Drivetrain Offset?

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JohnIL

Greasemonkey
Sep 9, 2020
131
310
63
Central Illinois
I'm working on a drivetrain swap in a 1983 El Camino. I made the mistake when I removed the original drivetrain. Since I was going with a completely different drivetrain (Olds 350 Diesel to LS Gas), I didn't bother to take any measurements of where the engine was located in the chassis. Fast forward today. I installed the new aftermarket motor mounts in the only location that all of the bolt holes line up on the front cross member. Then, I installed the engine and transmission. Good so far. When I went to install the aftermarket transmission cross member, I discovered that the rear of the transmission was noticeably offset toward the passenger side. So, I grabbed a tape measure and starting measuring the drive train side-to-side at various points. Keeping in mind that these cars are not entirely symmetrical and that no body panel is truly straight, it appears that the entire drive train is about 1" closer to the passenger side than to the driver side.

Here's my question for our panel of experts. Are all El Camino/Malibu drive trains offset toward the passenger side or do I have something severely out of whack?

Thanks.
John
 

ELCAM

Royal Smart Person
Jun 19, 2021
1,114
1,248
113
My El Camino is 350 Olds TH350 and the drive shaft is 1" offset toward the drivers side.
 

JohnIL

Greasemonkey
Sep 9, 2020
131
310
63
Central Illinois
I don't know if this is better or worse. I pulled, poked, and wiggled until both motor mounts and the rear transmission cross member are all bolted in place. Now, the engine appears to be very close to straight with the front fenders (for whatever that's worth). But, the entire engine is offset toward the passenger side by 1 1/4" and the rear end of the transmission is offset toward the passenger side by a full 2".

What the heck is going on here? Are these vehicles really that asymmetric? Or, might this be a characteristic of the LS engine and the 4L60E transmission?

John
 

pagrunt

Geezer
Sep 14, 2014
9,122
15,255
113
Elderton, Pa
My SBC/Saginaw has the offset towards the passenger side on my Monte Carlo frame but the driveshaft is inlinebrtween the tail housing & rear end. Everything looks inline from the rad support to the rear end pumpkin. I have a G-Force crossmember & Energy Suspension poly mounts I had to leave loose until I dropped the drivetrain onto the frame.
 
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