Is it safe to use my tranny bolts to mount my sbc 350 on an engine stand? I'm just curious if it will strain the bolts too much or if I should get higher grade bolts? (though I'm betting tranny bolts are quite tough, hehe)

I just want to make sure before mounting it, because I don't want to have my engine hit the floor, or have it hit the floor and I'm under it

You can use them if they are long enough but I doubt they are. Just go to the hardware store and get some grade 8's if they aren't long enough. All in all you might have 2 or 3 dollars in new bolts.

Kevin

I have collected a lot of bolts over the years and keep the ones that are long enough for the engine stands in a container so marked. Also, have a bag on the engine stands with the proper bolt lengths in them so I don't have to waste time looking !! Like Kevin, don't think the tranny bolts are long enough. You need about 1/2" thread engagement to be on safe side.

Trees

Be sure & get AT LEAST grade 5 bolts, preferably grade 8. Many hardware stores only carry grade 2, which are JUNK. I broke a 1/2" grade 2 bolt with only a couple of box-end wrenches & my shoulder was already messed up at the time. Don't trust an expensive engine to junk fasteners. Take one of the arms of the stand with you for measuring. Try for 3/4" thread engagement, but bring home some extra washers in case one of the bolts won't go in that far.

Today I went to a place here called bolt supply warehouse and they have every bolt under the sun. I asked the owner of the shop for some grade 8 3/8th bolts with 1 inch of thread and 3½ inch of non thread stainless steel bolts which fit PERFECTLY to my engine stand. I also bought some washers just in case for perfect fit and not to have the bolt strip the pretty paint off the stand, lol. Thanks for the tips and info, now I have a safely mounted engine that I don't have to worry about causing an accident.

PS: I am a safetly nut, though somehow I get hurt often, lol.