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engine placement

Bruno

Bruno

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Hello everybody,I,m thinking of moving my 350 chevy small block forward in my 1966 gmc 2 wheel drive truck.Can this be done ,I,m putting in a 700r4 trans and thoght this would a good time to move engine forward if is wasen,t to much work.And I,d like to run a set of hooker headers.I will be using a b+m megashifter so header clerence should not be a problem.Any suggestions and ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.I have a hei distributer witch hits the firewall,Like to change that.:cool:
 
Bruno,

If you look down on the frame rails just in front of the motor mount towers you will see a hole. To move the motor forward 2 1/2 inches just relocate the towers to those forward holes. You will need to drill a new hole in the crossmember for the lower tower mounts, but it's pretty easy. Although some say it's not really necessary for HEI dist clearance, and really it's not, it's nice to have a bit more room between the firewall and distributor.

site1085.jpg


I moved mine forward when I swapped in a HO 350 crate and 700r 4. I used a Lokar nostalgia shifter. As luck would have it, moving the motor forward 2 1/2 inches and adjusting the Lokar to it's most forward mounting, it allowed the shifter to come up through the old hole that the granny 4 speed shifter used to use. No cutting was needed ! The Nostalgia shifter even "looks" like the old shifter that was used on the Granny 4 speed.

site1082.jpg



Val
 
Thanks for the info,I was more concerned about the distributer room.The engine fit,s good the way it is.I,ll most likely leave it in it,s place.But if I do move it forard,How dose exhaust and the radiator fit with the motor forard.Again thanks and any suggestions is deeply appeciated.
 
The radiator is fine provided that you use a short water pump. I just trimmed my radiator shroud 2 1/2 inches. The headers ? That's another story. I went with shortie, 3/4 length, headers for a Camero. I didn't want full length as the truck is lowered and didn't want the collector tubes ground down hoing in-n-out of the driveway.

Depending on the headers you look at, the header tube on the #1 cylinder will need to be checked for interference with the left motor mount tower.

Val
 
Shortie headers,I,ll look in to that.As for the shroud,I just buoght a brand new one and I sure hate to cut it up.Maybe were it is ain,t so bad.I.ll have to think on that some more.Well thanks again for the heads up val.My truck is stock hight .
 
i am installing a 350 into a 1960 chevy short bed where do i buy motor mount perches and trany cross member i have installed a front cross and five bolt rotors from a 1972 chevy truck
 
I got a trans cross member from early classics,It,s real nice piece of work.The best one I,ve seen yet.Don,t know about motor mounts.
 
Bruno said:
Hello everybody,I,m thinking of moving my 350 chevy small block forward in my 1966 gmc 2 wheel drive truck.Can this be done ,I,m putting in a 700r4 trans and thoght this would a good time to move engine forward if is wasen,t to much work.And I,d like to run a set of hooker headers.I will be using a b+m megashifter so header clerence should not be a problem.Any suggestions and ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.I have a hei distributer witch hits the firewall,Like to change that.:cool:
Click to expand...

I just dished the firewall, a lot less work than moving the engine in my '66 C10.:D
 
4JSAToo said:
Or buy a small bodied HEI which clears the firewall.
Click to expand...

The GM HEI will clear the firewall as is. It's tight, but it will fit. I just wanted a tab bit more room, and as it worked out, the 700 R4 Lokar Nostaliga shifter came up through the old hole in the trans hump. If the motor was not moved, I would have had to cut the floor for the shifter.

Val
 
What about handeling?

How does forward the movement of the engine affect the handling of the truck?

I would think that is changes the front to rear weight ratio with 50/50 being the optimum and these truck seem to be front end heavy as it is but 50/50 is usually never the case or achievable unless building from scratch

I am planning a LS1 swap for mine and was looking at moving the engine back an inch or so to help improve the handling and better weight distribution and with out the distributor on the LS1 there should not be any firewall issue but will see when I get there

What are your thoughts?
 
These are "only" my thoughts based on the kind of driving I do.

These are trucks, and not well suited to G-machine conversions. They are trucks after all. They are already front heavy when unloaded. Moving the motor forward 2 1/2 inches did not have any noticable effect on the trucks handling. I already had the truck lowered 3 1/2" in front and 5 1/2" in rear with a heavy duty front sway bar, and gas shocks on all 4 corners so the handling was already improved over the stock suspension.

Truthfully, I didn't notice any difference. But, I wasn't doing salomn events or G-pad type driving either.

Val
 
Thanks Val for the insight, We will see what happens when I get there, I plan to move mine back at least an 1" and more if I can to help the handling since they are so front heavy and I'm planning the LS1 transplant. I'm making progress on mine the frame goes to the blast shop next week. Here is my site where I'm trying to chronicle the progress.

click on the current project button and view the slide show

http://home.comcast.net/~remock/

Thanks again
 
Is it possible to move my 292 L6 forward? I heard the motor mounts are different for it than the V engines? I think that would place my new trans shifter in the old hole. Thanks

Matt
 
Matt,

Moving the motor forward for the sole purpose of repositioning the floor shifter seems like a lot of work. I would guess that it would be easier to either cut the floor or adapt the shifter to come through the floor where you want it. As long as the shifter isn't making contact with the seat you should be OK.

Val
 
Gas Tank Location

65Custom said:
Thanks Val for the insight, We will see what happens when I get there, I plan to move mine back at least an 1" and more if I can to help the handling since they are so front heavy and I'm planning the LS1 transplant. I'm making progress on mine the frame goes to the blast shop next week. Here is my site where I'm trying to chronicle the progress.

click on the current project button and view the slide show

http://home.comcast.net/~remock/

Thanks again
Click to expand...

Great pictures, Great truck, looks like your coming along real good. Just wanted to ask what the gas tank and straps were from (what company) it looks like it fits real good, but it looks like it sticks up pretty high, is that how it mounts.

thanks
BB :D
 
dvalentine

dvalentine said:
Bruno,

If you look down on the frame rails just in front of the motor mount towers you will see a hole. To move the motor forward 2 1/2 inches just relocate the towers to those forward holes. You will need to drill a new hole in the crossmember for the lower tower mounts, but it's pretty easy. Although some say it's not really necessary for HEI dist clearance, and really it's not, it's nice to have a bit more room between the firewall and distributor.

site1085.jpg


I moved mine forward when I swapped in a HO 350 crate and 700r 4. I used a Lokar nostalgia shifter. As luck would have it, moving the motor forward 2 1/2 inches and adjusting the Lokar to it's most forward mounting, it allowed the shifter to come up through the old hole that the granny 4 speed shifter used to use. No cutting was needed ! The Nostalgia shifter even "looks" like the old shifter that was used on the Granny 4 speed.

site1082.jpg



Val
Click to expand...

:):):):):)
Super engine and engine compartment, it looks great, just right and not to much. Someday mine will look like that I hope. What booster and brake cylinder did you use and where did you get it from. It really looks great.

thanks
BB:D
 
Thanks !!
The master cylinder came with the front disk brake kit from Early Classic Ent. I got the booster from them too and believe it's a Corvette. Can't tell you what year they are using...
The motor is the GM crate HO 350 and pretty much comes as you see it even down to the air cleaner. I added the chrome short water pump, thermostat housing, headers, and high torque starter. Plug and play !!

Val
 
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