Rollable engine storage?

I have four engines Im not ready to get rid of yet and Im looking for a rollable cradle of sorts that I can set them on and easily move them around if needed. I dont want to make one I just want to ***emble something that has decent castors. Engines are a 283 ... 327 ... 350 and a Cadillac 425. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

 

Home depot has 'em for $45! Might want to get something beefier for the Caddy, though.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Karl-ho...491973?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&fp=ggl

 

Thanks for these, any one currently using these types of stands? Curious how they hold up.

 

The bigger the caster wheel, the easier it will roll. That cheap junk from Harbor Fright with tiny 2 inch wheels will get jambed on every little pebble or crack in your floor.

I build my own. My local Wheeler Metals sells these large urethane casters for $15 ea. They are the same as what is used on Sam's Club's flat bed carts. Couple chunks of square or rectangular tubing, a few minutes in front of the chop saw and welder, and bam! 1 Engine cart. I think I have 5 or 6 of these running around the shop with everything from a 351W to a 1,800 lb IH DT466 sitting on them.

 

I have a couple of the dollies that Summit sold a few years ago, with big blocks on them, they work.

If you are cheap and want to make something yourself, a 2x8 cut into pieces, two to fit under the oil pan rails, and one at each end, then put casters under it, will work. you'll need to be patient to cut and fit the parts to the engine and each other. Kind of mimic the crate that crate engines come in.

not this fancy, of course

 

Ive used car wheel dollies in a pinch....steel casters and ive got 4 of them for 50.00 bux on fb marketplace...they save my **** when one of the engines was leaking,it contained the oil.

 

You can get them for $40 off ebay, and if you want it a little beefier add some gussets
https://www.ebay.com/itm/202907505455?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr=1&amdata=enc:1F9l5r2RkQ7qarHTvuigkJQ18&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-173151-913341-5&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=202907505455&targetid=2320274087455&device=c&mktype=pla_with_promotion&googleloc=9024801&poi=&campaignid=21404247963&mkgroupid=173029506908&rlsatarget=pla-2320274087455&abcId=9450094&merchantid=116339169&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21404247963&gbraid=0AAAAAD_QDh_fP8_WeGNq5acRF7YpGVzgP&gclid=CjwKCAjw857RBhAgEiwAI-1yKN**lNpVaY40GCVWojmzxJDkHRAsicUN8ac0jyWRzE0UA684NEoeUBoC9ZoQAvD_BwE

 

I use these. Y-block short blocks sit very well on them on the bell housing mating surface. If I set a complete Y-block on them I reinforce them with some 2x4s and the work good. The rolling gets a bit rough with a full engine but they're cheap enough and I don't move them enough to worry about having better casters.

https://www.harborfreight.com/18-in-x-12-in-1000-lb-capacity-hardwood-dolly-58312.html

 

Find an old steel grocery cart and remove the basket. I used these for years. They will handle the weight of a basic small block with no issues.

 

I am not a carpenter, but this was not difficult to make.

 

Gotta love HD pics with left/right sides on right/left

For bare blocks I use HF 12"x18" furniture dollies. Fits under work table fine. Don't think I could purchase casters alone for cheaper.

Used a HD solid deck under a 235/Glide combo 'temporarily'. Held up for a few years until it didnt Pretty sure it inspired the 'Stanced/Hella Flush' trend.

 

I have a lane behind my house where they kindly keep dumping a never-ending supply of engine trolleys in the form of steel shopping trolleys.(grocery carts).

 

I buy used engine stands off of Facebook marketplace for $25-$40 and mount the engine on that

 

Simple t-shape with a Chevy engine bolt pattern and some inexpensive casters, 2 swivel and 2 fixed. Like others have said, use bigger casters, iron. Roughly 6 to 7 feet of 2x2 tube, 2 pieces of 1/4 inch plate to make the engine block plates

 

I have a couple of the cheapies pictured above. One currently has a Buick 455 installed, and the other was home to a Pontiac 400 for a while. For the little I move them around, they work just fine.

Don't overthink it. The lumber solutions above work as well. How often are you going to actually be moving them around?

 

I have four of those short bolt, tubular on roller stands. One for a 350 Chevy and two for 302 Fords, plus a flathead on them. Mine are from swap meet vendors and were $20-25 at the time of purchase. They’re okay, but larger casters would be nice if you move them frequently. I pushed a fully dressed 350 across a 16’ wide concrete floor in my enclosed lean-to /storage area yesterday, and it took a lot of effort from this old guy.

One flathead , one 460, and a Ford 2300 are on regular engine stands, but they’re sort of tippy and, being tall, take up a lot of space.

Edit: After typing this, I remembered that I also have a spare 351M somewhere, but damn if I know where I put it.

 

I've got one just cribbed onto an old shop roller cart. Hasn't let me down yet.

 

Im going to start with getting one, the one scotty t and others have posted up. Looks like I can get the same one on Amazon for less. I believe Ill get the one with the steel wheels. Wont be moved much but I have a small shop so I need to be able to move them around once in awhile. If it seems solid enough Ill get a couple more. Right now the Cadillac engine is on a engine stand, talk about precarious when trying to move! I think Ill concentrate on getting rid of that one instead of keeping it for another ten years at which point I wont be able to move because Ill be too feeble haha.

Thanks for everyone's insights, much appreciated.

 

Southern Speak !
6sally6

 

It’s amazing how much heavier a SBC seems when you’re almost 75 compared to when you were a scrawny 19 year old in 1970.

 

The stand pictured works pretty good if it has the cast iron wheels. I’ve had to use a drift punch to align the bolt holes. Let me know when you want to part with one of those SBC’s.

 

With all the "study" I have been putting in to that year by year, I am convinced that gravity is increasing over time.

 

If you have a set of HF tire dolly's why not use them as engine haulers, just a few simple modifications and make them a lot more useful to move engines around. than cars.HRP

 

Weld an old bumper jack upright across the open end for stability. The old basket swinging doors made great barbecue grills too

 

another vote for shopping cart, i've got 5 engines rollin around on them right now.

 

I've used these on so much stuff it's unreal. Boats especially. Used to lift my Chris Craft off the trailer and onto giant foam blocks with these underneath, roll it wherever I wanted.

 

Ha! I have a 350 block that I carried up the steps to the attic of my shop about 35 years ago. Only way it's coming down now is if I just give it a push. Doing **** like that might also explain why my back hurts.

 

I got a kick out of the example of how the "Chevrolet" engine is mounted to the stand, typical ebay Far Eastern idiocy:

 

These worked for me, I drilled & tapped holes in them to store the bolts when not in use.