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Gents,
I'm going to attempt to set my engine this weekend. It is not going in as it originally came out. I am going with side motor mounts vice front and clutch housing mounts. Before I set the engine, I have a couple of questions to ask.

Does the frame needs to be leveled?
It is currently leveled from side to side and from front to back.

Does the engine block will need to be at minus 3 degrees?

If there are any other suggestions or pointers; please advise.

Bread

You have some room on engine angle I don't believe there is one exact answer.
What is important is driveline angle, very little to no room for error there.
You can adjust the pinion angle but should also consider engine angle while you are installing it.
Try this tech tip
http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/driveline/setup/index.html

Grigg

Thanks Grigg,
I did look over the tech tips but I must have overlooked the one you provided. I have printed it out and will read it thoroughly because it is important to me that I get this right.

Bread

I would also look at the angle the carburetor mounting is on the manifold. All depends on the engine you are using. I'd want the carburetor to be about level with the engine mounted if it where mine.
Good Luck
Don

i installed a 350 in my 49..i laid a angle finder(less than $5 at harbor freight) on the part of the intake the carb bolts to..i zero'd it.what i was left with when i put the angle finder on the flat where the starter would bolt to was a 3deg downward angle...hope this helps...dave

I agree with Don and David.

Engine mounting is generally desiged to angle down at 3-4 deg. They are telling you the correct info. Level the frame first. Carb mounting should be level if it has a float. You should then measure a flat spot somewhere on the tranny tail and that will be 3-4 deg. Pinion angle is also important. Angle of trans tail should be same as angle of pinion shaft (parallel). This will make the angle of driveshaft to trans and to pinion the same. That angle should not be over 3 degs either. That can be stretched however. As high as 11 deg. Those guys who put lift kits on their truck have big troubles sometimes if they don't use spacers.

Thanks everyone,
Thanks for all advise.
My neighbor was out of town so I wasn't able to weld the motor mounts. I did find out several things that I need prior welding the motor mounts. I do not have a transmission cross member so it's currently on order. I had to cut out the center crossmember where the old clutch housing use to sit. That thing popped open about a 1/4 of an inch once I cut that sucker in half.
The truck is leveled front to back and side to side.
I thought that I had set the rear end with a pos 3 degrees but it is still setting a neg 3. I'll adjust that later.

Again, thank you all for the advice given.

Bread
Pics

...as I understand it the rearend is to be set about 2 degree negative to the engine...or did I miss something along the way?

A V8 chevy engine is designed so that when the carb mounting surface is at zero level, the trans output shaft will be 3-4 deg down. When mounting an engine focus on the carb mounting surface as you fab engine and tranny mounts. Then try to get the pinion shaft parallel to the output shaft of trans (3-4 deg up). All this should make the pinion to driveshaft and the output to driveshaft angles the same. (and hopefully 3 deg or so). Don't forget to phase your ujoints if building from scratch. You don't have to be super accurate just pretty close, after all, the rearend rotates up as torque is applied.

Gents,
Here is an update on my endeavor.

My first stab at putting the engine in is a learning experience; I learned that my motor mounts are too short. I will have to go back to the metal shop and get two more "L" brackets an inch and a half longer than the one I currently have.

I will have to find some kind of brace that will hold the engine in place and that will hold the correct level, angle, and height in order to mark the engine mounts and then weld the engine mounts in place.

I might have to cut the fire wall in order to ensure there is enough room for the water pump fan to the radiator. I could go with an electric fan but we'll see.

pic , pic , pic , pic

Any suggestions? I am all ears.

Bread

If it was my project I would have the core support mounted to the frame. Then I'd get the engine in so the back of the head is close but not touching the firewall. I would also get the intake manifold on the engine so I could check the angle that the carb will be at with the truck as ride height. You can also mount the radiator to check the location for the fan. You should also consider the height the engine is in the frame so you have proper ground clearance and not to high so your hood will have clearance. Lots of stuff to check.

Don is right on. Need to have everything mocked up. Fenders too. Messing with the firewall should not be done. Seems like you can figure it out without that if you mock it up and think on it while you look at it all. Also seems like another set of those motor mounts I see mounted to your engine would work upside down for the frame mounts. At any rate, the angle bracket I see should have gussets like the engine bracket, for strength. You need to check trans shifter location and clutch and brake linkage
space. On a V8 there is always an issue with the distributor hitting firewall. Hang the engine in there on the cherry picker and use wooden blocks and floor jack to center/level/locate engine and tranny while you assemble all the rest of the body/chassis parts with a few bolts. Do it all or you WILL have surprises that you don't want. Here is what I don't get: you are putting in the same engine you took out, you are getting all this advice about angles and all that and you say you are maybe going to alter firewall. Aren't you just putting it in same exact location with different mounts? What's all the fuss?