The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs rear bellhousing mounts

I'm redoin a 50 burb and am having a problem getting the cross member that carries the bell housing mts. to line up as it should.It was moved when i got the burb. I've measured the distance between the front engine mts and the rear bell housing mt. on my engine/trans assembly and came up with 34" +or-. My problem is that with my stock front engine mt./to rear cross member mount it's about 36" hole - hole. What am i missing?? I'm trying to install a 1956- 235 engine and a 4 speed trans.I also have a 1953 235 eng./trans assembly and it too is 34". Any help will be appreciated. Thanks Dave p.s. I have some pics in my gallery under 50 trucks

Rear mounts changed with the '54 models. The '56 bellhousing will not bolt to a '50 crossmember. The '53 bellhousing will.

That certainly looks like a GMC front crossmember.

The GMC engine is just a bit longer than the Chevy and many GMC trucks have a similar modification done to retrofit Chevy engines.

Do you have Chevy or GMC front sheet metal on the truck?

The crossmembers can be changed (GMC for Chevy and vice versa) but the front sheet metal mounting changes when you do.

That is a GMC crossmember. That has had a mount welded to it. When I changed out my GMC crossmember to a Chevrolet crossmember, I don't remember having any sheet metal mounting issues.

The rear crossmember ties the spring mounts together as well as locates the bellhousing to the clutch linkage and driveshaft.

Moving it would be a pretty tough option.

With a Chevy engine and a GMC crossmember, you'll need to use the modified mount that is/was welded onto the back of the front crossmember.

I have a '56 GMC that had a similar setup in it that I cut out since I'm putting a GMC 270 back into it.

This front cross-member is different.

Wait to hear from someone who has done it, but I think that the "front clip" can be swapped (fenders, grill, and hood).

oldburbs,

Looking at your picture 19 of 28 titled "oops! wrong water pump", I think, answers your question.

The large rubber cushion between the crossmember and the front saddle is not present with either a Chevy or GMC when using the original front saddle with the original crossmember. They both use a flat rubber pad about 1/4" thick.

There is also an extra hole drilled in the center of the crossmember that the cushion and saddle bolts to. Unmodified GMC crossmembers have just a pair of holes side by side, none in the center.

It looks like your truck has already had the Chevy front clip adapted to the GMC crossmember.

sorry. the pics in my photobook is of the 50 burb i'm rebuilding. the engine i'm talking about is in a 52 burb that i recently bought to fix up and sell. don't have pics up of it yet. thanks for the help. dave