If your engine came out of a truck, ya. It's too high. We have a 99 Big Block truck here and when I was looking at A/C mount options, it became readily apparent. Mounting it low and on the driver's side seems to be the best option, and by low, I mean taking advantage of the two mount bosses on the upper head just above the exhause port, forward. By fabricating a bracket off of those, you should be able to come up with something workable with some thought. I'll post up pics of what I do, but if you beat me to it, post yours up. I'm doing mine on a budjet also and everytime I can fab vs: buy, I do. The six speed behind your big block with more than 450 HP is gonna be tricky. The way all the late motors do it is by being more efficient. That means bigger inches, mild camshaft profiles and port fuel injection.
I wouldn't put a carbureted big block in front of a six speed that is cammed for upper end power. We did that. A too cammy Big Block mated to a six speed and 3.73 gears. It is a miserable b*tch to drive, if you are doing the speed limit, You HAVE to stay in 4th most of the time to keep the engine from bucking and loading up. Having the gears is fun, say getting on the freeway, you hit 5th around 85, feels pretty good, but, unless you live in Nevada, you're not going to row it on into 6th and keep speeding up to take advantage of the power band.
Now, in my '94 Corvette, LT-1 6spd, it was a whole nuther dealio. The motor had 10 or 10.5 to one compression, injected and was cammed to be lugged around happily at 2400 RPM. I mean 1800 at 70. Problem is, in most hot rodders minds, the idle characteristics of late model motors. They just don't sound tuff. But, it is the smooth idle that enabled the engine to operate efficiently at low RPM that allows the overdrives to be incorporated at all.
You are NEVER gong to be able to overcome aerodynamics to take advantage of 6th. No ****ing way, I don't care who you are, I don't care what your opinion is. Unless you are running a 4.88 or steeper gear on the street. That is the only place to take advantage, then the low gears of the 6 spd will have you rowing the lever like an olympian to switch gears fast enough to beat the guy in the next lane.
A six speed on the track? Why? The quarter mile goes by so fast, you won't even be in 5th. Are there 5 speed lencos? Yes. Air shifted expensive and purpose built. This is a street car. Be realistic in your design. My wifes C-5 has a higher final gear than my ZO6, but with more HP and lower gears, the ZO6 has a top speed of 205. In 5th. Theoretically, the Z51 should out do the ZO6, but lacks the HP to overcome the aerodynamics.
The engine that is going in my wagon now is WAY to much for it. I'm just going to mule it, and off it into a 55 Chevy truck with a t-400 that will zing it all day. Long term, I want to put a milder motor in it and play with the injection/OD issues and solve some driveability/ economy problems that plauge us guys and makes our wives hate us! Anyhow, didn't mean to get all long winded on the subject, but that's the long and the short of it. If you're gonna build a race car, build it. sh*t do a big block with a Glide. Street car? Inject it, mild cam, 6speed it, flip on the air and enjoy the ride. Thrust us guys, a mild Big Block is more than enough for that car! IMHO! Matt