The Atlas or 4.2 Vortec engine is even longer that a GMC engine but since it's still a narrow I6 we didn't want to use a whole recessed firewall that makes brake and foot feed access even tighter in an already tight cab. The recess and the transmission hump makes everything clear and still leaves foot room. Panels are all just flat 16g cold roll. The Atlas engine has a dohc 12 port cross flow head that makes 256hp stock and is a Chevrolet issued engine. If it works out we will no longer have to use 300 Fords for the I6 customers that are painted Chevy 6 color and with Chevrolet script and/or a Bow Tie on the valve cover.
Steve, fortunately for you, I have one on my garage floor. The longest part of the 4200 is from the back of the block to the water neck which is 31 inches. Currently I have the the front pulley off and the front cover off the engine, but if I remember correctly it was 30" to the front pulley, which is relatively the same as what a 235 is from the bellhousing to the fan pulley.
On another note, I'm not going to poo poo anything Evan has done, I love that he is going the 4200 route. But, a factory firewall can be used with the 4200 if you trim the upper water neck down.
I'm actually planning on doing a small recess on the drivers side. This will let me move the engine back and provide clearance for the intake.
I'm not trying to take over this thread, but I took these pictures recently before I blew the front end apart for an IFS install. You can see some of the clearance issues. I don't have the intake on, but you get the idea of what's needed on the drivers side.
Another note, this engine is a 06-09 model. The exhaust manifold is routed different. The 02-05 models are closer the block. So, it is possible to shift the engine over with the 02-05's, but I still don't think it will free up enough room to move the engine back any further without some firewall mods.
Hey, Whitedog, Don't sweat correcting me when your information is way more accurate. This customer had put a Cummins turbo diesel in a 2 ton 54 AD and made room by cutting clearance into the upper air baffle (picture) and then measured the Atlas in a wrecked Trailblazer I had. He came up with 34" and requested the firewall recess because cutting forward for the Cummins was ugly. Of course we should both have had enough sense to wait till engine was sitting on the floor but then I've never thought having extra room was a bad thing.
Since the ifs install, the engine mounts I made aren’t going to work. I thinking of raising the engine up 2” and moving it back about 1.5 inches. With that said, I may not need to re-work the oil pan to make it a rear sump. Of course, I’ll have a little sheet metal work to do. However, I have found that a Radio Flyer wagon is the same width as the OE trans cover. Don’t tell my kids the plan though. LOL.
For a rear sump pan we are going to try the one cast by a guy in Calgary, Canada. He posts on the Bangshift Forum using the handle "efi-diy". For motor mounts the ones for flathead Ford (32-48) are primo to us, super simple, won't shift, and impossible to tear up (picture).
For a rear sump pan we are going to try the one cast by a guy in Calgary, Canada. He posts on the Bangshift Forum using the handle "efi-diy". For motor mounts the ones for flathead Ford (32-48) are primo to us, super simple, won't shift, and impossible to tear up (picture).
I figured you had one of Marc's (EFI-DIY) pans planned. Every time he has had a batch, I've never been in a position to buy one. We have a couple Aluminum boat builders around here, I figure I can always have a sheet metal pan made if the need be.
I bought some engine mounts for the frame side, but made my own for the engine side. I currently have Ford Taurus isolators, but may dump them in favor of the biscuit style you have, since they won't pull apart. Like I said previously, the IFS addition, changed things, so I'm going to have to re-work them anyway.
Whitedog, thanks for the dimensions, I will be watching this to see how it turns out.
Steve
You may be watching for awhile. I've been know to change my mind 2-300 times before I finish anything up.
Another tid-bit of info. The engine in my picture is an 08-09 model. It's dimensionally the same as the 06-07 also. Anyhow, the 06-09's have 20 more horsepower than the 02-05 models. Marc (EFI-DIY) has stated that there is another 20-30 horsepower to be gained in some minor porting. He's done a bunch of Dyno pulls, so I'm taking his word for it. He's done a 350+ pull on a relatively stock engine.
The 08-09 engine I have, has a thrashed lower end. I'm primarily using it for mock up purposes. My real donor is the 04 I have in the driveway that we've driven for over 200,000 miles. My engine combined with the late model head should for make a very nice driver.
Anyhow, I got 10,000 more things to do before I get to that point.
