motor mount problems?

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Oldman

Not-quite-so-new-guy
May 14, 2012
6
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Has anybody had a hard time when doing an engine swap?

THERE ARE 2 TYPES OF STAMPED STEEL BLOCK BRACKETS THAT PLACE YOUR ENGINE ON THE CLAMSHELLS!

I'm closing in on the end of my big block chevy swap in my Cutlass which started life as an Olds 307. This has been strung out over 7 years due to funds, children, etc... anyhow I hope this little tidbit could save someone else some time and some headaches. Of course I had to find this out the hard way. Fortunatly I had the another set of brackets that were what I needed. Although they really look the same. You have to put them side by side or break out a ruler to get the differance and unfortunatly for me - experiance was the only way to learn. After getting home from work Thursday - lowering the big block, walking back and forth from my small block EL Camino and then spending the rest of the evening saying all of those really nice 4 letter words to no-one but the garage walls.
I finally walked away from the big block sitting in the engine bay saying to myself :wtf: ?????
I then went inside and spent a couple of hours searching online before i passed out, got up went to work and went online again on my phone whenever I could. I still had no answer to my friggin question! DOES GM MAKE 2 DIFFERENT MOUNTS? Nowhere did I find an answer. Some things you just have to do yourself if you want them done right. I'm glad I keep some of that "crap" laying around. YES! They do! Passenger car and 1 ton truck ( ie.. my 1974 donor GMC Suburban) My luck of course! I lifted the engine Saturday morning, swapped the mount brackets and the engine went right in! I'm glad I've got this solved.
I wonder whats next :blam:
 

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RITTER

Royal Smart Person
May 26, 2007
2,385
9
38
Hillsdale, MI
Just because the one is taller, the engine would go in :?:

I currently run the taller SBC mounts (from a K5 Blazer) it sits up a little higher, but everything fits just fine :idea:
 

565bbchevy

Geezer
Aug 8, 2011
9,590
12,611
113
Michigan
If the same frame mounts were in the same location for both style mounts only one style can fit, the bolt holes would not line up with one of the sets. If the shorter set fits the taller ones would push the bolt holes outward by nearly a 1/2" and if the tall ones fit the short uppers would bring the bolt holes inward by that same 1/2".
 

Oldman

Not-quite-so-new-guy
May 14, 2012
6
0
0
Honestly. It was just the point that there was not any simple yes/no answer posted anywhere. THAT WAS MY BIGGEST PROBLEM! (kinda like when you ask your kids a question) My problem was exactly what 565bbchevy said. I'd get the driverside kinda lined up and the passenger side was way off. Then I'd fuss a bit and the pass side would kinda line up and the driverside would be way off. And when i had the engine sitting even on both sides both sides were off at least a half to three quarters of an inch, the whole engine actually sat a bit high in the bay. I probably coulda shoved a 2x4 between the pan and frame. Take a good look at my posted pix of the 2 types of mounts. You can see the differance. The silver brackets came from a 2 wheel drive 1974 GMC Suburban and had been stored with all my other stuff for at least five years. Thankfully over in the next state at my job I had another set from I dont even remember where but they were the right ones. I was lucky enough to have my Elcamino about 10 feet away the night I was doing my test fit because I was able to go back and forth between the 2 cars to get my idea of what was going on. Even in the dark I coulda swore they were different. I just needed to place the ones I had here at home next to the ones I had the shop to see the physical differance. As for Mr. Ritter I'm glad yours worked out. I'm jealous. What kind of swap were you doing? Are you referring to the clamshells with the rubber isolators that are frame mounted or the steel brackets that bolt to the block? I kinda wish I had your situation because I cracked my A/C-heater box a little when I was fussing around. Ahhh- whatcha gonna do? It's all part of the fun... Thank you to all here on this site. :D I look foward to sharing and learning. Ttyl...
 

robhowardiii

Apprentice
Mar 6, 2012
56
0
0
I had the same issues. I bought my motor without the mounts and assumed they are all the same. I found a set off of a van on Craigslist so I picked them up. Couldent get them lined up. Looked everywhere for the corect ones and the only set I found the guy wanted $100 for and I was out of funds. A drill and cutoff wheel and a lot of recuting later I got them in. So in a pinch they can be used but its a pain in the *ss.
 

83gbody

Greasemonkey
Apr 17, 2012
156
0
0
Oxford, Ms
Do u have pics of mounts on frame
 

RITTER

Royal Smart Person
May 26, 2007
2,385
9
38
Hillsdale, MI
Oldman said:
...As for Mr. Ritter I'm glad yours worked out. I'm jealous. What kind of swap were you doing? Are you referring to the clamshells with the rubber isolators that are frame mounted or the steel brackets that bolt to the block?...
I purchased motor mounts (frame side) for a 305 Chevy in a GBody and pulled the 350ci engine and TH350 long tail shaft transmission straight from a 1973 C10 longbed truck and pushed the Regal under the engine and dropped her in. I have hood clearence issues, but it fits just fine. I even have clearence issues with my low-profile SPECTRE air cleaner system :idea:
 

Oldman

Not-quite-so-new-guy
May 14, 2012
6
0
0
Good evening to all.
Mr. Ritter. Love your ride! I must have had similar mounts to the ones Mr. Robhowardiii was speaking about. Thankfully I had another set hanging around that were the same as the ones I have in my Elcamino. As for hood clearance - the 406 in my Elcamino is really tight. It has the performer RPM with a 1" spacer and a home fabbed cold air inlet on top of a BG Demon carb which required shimming the hood hinges. It looks a little funny but no biggie (still cant crack the 11's) it always puts a smile on my face :mrgreen: ... As far as the Oldsmobile is going I'm sure I'll have hood issues with the 468 but I'll cross that bridge when I get there. I'm trying to be a whole lot neater with this build. I have marine valve covers on this engine (468) they fit real nice and they clear the roller rockers, the brake booster and the A/C box that i crunched. They could probably both be removed in car without issue.
 

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Oldman

Not-quite-so-new-guy
May 14, 2012
6
0
0
hi 83 gbody. I had these pictures of Chevy mounts. the frame half. are these what you wanted to see?
 

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