Guys, my son and I are swapping engines in our 55 BelAir ... When the engine was initially lifted onto our truck, bolts were inserted into the front and rear of the heads ... This is a 96 engine with vortec heads and aluminum intake... What are the best mounting points when lifting to install the engine into the car? I am leary of using a plate across the intake carb opening ... Also, I am putting new motor mounts in ...We have the front L-shape brackets with the pin type mountr thru the frame and stock bellhouse mounts for the rear... Should I install the complete mounts on the engine and then drop the engine in , or, should I just install the L-brakects on the engine and install the rest of the mount hardware onto the frame before dropping the engine in ? Thisi s our first engine install/mount and while are enjoying the "bonding", I do need the new engine sitting between the fenders before he heads back to college in 2 weeks ... Unfortunately, I am recouperating from rotator surgery and I have been relegated to providing instruction and minor physical assistance .... Thanks for any recommendations ... Steven Sr ( and Jr ) ...

as far as hoisting, I'm a big fan of a leveler. It mounts to the engine with 4 chains, and the screw pets you jack the wieght and angle anyplace you need it. With a leveler, one man can install and engine trans combo in any car without scraping any paint.

here's a few shots of my 327 coming out on the leveler. we put the front chains on the heads, and the rear on the last intake bolts. Could put em avbout abywhere, with 4 them weight's spread pretty well.

I leave the bolts in the frame with washers ready to receive engine on front and install rear mounts to bell housing then line up with frame. Make sure Z bar goes on while loose if using manual.

The flat plate on the carb flange will hold my full dress BBC with everything but headers attached. No problem at all holding an extra 270 pounds over SBC weight. And that is before I start pushing things around and prying to shoe horn a motor into a chassis not designed to accept a BBC (any car made after '75).

Larger Dave

Yeah what Dave said he beat me to it :)

as far as hoisting, I'm a big fan of a leveler. It mounts to the engine with 4 chains, and the screw pets you jack the wieght and angle anyplace you need it. With a leveler, one man can install and engine trans combo in any car without scraping any paint.

here's a few shots of my 327 coming out on the leveler. we put the front chains on the heads, and the rear on the last intake bolts. Could put em avbout abywhere, with 4 them weight's spread pretty well.
http://www.camaros.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=274&d=1137207010

what bolts should best be used to bolt the load leveler to the heads ?

i was thinking about using the bolts used to bolt a tranny to the engine.
only thing is that these are to long.

problem that i have is that i can't just pop in the hardware store
and pick up a 3/8 bolt. metric is no problem, but...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3354/3234547471_0d996e80c1.jpg

Shoe-Horn and walk the Car - Takes me approx 2 hours, with no assistance, from this point and Exhaust connected to Fire the Engine. Tools: Intake Plate, Chain Block and Come-Along to tilt the Engine/Tranny assembly into position.

Gotta Love these Shots ;o)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3354/3234547471_0d996e80c1.jpg

Shoe-Horn and walk the Car - Takes me approx 2 hours, with no assistance, from this point and Exhaust connected to Fire the Engine. Tools: Intake Plate, Chain Block and Come-Along to tilt the Engine/Tranny assembly into position.

Gotta Love these Shots ;o)


Dude, you are insane. Ha ha. I love it. As far as I've gone was putting a fully dressed out Moser 12 bolt with axles, discs, and everything in by myself with the leaf springs already mounted.

Two people is no problem with just a lift plate. I had to stand on the trans to get it angled enough, then I got under the car and put a jack under the tailshaft and walked it back while my buddy worked the cherry picker. That was after I bench pressed it a few times.

I wish I had a picture of me standing next to this with a fishing rod. Ahoy matey! Snagged me a marlin!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3442/4557141033_c2551fb69a.jpg