COE engine placement

..sounds like some of you plan on doing a rear cab engine mount.....wouldn't it be easier just to leave it in front ? I know it is hard to get to but, how about some swing out fenders, or even a tilt cab ? How have you people that have alreay done these COE's, done it ?

 

Haven't done mine yet but those that put the engine behind the cab say more leg room in the cab and ease of accessability

Donn

 

morn n, trying to build mine short and low. guess the frame,suspension,steering,cab to frame height, plays a big roll in clearances in what power plant your wanting to use. steering for me is a test, as adding the tilt cab. has added to an already awkward steering system. and the placement of my mill is actually under the drivers seat. (which also added a clearance problem, having to dry sum the engine) hopefully in the end it will be worth it. luck to ya. gw

 

Most of the COEs with the engines behind the cab that I have worked on have not been pretty. Most people are using a later model truck ch***is that just does not seem to handle as well without the weight of the drivetrain over the front wheels. I seem to lose feedback and road feel because of it.
Ideal, in my opinion would be an easily removable dog house in the cab for tuning and a drop out crossmember so you could lower the engine to the ground and roll the truck away.

 

Interesting on the handling never thought of that. I have to agree on the looks but a lot of guys have gone to real lengths to hide the engine. I'm still in "the jury's out" mode on engine placement.

How about how low you can go with the cab with the engine in the front?

Donn

 

Mine is a cad 500 mid-engine and it handles like a porsche

 

mine is mid mounted giving lower centre of gravity and hopefully better handling. BUT I will need to get new coil springs made to get the correct ride height/suspension arm angle.
When the truck is fully ***embled I will weigh the truck at the front axle measure what the correct ride height should be and have a spring maker custom build springs to suit.
cost..US$180 per set
Cutting down the original springs is NOT an option as the ride would still be too hard.

 

Any one have pictures of a front engined one? I am wondering just how much leg room is lost. I have seen Dezels under the seat and many mid engine ones. I saw one mid-engine with a sideways tilt sleeper with a unique hinge system so it would tilt left or right. The sleeper was home made. I would really like to keep the engine in the front there will only be two of us riding in it but dont want to loose all the leg room. I also am looking for the ease of building this thing. I think about all the plumbing for cooling system, throttle, trans shifter etc. I am going to have to make up my mind soon so any comments are welcome.

Donn

 

My 38 GMC has the 350 V-8 under the cab. I bought mine this way, so I will live with it. I have plenty of leg room, but it gets very hot and loud in the cab. Also it's a pain to work on, because I have to remove the seats and floor to get to it. Tilting the cab would be ideal, but a lot of work. If I where to build one from scratch, I would definitely put the engine behind the cab. Here are a few pics. Good luck!








See Ya!
Randy

 

Hello Donn,
I think you furst have to look at how you want the truck to look on the outsite. How low the cab, size wheels, suspention.

I wantend to have the cab standing with the steps and bumper on the ground. So I lowerd the 1972 GMC 1/2t ch***is with airsprings and lookt how big the wheels cut be to fit in the fenders. That whas 255-70/15. Then I grind the floor out of the cab and put the cab over the ch***is. There I found out that the engine needet to be put back to have legroom.
So the engine sitz 32inch back and 8inch doun in the ch***is onder the floor. The floor is raised 3inch. I wanted to give the low look to the truck so I have to live with the work of taking out the seats and 3pice floor to get to the engine. Put the engine behinde the cab whas no option becose then the driveshaft wil be very short.
Have fun planning and buildig Diedelson.

 

My 5.9 ***mins is under the bed just behind the sleeper, and I wouldn't do it any other way(for my situation), for several reasons.

1) Ease of access to the engine to work on.
2) Much more legroom inside the cab
3) No heat from the engine causing discomfort in the cab.
4) Less noise
5) Much shorter driveshaft/no carrier bearing needed.
6) Much more room around engine

 

Scott how does it handle?

 

No handling problems at all.

 

how do you mount them motor plate drop out mounts??????

 

The last one I did (53 Chevy COE) I left the motor in the stock location of the 82 Ch***is I used. Because the truck was lowered so much, I had to fabricate an engine cover that not only took up a lot of interior space, but the engine wound up right next to the bucket seats I had in the truck. The manifolds gave off a lot of heat, plus there was a lot of engine noise. I even had to cut a notch in the left,front side of the engine box for room to be able to use the stock gas pedal in it's original location.
On my current 47 Chevy COE(mtd on a 1989 1 ton dually ch***is), I have mounted the engine back under the seat. This let me keep all the original floorboards in place. And I am also able to use the stock seat. The motor is very easy to work on when the vehicle is on a lift,such as changing plugs, water pump,fuel pump,etc. The tubular motor mount unbolts from the ch***is so you could drop the motor on a stand, raise the truck up and the motor and trans are fairly easily removed from the vehicle. I am able to access the carb and distributor through a removable panel (still to be fabricated) by removing the front seat cushion. So, it is not terrible to work on, the the cab should be roomy,quiet, and cool.

 

got photos of your placement and access? thanks

 

Here are 3 pictures. The first shows where the front of the engine is located just behind the cutout of the floor for the center hump.

Here I have cut the floor under the seat riser. I will box this area in and make a top cover which will be easily removed once the bottom seat cushion is out of the way.

The engine cover will sit on top of the seat riser. I plan on doing a little t******* of the seat frame to also give me better access of the motor when the seat frame is bolted in(on top of the riser). I have adequate room to get at both the carb and the distributor. Such things as changing spark plugs, water pump or fuel pump are easily accessed from underneath.
I have not taken any recent pictures,but will be in the near future. Hope this helps.

 

excellant.... what type of pan clearance do you have? and are you using a van steering box?

 

If I were to guess, I'd say 8-9 inches ground clearance under the pan.I will take a measurement tomorrow for an exact measurement. I do not think my pan hangs below the frame rails, but it may. I am using a 1982 Chevy van 1 ton steering box. It still points in the same direction as the C3500 did, but the box mounts higher on the ch***is and cuts down on the steering shaft angle.

 

Seven inches. The oil pan is the same distance off the floor as the bottom of the frame rails.

 

I found A very intresting 1955 Ford COE. It hase A very good looking mid-engine mound and home made IRS. I like it very much. This way when you want A mid-engine mount you dont have to have A long wheelbase truck to have some traveling space fore the driveshaft. You can also use a 1989 till 1997 Ford Tunderbird IRS. It bolds straight on with 4 mounds. I dont know how much weight the axles can bear.

It is fore sale on http://www.brucesmithautos.com/ontr...page_size=1&current_page=26&categoryID_list=1