The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Tublar engine mount placement

I have a tublar small block engine mount and I am going to put it in a 51, 3600. I would like to know where on the frame to position it. Perhaps a measurement from the front of the frame. The body is off and I would like to get the mount installed before I put the body back on. There were no instructions with the mount kit so I am in need of your help!
Yes, moneypit53, I did search and I didn't find what I needed!
TIA Rick

Did you by any chance buy your mount from Speedway Motors? That's where I got mine. I'll tell you what I did to locate mine. Because I wanted to use the original SM420 transmission with the 350 V8, I located mine with the transmission in place. I mocked it up, with the engine hanging and no clutch, and slid it back until it mated with the bellhousing. Put in a couple of bolts finger tight to hold it in place. Then with the motor mounts on the engine, I had to estimate right about where the tubular mount would bolt up to the frame rails. Then I pulled the engine back out and measured that. I cut the tube as close to my measurements as I could, erring about an eighth of an inch on the long side, and then hand-ground it little by little until I had a good interference fit.
Then I lowered the engine back in, mocking it up again, but this time with the tubular mount bolted onto the motor mounts, and located my holes I needed to drill for the pieces that mated the tubular mount to the framerails; 3 bolt holes for each side.

One caution here. Although it's tempting to weld the mount in place on the framerails, DON'T!!!!!!!!!!
I am so glad I didn't. There is VERY little wiggle room in that narrow engine bay. With the clutch in place, the only way to go is straight back. If that tube was welded to the frame, it would have restricted the engine moving back. You have to leave everything loose so that you can swing the mount out of the way as needed when sliding the engine back into place. Then with the engine still suspended by the hoist, torque all the bolts into place.

It's a [censored], but it works well when you're done.

I like to position things like that using a bare block as a mockup device. It's a LOT easier to manipulate into position without all the weight of the crankshaft, heads, etc. hanging on it. Before you bolt or weld anything, hang the intake and distributor on it, and maybe even the cylinder heads. Finding out you're too close to the firewall to pull the distributor, or discovering the heads won't clear is a PITA!

Use a carpenter's level front to back on the top of the block to level everything before you drill the holes for the mount into the frame!
Jerry

Hi Hotrod Dad and Hotrod Lincoln. Thanks for the advice and I get what you mean. Instead of trying to make everything final before I put the body back on, I will put the engine and transmission in and leave the tubes loose. Once the body is put back on and postitoned, I will secure these crossmembers. Man this site is priceless!
Rick

every time i have used tubular x-members i bolt them in and then tack weld them in a place that is easy to grind off if something needs to be changed.

If you are going to use the stock transmission, I'll tell you right now you will have to plan on clearancing the firewall a little, right by the valve covers. Also, try not to use an HEI distributor, they're too big.