The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop SMALL BLOCK BRACKETS

HELLO I'm new to this site.i do not have a typical g.m. thing I'm building a 55 dodge power wagon,with a chevy engine tranny combo.well actually rebuilding fixing e.t.c. what someone else screwed up.it uses the short water pump i need to know part#'s for power steering brackets alt e.t.c. or what to look for to acomplish the installation of the accy's.also the brake and clutch share the same master cylinder.it's shot rumored to be g.m. no ## a real problem need big help here.I'm open to using the brackets that a person see's on these way cool rod's with very limited space.one last thing it has pedestal type mount's in front and a g.m. cross member welded in i know it's reasonably old,but I need new mount's not a clue as to model year etc please please help :confused:

Probably the master cylinder is the one out of the '60 Chevy, as I have one. If you get one get a new one, not a rebuilt, as I have replaced "lifetime warrantied ones" several times.
Dennis

Regarding the smallblock - instead of getting part numbers, just go to the junkyard and pick up several sytles of brackets. It will certainly be cheaper than new, and you will eventually get what you need. The best plan would be to find a complete motor with the bracket setup/style that you want, and cannabalize the entire setup, because it all matches. You can also buy an entire car, take what you need and sell the rest to a junkyard.

As far as the master cylinder goes, this type of side by side master cylinder/clutch master cylinder also was used in that era of Dodge pickups, so it probably is stock. Since the parts for those things were fairly standard, to could probably get a rebuild kit for a 60-61 chevy/GMC (thats where/when they were used on those truck) and rebuild your setup. You can also go to a brake specialty place and they could probably scrounge up a rebuild kit for you. Don't forget Napa, they still have parts for trucks that old. As a last resort, you can plumb in a new master cylinder for bothe the clutch and the brakes, just go to any junkyard that has recent cars, they have a lot of hydraulic clutch and brake setups that you can probably fabricate into working on your vehicle.

Oh yeah, and by the way, if you just have to have new brackets, there are several companies out there that make reproductions of stock setups, as well as custom brackets to mount up those accessories. Look through any Street Rodder mag, they have tons of those ads. Those brackets are not typically expensive - the last pair I bought were flame cut and TIG welded, really well built for only 60 bucks.

First off, do the cylinder heads have the tapped holes in the end of the head or are they totally smooth? Do you want the alt. on the left or right side? Do you want "pretty" parts or will "stock" do? What are your exhaust manifolds like?

On engines without the tapped holes, the factory ramhorn manifolds had provisions for mounting the brackets. If you don't want to run these manifolds, then you will either need to make/modify brackets or pay for some "fancy" aftermarket type bracket setup.

With the head holes, life is less complicated. Even JC Whitney carries the cheap chrome stuff, as does some of the bigger parts chain stores. Usually there's someone selling this stuff at any of the larger swapmeets also.

Eric, those front mounting pegs are the earliest 283 [and 265] and all you'll find for them is the rubber donuts - if that. about 55 to early 60's. after that the blocks [latest 283/327] didn't have the mount holes at the front, just the ones at the side. also watch out w/ the mount bolt hole that lines up w/ the fuel pump push rod - it must be a very short bolt or it will jam the push rod.

Bill

The front corner motor mounts were only used in 55-57 both cars and trucks. You cannot use these in a 3 point arrangement or you will break the bellhousing over time. You will need to keep the mounts on the sides of the bellhousing or switch to the more typical side motor mounts. All SBC's have the front corner mounts, at least through the mid '90's anyway. 55-57 blocks do not have the side mounts.

[ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: gearhead ]

gearhead - I'm currently driving a 58 PU that has a 283 with the front mounts. The frame is as factory and does NOT have provision for the side mount motor. The block is end-of-the-run 283 from 66 or 67, and in order to use it in this truck I had to DRILL and TAP the bosses in front of the fuel pump.

Blocks from [including] 57 had the side mount provision which were used in MOST cars from 58 up but not in trucks until after 59. In my pile of 283's I have some from early 60's that still have the little mount bracket bolted to the front of the block, so the front mounts were used on something at least until 62.

The front mount holes on later small blocks were only drilled/tapped where accy mount points were needed [drivers side]. Why remove the bosses from the castings?

Eric - I'd bet yer truck got that modification back when the majority of small block stuff available at the wreckers was 283 only.

Bill

Well, according to my "Catalog of Chevy V8 Engine Casting Numbers 1955-93":

1955 only year without oil filter

1955-57 only years without side motor mounts

Yes, upon further review, the trucks did use the front corner mounts from 55-62. My mistake.

I have several SBC from 59-79 and they all have both sets of mounts and they are all tapped. I have never seen one that wasn't.

I never said they removed any bosses. If I remember correctly, the current generation SMC is an entirely new casting and does not have provision for the front corner mounts or a mechanical fuel pump, but this is all from memory.

Sounds like your '58 has a late '57 block that was made on a Friday.

Did they ever use the lower corners for accessories? I have not seen any, but I'm not entirely sure.

Yes, I agree that it likely has a 55-62 truck crossmember and mounts. The Filling Station has an online catalog that has pictures on the different engine mounts. Try looking through it and see if anything pops out at you. They do show complete mounting sets for the 4 point mounts including the steel brackets (for trucks).

Posting a picture would make life easier.

[ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: gearhead ]

check ebay here for some mount rubber, eric.

gearhead - 58 PU V8 mounting:

[img]http://mars.ark.com/~red58/58pu283.jpg[/img]

and a late 283 from a truck w/o the mount hole drilled where it would allow an oil leak without a bolt in it very common on small blocks past about 64

[img]http://mars.ark.com/~red58/late283mount.jpg[/img]


Bill

[ 01-30-2002: Message edited by: squeeze ]

I meant that Eric should post pictures.

squeeze Yes, I know all about the oil leak issue, and I never meant to imply that you were wrong, when I read your earlier post I thought you said that the block in your truck didn't have provisions for side mounts, but apparently you meant the frame had no provision. That's why I said you must have a '57 block. As far as what years did or didn't tap that hole, I don't really know and I'm not too worried about it.

WOW 1st the current engine is according to casting & serial ### is a 79 350 it has all the mounting position's drilled tapped etc it's not a three point has bell housing mounts as well as the old nose mount's heads are tapped,manifolds are ram's tube's has small balancer(seems like that is a problem in it's self)use's short pump it has atleast 3-4" between core and fan how much taller is long pump seems that would cure all the b.s. here.the tall stuff is pretty common around here oh and yes there is room to change the mounts to the side of the block does any know of nos t/o or repro 2.5" collector rams tube manifolds??ERIC

The long pump should work fine then. You will need to change practically everything up front though, so find a complete engine in the boneyard if you can. Changing the motor mounts isn't necessary unless you prefer the side mounts, just don't try to use the front corner ones in a 3 point arrangment. Yes, 2-1/2" rams are available new right from GM last time I checked. About $80.00 each. Used pairs around here usually go for about $150. These were only made with a straight down dump, so if you need the ones that angle back, you will have to settle for 2".

Eric, gearhead, squeeze: On the larger models of trucks 5000, 6000 and up, when equipped with a
V-8 265 or 283 or early 327 used the lower mounts. Even with the rams horn manifolds to mount the gen/alt, these trucks still sometimes had to mount a power steering pump and air comp. for the air brake system. They would usually use the water pump bolts and the lower front mount bolts. The 55 and 56 larger trucks had 265 engines and had log manifolds with no bolts/mounts and no head bolt mounts either. The SB Chevy heads did not have acc/bolt in the ends until the mid sixtys (64 or 65) I think.

Eric: Do not change to side mounts. The factory mounting originally was on the front of the block and at the bellhousing. Or, on the sides of the block and at the trans tail. If you change and go to side of block, and bellhousing you will break your mounts. They will only be about 2 ft apart and when under heavy torque load, will twist the block and break the block mounts. The bell mts. are much stronger than the block side mts. because they sit lower and farther apart than the block mts. Thats why the factory mts are on the front, its for leverage.

Be Safe and Good Luck!

Think Chevy! :rolleyes: :p