The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Adapter Plate for Engine Stand

There once was a man from Nantucket....

There once was a guy who made adapter plates to fit Stovebolts to engine stands.

Does anyone have a clue if he is still making them or who it is? And have his contact information?

Thanks. Tom

Most engine stands come with adjustable gizmos to adapt to nearly every engine made. I haven't actually tried putting my 216 on an engine stand, but have no doubts that it could be done with what came with the two stands I have. The length of the engine is a bit of an issue with stability, so be sure you have a stand with 4 wheels.

Super good advice Kevin, any inline engine needs a four wheel stand

Thanks. I have put GMCs and Chevy 261’s on these stands, and have the stands you refer to, but I get tired of fiddling with it and bolts and a pile of washer spacers. Just might treat myself to a little convenience as I get older and acquire an adapter plate.

Tom, I hear you about fiddling with the adapters. If you're working on the same kind of engine all the time, a few well placed tack welds would eliminate the fiddling requirement.

A fixed adapter plate if you can find one would be nice, as you say, but not all engine stand hubs are drilled on the same pattern. That's not an unsurmountable problem either though.

Scott Marshall over at inliners made up a couple of really nice ones but I don't think he has made any recently. His was really nice and I would have loved to have gotten one. If anyone knows Scott and has some contact info for him, we mioght be able to ask him about making a few up. I have a friend who is a race car fabricator who I am going to ask about making one up for me for my stand for 235.261 chevy use. If there is any interest, maybe he would be willing to make a few of them up.

Found this site. Tried ordering but sent email. Thank you!

https://www.marshallsince62.com/stovebolt-and-gmc-jimmy.html

Look how nice that adapter is. I really hope he makes a few up. If he gets back to you and is willing to make a few if he has a minimum of orders we might be able to wrangle enough interest to make it happen.

Yep. I agree. Will see if he corresponds. Not sure if he is still in business. But, i need two,

Been thinking about this. An engine stand has 4 arms that are adjustable to various motor patterns. I have a 4 wheel one myself. Don't take this the wrong way, but what is the problem with using the stand? A specific motor stays on a stand for a long time. You don't switch motors every day or week. What does an adapter save you? You have to undo the adaptor and store it away with extra motor bolts and washers?
You hold the motor up in the air with a cherry picker, roll the stand up and bolt. 15 minutes. I don't fiddle. The washers stay on the stand with a temp nut. Weld on/bolt on a stick-up bolt/stud to store washers.

I hear what you are saying and I suppose I can keep making due with the adjustable. But I would rather have a nice one that requires no adjusting at all. Just bolt it on. And Scott Marshall’s is as nice as I have ever seen.

That does look like a nice setup. I was envisioning something that would bolt on to the plate on the engine stand, but replacing the whole rotating tube section is even better. Don't know, but it implies it would work on ANY GM engine, which would be nice. As far as storing the adapter, that's nearly a non-issue, as it would just stay in place on the stand. You could turn your old rotating tube assembly into a holder for welding rods, or whatever.

I know what you mean, Mike I do things like that. Just wanted to know what the real problem was. The adaptor looks nice.

How about this: The stands have a tube with a plate welded to the tube. Then 4 arms bolt to that plate.

Take off the arms, drill a plate to match the stand plate holes and drill the 216 pattern on that plate also.

It seems like with the Marshall plate, or any plate, there will be washers or spacers to deal with. Not sure.

I think that is right. To clear the crank flange and get the motor spaced out enough to rotate.

Sorry Mike, I was speaking to Tom, but you answered my post and I got mixed up. This is Tom's post. I see you are helping but you are also answering other helpers. I'm trying to give ideas to Tom.

My fault entirely. Exuberance over the subject matter! I will sit down and behave, lol.

The crank clearance and fiddling with bolts and washers got me to thinking about the adapter and my interest in it. I have 4 inlines that require work on a stand, so for now and over the next couple years it will work for me.

He returned my email and I am going to have him make one. Feel free to email him - if he is setting up for one he can cut several.

Thanks for the update Tom. Good info.

Good discussion and points made.

If I’m not mistaken I saw a post a while back where someone took an old bell housing, kept the bolt pattern that went to the motor and used that as the mount to the stand, as I’m typing this I believe it may have been Deve . He also has a web site you can look at.

When I did my 261 i used a 61 powerglide adapter to bolt it to the stand.

Scott Marshall here, and these are still available! Several have already contacted me and I am filling orders now, so just give me a week or so and they'll be ready to ship out. Thanks everyone!

You might want to post a Part for Sale in the Swap Meet?