[DOUBLEDICK]

Gator The bolt holes in the crossmember I drilled myself and used grade 8 - 5/16 bolts with self locking nuts.On your engine the top of the intake needs to be level when setting in the engine bay.The manifold has a 3 degree angle on it so if it is level at the carb the trans automatically has a 3 degree down angle.The carrier bearing can be spaced down if necessary to get the angles you want just use the link to guide you.If you look at my crossmember pics in post 1196 you will see my crossmember is to the top on the inside of the frame.When I first installed it the bell housing was bolted in the stock location and the crossmember was in the middle of the frame.I moved it up and forward when I went to the automatic trans because of clearance issues with the dipstick and my rocker arm covers.Be sure to have your dipstick tube in the trans (if automatic)it will help you avoid clearance issues.Big blocks and small blocks use the same motor mounts so yours should be in the middle of the frame.I drilled and bolted the crossmember ends after the engine was installed.I had a noise in the front end I thought was the crossmember is why I bolted them together.It was a leaf shackle issue so you may not need to drill and bolt yours.

[gator412]

DD thanks for the help, you to Nolan! So let me get this right. I will set my engine at 0 degrees off the intake manifold. (I will actually rest the angle finder on the carb...any problems with that?) To place the engine front to back I will "mount" it with the front motor mounts, mark the new engine cross member on the frame, then move the new engine cross member 1" forward to allow for bigger distributer later. After I drill and bolt the new engine cross member to the frame I'll double check the engine angle and place the new transmission crossmember (bolted to the tranny.) I will shim as required to make sure the engine sits at 0 degrees then I will drill the frame for the new tranny crossmember. Once this is done and both crossmembers are in and the engine sits level I will weld the engine crossmember together where the crossmember tube slides into the frame mounting brackets that are bolted to the frame.

Ok does this sound right....let me know guys. Thanks again.

[DOUBLEDICK]

Originally Posted by gator412

DD thanks for the help, you to Nolan! So let me get this right. I will set my engine at 0 degrees off the intake manifold. (I will actually rest the angle finder on the carb...any problems with that?) To place the engine front to back I will "mount" it with the front motor mounts, mark the new engine cross member on the frame, then move the new engine cross member 1" forward to allow for bigger distributer later. After I drill and bolt the new engine cross member to the frame I'll double check the engine angle and place the new transmission crossmember (bolted to the tranny.) I will shim as required to make sure the engine sits at 0 degrees then I will drill the frame for the new tranny crossmember. Once this is done and both cross members are in and the engine sits level I will weld the engine crossmember together where the crossmember tube slides into the frame mounting brackets that are bolted to the frame.

Ok does this sound right....let me know guys. Thanks again.

After bolting in the engine crossmember with the engine and crossmember in place I put a jack under the trans and raised it till it was level on the intake(carb mounting surface).Then I lined up the transmission crossmember and clamped it to the frame and measured the gap between the trans mount and the mount pad on the crossmember and made a spacer to take up the difference.You can see the spacer I made for mine under the red transmission mount in the picture.I had to put my crossmember in backwards to clear the vacuum booster for the power brakes.I raised my engine up to center it on the stock radiator so I ended up with a 2 inch spacer.

[gator412]

Yea sounds like that is the way I will do it. I have the same booster as you. How did you raise the engine 2". I know I can bolt the crossmember high, but I am not sure I could get 2".

I need to see about some headers also for my sbc 350. I would like to have full length headers.

[DOUBLEDICK]

Gator I just raised the engine crossmember as high in the frame as it would go.The reason I ended up with 2 inches has to do with the trans not the engine.I bolted a 700R4 to a 350 crossmember.That spacer is 2 inch thick wall square tubing.one side is drilled to match the trans with large holes drilled opposite them for access with a socket.The other side is drilled to match the crossmember.I just dropped those bolts through the holes and used grade 8 bolts with self locking nuts.Yours will be a little different and I don't remember what trans you plan to run.I will have to do mine all over again now that I am upgrading to a 4L80E which is a much bigger transmission so I will have to move the cross members again.I recommend you drill and bolt the feet to your crossmember instead of welding it because you wont be able to remove the crossmember ever again without cutting it in half(remember taking out the stock crossmember).Always leave yourself options.I never dreamed I would be on my 3rd different(T5,700R4,4l80E)transmission in 5 years. You never know when that camaro with all the parts you want is going to be for sale.Just ask Roadkill58.When I picked up my brand new never installed in anything 4L80E with 1800 stall 6 pad torque converter from expert transmission for $2000 I wasn't activly looking for one.I was just there to have my custom 700R4 rebuilt I still have a 871 blower and fuel injection on my mind you just never know

[Roadkill58]

Quote:
I still have a 871 blower and fuel injection on my mind you just never know.



DD, Injection would be a good thing for your truck.
It would eliminate your mountainous tuning issues.
It would depending on the type of fuel injection you add.
Being blown is always a good thing.

[OLNOLAN]

DUH OH O, I didn't think about the carb base not being parallel to the crank. This is not a valid place to measure from. You better follow DoubleD's instructions, he knows. Question for DD, DD where did your pinion angle fall at when you replaced your rearend? I went out and rechecked mine after I read your post. My LT1 intake is parallel to the crank so my down angle is ok. But my rear is the same angle (about 3 degrees up) so I'm either gonna have to shim the rear a bit to account for spring wrap up or go with the solid traction bar to prevent it. I'm also thinkin I might be better off replacing the springs first(I'm going lower in front) because everything is gonna change. What is your opinion on my setup? I know you have smoked the tires off of yours, broke stuff, then got it to hook good. I believe I'd like to duplicate your setup as it sits. Nolan

[gator412]

Originally Posted by DOUBLEDICK

...I don't remember what trans you plan to run....I recommend you drill and bolt the feet to your crossmember instead of welding it because you wont be able to remove the crossmember ever again without cutting it in half(remember taking out the stock crossmember).

DD I am installing a turbo 400. I think you are right about bolting the crossmember. I would think the way you hammer your truck on the strip if those bolts were gonna go they would have already. So I have no problem bolting instead of welding.
I have this weekend ready to install the engine and tranny...so hopefully I can start later today, by sneaking away from work early.....but wait there is a big car show here Saturday...might have to go.

[DOUBLEDICK]

I spent the weekend in the mountains and am all rested up.OLNOLAN as long as your angle on the rear end is the same or close to the trans angle you will be fine.The spring wrap is only an issue if it ends in wheel hop.Because a u joint has an elliptical path if the angles are not exact opposites you will have a slight harmonic vibration when cruising.4x4 trucks that have been lifted usually do not have the same angle off the rear as the trans does and as long as the u joint does not bind it will work fine.When I installed my rearend I had never done one before and I had no angle gauge so I just pointed the pinion at the transmission.My rearend actually is up too high so I am 2 degrees the other way on my drive shaft angle .The only issue I have is a harmonic vibration at high speeds(70 or above).This proves that even with allot of spring wrap you wont have any real problems with your pinion angle.I have done several burn out contests and runs down the strip without any u joint problems.I will correct the angle when I change drive trains.If your go with a set of traction bars like mine you will need to make some heavy duty mounts as the ones that come with the kit(I got mine from Brothers Trucks) cant handle big horse power.I included pictures of the ones I made feel free to copy them.I made one from cardboard first.It took several tries to come up with a design I liked.They are drag strip tested Gator how was the show and did you take any pictures?Roadkill58 in the November 2008 Hot Rod magazine they did an article called "EFI for any car" and "Edelbrock Pro-Flo XT".They put the Pro-Flo XT on a 71 Nova that did 12.65 on the track. It made 19 more hp and lost 5 ft-lb torque but boosted the mileage from 10.07 to 16.5 mpg.I would like to get one for my truck.I will check with Edelbrock to see if they have a higher hp big block set up.

[Roadkill58]

DD: Thanks for the info.
I will check out that article.
Did you buy that trans controller?

"Edelbrock Pro-Flo XT"
http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_...xt_intro.shtml

Simmit has them for small block
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...p?N=115+328385

Check out my project journal.

[OLNOLAN]

Glad you got good rest in mountains. How about posting a photo of the mountain views? I have been to Vegas for Nascar race, saw a few mountains,far west as I've been, we flew in for the race didn't have time to see much. I appreciate your feedback on driveline stuff. I didn't have any issues with the 350/stick shift before swapping in the LT1 and T56, actually didn't have wheel hop, but no traction on hole shots. I am being careful with setup cause stick shifts will break stuff. I'm eventually gonna do a posi unit like yours, right now I'm peg- leggin. I'm gonna need the traction bars then. I liked the re-engineered brackets on yours BUT at $280.00 from Brothers and having to remake the front mounts I think I'm gonna pass on those, maybe try a less expensive slapper bar or something. Man it's a drag when you gotta save up $ to get your hotrod together. Mine is movin slow. Put the blower on yours, I dare ya! I'm sitting on a 502, super duty block with all forged rotating assembly,
rectangle port heads and get this, it's only 8.5:1, what a blower motor it could be! I'm saving it for a special hotrod. If you are interested in how I bought it for a mere $1500, let me know. There's a way to get bulletproof big blocks like this cheap if you know what you're lookin for.Later,OLNOLAN

[DOUBLEDICK]

Roadkill58 I did not get my controller yet.I have to get my shop up this summer.But I did do all the research and want the one from powertrainsolutions along with the paddle shifters.

[Roadkill58]

Good news! They have the Pro-Flo XT for big blocks.
They have them for oval, and rectangular ports.

I checked out Edelbrock's booth (more like big rig) at the Goodguys meet in Pleasanton today.

Good turnout, autocross, swapmeet, tools. And lots of cool cars, and trucks.

Good way to get motivated.

[DOUBLEDICK]

Roadkill58 That is good news on the Pro-Flo XT.That will wake up the rectangle port heads on the ol 427.Good thing the 4L80E is rated 700hp

[Roadkill58]

For standard deck and rectangular ports:

Pro-Flo XT as cast #3558 and Pro-Flo XT with black powder coated finnish #35583

Recommended intake gasket: #7202

They also have them for the LS1 engines as well.

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_...xt_chevy.shtml

The ones for big blocks is at the bottom of the page.