The engine & tranny are shoehorned in and permanently bolted in place using the OEM motor mounts and brackets that fit a 69-72 C10, front and back. Actually there are more years and models such as Chevelle's, Impala's, Caprice's etc., but I concentrated my research on that model and years and can verify it. To gain alittle more clearance on the left side I offset the engine by approx 3/4" - 1".
PicTo do this I added spacers on the left side and redrilled the long mounting bolt hole in the right side bracket. I could have gone more but I really didn't want to even go this much so I compromised....
Even with the offset none of my left side exhaust solutions fit, so I unbolted the steering gear box and started mock fitting.
Good news is the 55/56 Corvette manifold fit with approx 1" gearbox offset and clearance for the dipstick.
PicBad news is it dumps directly over the OEM motor mount.
PicI believe some creative pipe making could make it work but it'll have to be very creative.
I tried a borrowed set of block hugger headers.
PicInorder to even get the left side in I had to notch the hole in the firewall more just to get enough gearbox offset and it is WAY too far out for my tastes. I don't know if I could put enough bend in the pitman arm to bring it back in....
The right side looked good tho.
PicI decided to start researching power steering. THAT is the way to go if one has the budget. Partial to full kits are available so I've decided to start piece mealing one together. In the mean time onward with what I've got.
Decided to revisit using the 96 5.7 left side manifold. The ports are the proper size, it came on the performance cars of the day and it dumps back between cyl's 5 & 7 which is close enough to bolt to one of the existing exhaust pipes.... The main problem with using it was the dipstick. On the 69 350 there is only one provision for an oil dipstick and it is left/drivers side block between cyls 5 & 7, yep, conflict. There is a small gap between the head and manifold which I decided to exploit. Head bolts block going through either side around the dump/collector pipe so I decided the steep cost of a flexible dipstick wasn't in the cards. So with a little grinding on the backside of the manifold and a slight squeeze at two spots on the dipstick, I got it bolted up and I could read the dipstick.
PicPicOfcourse there was/is one more drawback, isn't there always? And that is access to plug #5.
PicThere's 2 work arounds tho, use a shorty Accel plug or use a wrench, both doable.
Theres a couple more exhaust options that I could try and I've got one more I can try that won't cost me unless I use it and that is a sorta inverted Rams horn. Instead of the runners being above the plugs this one routes the runners below. It was OEM for some 70's 350's in Camaro's and Caprices which usd the same motor mounts as I've put in the Jimmy so I'm going to try one. The area between the steering box and head widens as you go lower so it should fit and clear the mounts. I also like that there should be no plug access problems too. Should know in about a week.
Got a piece of 2" angle iron so I'll be making up a bracket to kick the gearbox out. A friend says he can heat the pitman arm up enough to bend it so hopefully I'll be able to move on soon.
I also id'ed that U Joint, they called it a bastard joint LOL. It came on certain GM models namely Buicks they said....
Danged thing cost $23, I'd say they named it correctly.....
So I had to have a SBC powered Jimmy LOL....
