockup Engine plans

With a site this big, I know this topic has been discussed before, but I'm just not finding what I need.

I've got a project where I am putting a BBC into a Studebaker. To explore engine mount options I'd love to have a mockup engine to help figure it out. Many others have said this same thing. If I had the shop where space wasn't an issue, I'd just find an old block and call it good, but I dont have room for that to just sit around being too heavy to just pickup and move.

I am building a mockup that anyone will be able to copy, but I need dimensions or better, a set of drawings which illustrate key bolt locations so that we can actually hang pumps, pulleys, manifold, mounts, etc.

If anyone has links to share, it will be for the greater good as I plan to provide plans so others can build their own mockup block and not be forced to pay hundreds of dollars on a plastic one.

 

I think you'd be better off getting a bare block, and offering it up for free when you're done with it. And if you want to hang manifolds and other head-attached items you'll need at least one head too. I can't imagine how much time you'd spend trying to build a mockup. And it would just sit around when you're done with it too, wouldn't it?

If you do make one, post a picture. I, and a thousand or more others, would like to see it.

Go here for some drawings of an SBC. At least some of the dimensions will be the same, like bellhousing pattern and motor mount areas.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/fabrication/421905-sbc-drawings-cad-files.html#&gid=1&pid=1

 

^^agreed^^

With the time in building the mock up you would have the motor mounts built and on to the next phase.

 

the book that the SBC drawing came from has some BBC dimensions also.

A block itself isn't much use, it needs heads, manifolds, water pump, oil pan, etc. so you can figure out where everything fits. btdt

 

this

 

ONLY $499.00 you might be able to find a real bare block and heads for that

 

One thing I have learned from being a Simulation Tech is that you dont always need the real thing for something to seem correct to my customers (students).

In this situation with some creative thinking, I can put together a mockup that dimensionally will be correct in order to check things like firewall, hood or radiator clearance, or to check the placement of exhaust.

Will it Look like a block, no not with my current vision. I understand that there are a lot of opinions regarding it being hard or if a real block should be used, but that is not what I'm doing nor my objective. I am trying to put something together that will allow people to work a little easier. Having a light weight mockup is just easier, especially for someone who may have some physical limitations. For someone like myself, its important to work smarter and not harder, and that IS NOT a slight on anyone who wants to or can work with a real block to get the job done.

Please no replies on if I can or should...

 

Ebbsspeed and Squirrel,
Thanks, I have one for the front of the engine, so off to a great start for the base block. Next I'll get some scale prints so thanks again.

 

Some of you tech guys should look into 3D printing a mock-up block out of something really light. That's way out of my realm!

 

There's a hot rod shop locally here that uses Styrofoam to sculpt engine mock ups for front end builds.

 

I just wanted to make the point that if you are doing an engine swap, you need EVERYTHING installed on the engine, before you decide where to put the mounts.

 

This problem has already been solved long ago. See @foolthrottle's post above for plastic mock-up parts, or see GM for iron ones. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see how re-re-reinventing this wheel adds value.

 

That's up my alley, but scale is the issue.
Btw, I'm in SR too.

 

Sure solved for some, but I dont want to buy things for way more than I could build something. And before you reply with something along the lines that my time and effort are worth it, my point is to give something back to the community. I know if I found plans to build a mockup block on the cheap, i would use them.

 

I have a mock up 396 block that I've had for 40 years....

 

Squirrel I wish I had the room to keep one, I wish I had a real shop!

 

I guess I must do stuff backwards. I usually build the engine Iwant to use, and then build around it. Maybe it's because I like to build the engines more than anything else. Right now sitting on the shop shelves I have a fresh built 406 SBC, a 346 Cadillac Flathead with Edmunds heads and Edmunds dual deuce intake, a 392 Early Hemi, and finishing up a 263 Buick Straight 8. I am one car short, so need to find something to put the Hemi in.

 

If you are putting a BBC in a Studebaker; why not just use your BBC engine as your "mock-up". Hang the complete engine and trans in the hole and go from there; that way you can really see what needs to be done to make it fit. Plus, no surprises when stuff don't fit later.

 

Brian
I don't know much about you, your profile page is pretty "thin" and you just joined recently, no matter, just don't want you to take this the wrong way but it kind of sounds like you're getting the cart before the horse, not saying you need a big shop but how does one work on hot rods without having room for a (junk) bare block.
Besides, they are cheap, fairly easy to find, yeh, a bbc is heavy but they will be dead accurate, and any project you build you won't have to second guess whether accessories will fit (in the right location).
I borrowed a fabricated sbc aluminum "mockup" that a friend of mine had used in his ch***is shop, I hated it because it looked nothing like a real engine and found that it just didn't give an accurate portrayal of the true space/clearances required.
This was before those plastic blocks came out, I ended up getting a junk block and heads from my engine machinist.
This may not be as critical on full bodied cars but it can be a real problem on the smaller, earlier cars where a 1/4" here or there matters.

 

I bought a used plastic 392 Hemi with heads and valve covers for $200.00 off of Craigslist. My time is worth more than that in the shop, plus a couple friends have borrowed it also. I have no doubt when I'm done with it I can sell it for no loss.

 

Personally I like having spare parts ***emblies, etc although it's unnecessary as my engines never blow up or break, well, except for those 5..........eh......nevermind

 

Is the Studebaker in question the one on your Avatar? If so Even with a short water pump its gonna be a tight squeeze. I'd almost say impossible within the confinements of the stock Lark engine bay. I put a sbc in my 59 using 65 Stude engine mounts and a cj5 radiator. Even then I had to find the shortest clutch fan available. And the distributor is pretty close to the firewall already. Not saying it cant be done without surgery to the firewall etc. I did see one at CHRR a couple of years ago but didn't look real close at firewall , core support etc..And yes I think your putting the cart before the horse. Junk BBC blocks and heads a very cheap sometimes free, when your done s**** em.

 

I got something that hemi could go in...

 

You're going to need to mock it up first.

 

Lumpy 63, kind of a combination of factors. One being the old adage, "There is no replacement for displacement." and I already have a well built 454 and th400 in the garage waiting to be placed in a project. I have many ***ociated parts from the previous project which I sold prior to completion. If I didn't have these parts I probably would put a stroker in it.

 

Ha, loads of room in my 38 dodge truck!

 

Guess it wouldn't take much to make one out of plywood.

 

How much room does a bare block take up? If you can't afford that much space you are more than likely over your head with the project. You'll probably need heads too to get an idea of firewall spacing and give the exhaust some consideration. On my SBC in a Ford swap, we kicked it off making a pair of steel bars (1.5" x 3/16") to simulate the 16.5" between the mount bolts dimension. Made up some steel spacers and bolted the mounts to it. This allowed us to get the ch***is mounts roughed out. I had a spare bare block, junk heads, good oil pan, used my good bellhousing and old 3-speed to get everything mocked up for the final fit check run.

 

Wow! No friend, it means I have limited space to work efficiently and no room to store a lot of extra stuff, but thanks.

 

"I already have a well built 454 and th400 in the garage waiting"

Soooo you already have a BBC sitting in the garage....color me perplexed.