Motor Mount and Trans Mount Fabrication

I am roughing in my 440 to my 54 Dodge this weekend
and I’m looking for some good fab ideas.

I have a couple for the Motor mounts thanks to Wayfarer.

But I hadn’t really thought out the trans mount. I was in the
junk yard yesterday looking at 70’s Mopars and how the
trans was mounted. Looks like they all had a rear trans
mount waaaaayyy back attached to a crossmember
that also had the torsion bars in it.

My set up will be much simpler. Originally I was thinking
of using a tube with a couple bends. Then I realized….
I will be taking out the old crossmember which probably
has structural significance considering the size of it.
(it is a mid-mount on the trans)

I think I need to make the rear trans cross member much
Larger than planned and I will probably use plate steel (for
the low profile) and make it so I can unbolt the bottom section
for easy removal of the trans if needed.

Any ideas from someone who has done it already would be great.

 

Mine had the huge crossmember too. I replaced it with one I built using a kit from Chris Alston Chassis Works. It's basically just a tube with ends that you weld in which allow it to unbolt from ears you have to weld to the frame. Look at their website, you'll see what it is. Art Morrison has the same thing, but it wouldn't be too hard to build from scratch. Even with the built 440, rigidity hasn't been a problem. Those fully boxed frame rails are huge. Because of the funky way the 727 mounts, we adapted a TH 350 mount pad to the tranny and it bolts to a plate welded to the trans crossmember. It's really simple and basic, but works and allows for easy removal should it ever be required.

 

Thanks Wayfarer. Got any pics of that?

 

I just have a pic of the crossmember, but it just looks like the ones on their website. I don't have any pics of the 350 mount adapted to the 727. Basically, all we had to do was enlarge the holes in the chevy mount a little so we coulld bolt it up to the threaded holes for the mount in the tranny. Here's a link to the chassisworks site. The one I used is the straight one.
http://www.cachassisworks.com/engine.htm

 

Yeah I managed to find it.

Another question.....axle alignment and driveline angles.
I will lower the rearend after the engine is in and see
what it looks like. I plan to go low and level.
At that point I suppose I need to see how the driveline
will look. I don't know much, but I understand that
you shouldn't have it straight. Meaning the rear should be
lower or higher than the trans (?) Not sure of the angles needed.

 

While we're on the subject, Are there any major obstacles with putting a BB in one of these cars??? I just found a 50? plymouth, and I also found a 383? BB. I'd like to go with the BB/4 speed. I can fabricate motor mounts and tranny mounts, but I was just wondering if there was anything MAJOR to deal with??? Sorry to steal the post guys!

 

When we put the 440 in our '50 wayfarer, we ran into major obsticles. First, we had to recess the firewall a bunch just to fit the thing in there. Next, we had to modify the inner fenderwells for the width. Our car has a mustang II front end, but I think there may be some clearance issues with the stock steering box. PlyDo does sell a kit to use a rack and pinion with the stock front end setup though. Other than modifying the body and building motor and tranny mounts the only other obstical was the exhaust. We tried every factory exhaust manifold that they made, including some very expensive ones and nothing would clear the frame and leave room for any kind of steering linkage. We ended up using Sanderson block hugger headers. The only other thing was there isn't any room for a fan. We run an electric fan in front of the radiator. Even with a built motor and A/C it keeps the car under 190 all the time. I've sent pictures of motor mounts and such to so cheap, but if I can help you, hot rod to hell, let me know. BTW, a '57-'59 ford rear bolts right in to the stock springs.

 

Awesome! thanks a bunch!

 

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah I managed to find it.

Another question.....axle alignment and driveline angles.
I will lower the rearend after the engine is in and see
what it looks like. I plan to go low and level.
At that point I suppose I need to see how the driveline
will look. I don't know much, but I understand that
you shouldn't have it straight. Meaning the rear should be
lower or higher than the trans (?) Not sure of the angles needed.

[/ QUOTE ]

so-cheap: Ideally, the angles of the trans and rear should be equal and opposite. ie: trans 3* down - rear 3* up. 5 degrees is considered max for universal life.

Mutt

 

I'm planning on doing a 440/torqueflite swap into my Biz-niz Coupe, also. Can I get some pics of how you bolted the 440 in? Engine mounts and such?

 

Phil, go to a hardware store and ask them for an angle finder. It is a (usually magnetic) dial inside a right angle. When you move it around the needle points to the angle. Should be around $10 or less.

 

The trans mount can be totally simple. Here's mine:



Just two screws going up into the tail shaft through a plate. Just let the plate flex. Mine hasn't broken or even started to crack.

With yours, I'd be inclined to just triangulate a plate off your existing crossmember.

If you're lowering the car, of course, the drivetrain is going to want to come into the cab and share space with you. Just cut some holes and let it on in. Once it's positioned properly (output shaft>driveshaft>pinon angles correct), patch the holes back up.

Here are some tasteful access holes cut for passenger head and transmission clearance in my buddy's '55 Savoy:



-jf

 

If starphoto was working, I would post some pics. I'll have to find somewhere to host them, or I could email them to you. Send me a pm with your address and I'll see what I can do.

 

Did your car have a v8 option? If so how does that x-member for the v8-tranny combo look/work?

If not the jet fuel method looks managable.

Throw a engine and tranny install party and let us know what tools to bring!

~J

 

Here are the pictures of my motor mounts. I used the 440 engine mount and frame mount with their socket and pin mounting and then built chevy type mounts to bolt the frame mounts to. It shouldn't be too hard to make a mount with square tubing to just bolt the engine part of the mount to. I wanted the rubber isolator and this was the easiest way I could think of at the time. As for tranny mount, just look at the CE site, that's exactly what I used.







1. is the rubber isolator, 2. is the engine part of the motor mount, 3. is the frame part of the motor mount, and 4. is the motor mount that I made for the frame.

 

Cool and timely post.

I was figuring out ways to mount the tiny V6 into my car yesterday. The steering box and linkage on a 49 Chevy poses a minor inconvenience for any side-of-the-block style motor mounts on the driver's side. The passenger's side is wide open, though!

I will probably end up with a front mounted motor mount system, possibly involving a front wheel drive timing cover...we'll have to see!

For now, I'm keeping the closed driveline and older style tranny, so the trans mount will be stock. The position of the trans and length of the torque tube will dictate where the motor will have to sit. Plenty of room to position such a small engine, so it souldn't be too bad!

(2.8 V6s are almost "cubed"...15"x15"x15"...easy to work around!)

I'll deffinately post some pics and tech of this weird-o swap when I get that far!

 

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY March 14th 9 AM
Hotrod Hef's Place 16th Street and Osborn

I am planning to do a little work, but depending on who
shows up, and with what, Maybe we can get this thing sized up.

First things first:
Pull the trans out (hanging & connected to drive line...still)
Cut out the exhaust (it is in the way)
Cut the trans crossmember out (the old one)
Set motor/trans in place (need to remove starta & maybe oil pan)
Take measurements, and contempate.
Recess firewall?

Requirements:
Most tools for this I already have.. So I guess we need
half a brain, Beer, Burgers, Beer.

If I can get that far this weekend I would be happy.
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Then maybe the following saturday, we actually cut some stuff, weld some stuff and grind some stuff.

Things I can get: Welder, grinder, plasma cutter, air tools, cutoff wheel, general tools. Beer, Burgers.

Needed: chop saw, bench grinder, (Kelly has both of those though)....hmmmm I'm sure I'm missing something.
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Invites to anyone who wants to get dirty and hack up a perfectly good car.
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You forgot the "where" part!

(Nevermind, I'm not very bright)

 

I just so happen to have my name on the vacation calender this Sunday.

Only if my truck is wired!!
Sounds fun, The Hack Job Crew should be there.