What's a "mid plate"? That's a new one on me! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Do like the race car dudes. Make your own. .250' 6061. Seem to have no problem holding those 2000 hp plus hemi's in the car. This particular one is a no-no these days. The hole is only supposed to be as big as the crank flange, not as big as the clutch. Made it easier to service that clutch, though.
Does the added thickness give you any issues with the input shaft on the transmission? Or as long as the pilot bushing still has some enagement it is ok?
Use a custom made pilot bushing- - - -add the thickness of the plate to the depth. That kit that was illustrated already has a shim for spacing the flywheel back the right distance. There's a similar adapter available to fit a BOP bolt pattern automatic transmission to a Chevy block. I've got one stashed away somewhere that mates up a big block Ford bellhousing to a GM bolt pattern Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Does the added thickness give you any issues with the input shaft on the transmission? Or as long as the pilot bushing still has some enagement it is ok?
It's all custom stuff. Example, adding a T5 transmission usually requires an adapter plate to move the trans away from the engine on the early Chevy pickup bellhousings. Using a motor plate might allow you to use a thinner adapter plate. Maybe even fit more clutch in there. When I adapted the Ferd 302 and toploader, I had to machine down bellhousing parts to get proper engagement. In the dragster pictures I posted, it had a 2 speed in it, but ultimately used to be and was restored to a direct drive. Which is a whole different animal for engagement and such. Like Jerry says, you find the stuff that wll make it work, like a different pilot bearing.
Mark, it looks like the innovative tinkerer who "makes things work" is becoming an endangered species. If somebody, somewhere can't design a "kit" on a computer that allows a no-talent wrench jockey to bolt stuff together with a mindless rote procedure and some printed instructions, then "It can't be done"! It usually involves a million dollars' worth of of CNC equipment and a 3-axis printer to make the kit, too! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
My read of the above information is that yes, Mick53 should be able to use the SBC midplate because the bellhousing is the same?
All of the extra for for a midplate will need to be done, but his application is already custom enough to expect that.
Agreement?
Thank you for answering my question. Could I make this? Sure I have a mill. To buy a piece of .090" steel just big enough to make this is $55.91 plus tax. To make it out .250" 6061 aluminum it's $136.44 plus tax. I still have to drive an hour each way to pick it up. That's $35 in fuel in my F250 SD. I didn't want to justify using it or making it. Just trying to ask a simple question without getting attacked for some strange reason. Thank you for your time.
mick 53, I certainly hope you don't take any of that as an attack. Seeing all that you have fabricated so far, I had mentioned making your own motor plate as it seemed par for the course with what you have done to date. In no way would I tell you what or how to build your project. And I don't speak for Jerry, but I don't believe he directed it at you but just a comment in general. You certainly don't classify as someone who is a "bolt on" guy, not that there is anything wrong with that. People are capable of different things at different levels.
The amount of time, fabrication skills, effort and level of precision you have put into your project so far still blows me away!!
I have been following mick53's build for a long while. He has put a lot of time and energy into the build, the plan is solid and very unique. Many of the the mods he done are custom and one off, he is more than capable of finishing this project. I don't believe he posts here just for the glory of "Posting", I believe he genuinely wants to share the journey with us. I for one am waiting to see what he will do next.
Last edited by TUTS 59; 11/29/20233:45 PM.
~ Craig 1958 Viking 4400 "The Book of Thor" Read the story in the DITY 1960 Chevrolet C10 "A Family Heirloom" Follow the story in the DITY Gallery '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting)
If you don't like driving yourTruck, you won't drive yourTruck..| Living life in the SLOW lane
I wasn't my intention to put anyone's opinion down. It just seems that certain people always put me down for spending too much or taking too long or it's just a dumb idea. All of those could be true. I'm not young and I'm not rich or healthy. I have more titanium in me than a ProMod thanks to the US government. I move a little slow. There is a real chance I will never get this done. For me it's the journey not the destination. I don't have anyone to show it off to anyway. I'll just have to build another one. A lot of stuff I post on other sites to avoid the grief. I don't need the drama. Let's get back to building with crazy ideas. It's the HiPo forum. This was my first forum and I still consider it the best. Don't worry about me I'll be fine. Thank you for your time and all the support and advice I get from 99% of you.
John (The no-talent wrench jockey Jerry was referring to. )
~ John
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 1963 Kaiser M38A1 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
Thank you for answering my question. Could I make this? Sure I have a mill. To buy a piece of .090" steel just big enough to make this is $55.91 plus tax. To make it out .250" 6061 aluminum it's $136.44 plus tax. I still have to drive an hour each way to pick it up. That's $35 in fuel in my F250 SD. I didn't want to justify using it or making it. Just trying to ask a simple question without getting attacked for some strange reason. Thank you for your time.
For $72.99? That's a bargain. Even if the material was free I wouldn't build it and I have a shop full of mills etc. Probably just like you, my time is more important to me. Now if it were $172.99 I might reconsider.
Just my 2 cents.
John
~ J Lucas 2006 GMC Envoy 4.2 I6 2023 Ram 2500/Cumins 6.7 I6 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Wife’s) 2002 Silverado 2500 Gas 6.0 1941 Chevy 1/2-Ton 1942 Chevy 1.5-Ton SWB In the Gallery My Flicker Photos!
You can absolutely use a mid plate for a small block. May require a little trimming here and there to fit the chassis but yes you can. The bigger challenge is designing and fabricating the front plate. I have a front plate but it was made by Ronnie Cox a really long time ago when he owned Stovebolt Engine Company. It was sold as part of a two piece timing gear cover that was cast a little shorter for use with the front plate.
That being said, I suppose you could make up either two plates that would attach to the two bosses on the front of the block (only on a 292), or a single plate with a cut out on the bottom to clear the oil pan, that would essentially clear the stock timing cover.
Many dragsters run a TORQUE Plate and NO front motor mounts, just a piece of split tubing resting on the chassis tubing. This prevents chassis twist from being transferred into the engine block. Our sprint car runs this set up with hose clamps on the front mounts.
)