Garage Working Clearance

[brads70]

1. Why take the hood off ?

  I never took the hood off. 

Besides I had no where to store it! 

[rattlesnake]

Not real sure how to copy a previous post.......but if you go to "engines and go fast goodies" and type in your search "engine Install" it will bring up a few posts. go to the one titled "mounting engine to K-frame before install" by jocigar. I have pictures of me installing a 440 with headers in a 70 cuda from underneath, but I am on duty today and cannot get to them. I have installed many engines from the topside, what a pain in the rear to do it that way. If you wanted to install engine and tranny together its even worse. If you go from underneath everything can be put together as it would be in the car, engine, tranny, water pump, alternator, headers and all. Just go slow when lowering the car and it helps to have a couple look outs to help. If you have any questions give me a holler.

Ray,

[Bullitt-]

Hmmm, ok. Keep the hood closed. After engine trans sitting on dolly, use engine hoist to lift the car up with straps attached to front bumper?

As I understand it if you position something like  jack stands at the center weight point of the car w/o motor etc. you can just tip it up n down.

[7212Mopar]

Rattlesnake, I will check out the other threads for sure. Thank You all for the insights. I am not doing this any time soon. Just want to plan ahead if feasible and understand what I might be getting myself into. Never done this before but like to learn how and do this at least once in my life. Car runs fine as it is now but you never know right? More power is always fun too. Hopefully save up in a few years. I have my eye on the small block Super Commando. May be even a 5 speed conversion.

[brads70]

As I understand it if you position something like  jack stands at the center weight point of the car w/o motor etc. you can just tip it up n down.

  That's what I did. I used jackstands on the rear subframe. I could lift it easily by hand, but I did use the cherry picker and a nylon sling. I then used another set of jackstands to hold it in the upright position. Slid the k-frame/motor/tranny in then let it down all I could then used the cherry picker/carb plate to lift the k-frame assemble the rest of the way home.

['Cuda Hunter]

Did you use the carb plate to lift the engine and K frame together?

[anlauto]

Not sure why you would have to "lift" the motor at all ? The idea is to drop the car down over the motor and bolt the K frame up. After that you can use a floor jack under the K frame as pr usual.

I did my first car like this in 1993 and dozens since.

[brads70]

Did you use the carb plate to lift the engine and K frame together?

Yep, I did slide a chain through it and bolted to the block in case it went bad.

Not sure why you would have to "lift" the motor at all ? The idea is to drop the car down over the motor and bolt the K frame up. After that you can use a floor jack under the K frame as pr usual.

I did my first car like this in 1993 and dozens since.

My jack stands were too tall and the k-frame cradle I used/made was not the exact correct height/angle.

[rattlesnake]

I did use a carb plate to lift the engine and tranny long enough to put it on the roller assembly. It will hold but still made me very nervous, so I made sure everything was ready on my roller assembly before lifting the engine and tranny to minimize hang time. everything worked out fine. I did make my own carb plate out of 3/8" steel and make sure the bolts for the carb flange are as long as you can get them but still get them tight.

[Mopar_Mudder]

Here are a couple of pictures to give you an idea: