[57fordft]

Well , I 'm ready to fire my 391FT, but not in the car, currently it sits on a wooden skid that I modified to hold the engine upright and stable when I picked it up from the engine builder, it sits on 2x8's that are mounted to the skid on end it is pretty secure , I also have tie down straps that I normally use to haul freight ( E-track straps ) they are secured to the sides of the skid ( 2 straps ) and the engine is held in place by cranking down on the ratchets, the engine or skid did not budge a inch on the trip from Wilkes Barre,PA to Nazareth,PA , but now I need to raise the engine higher ( to clear the spinning flywheel ) and figure out how to wire it up and mount the radiator etc, I am using a original Mallory dual point set-up for the initial break in and later will switch to something more modern ( when I can afford t ) . in case anyones interested its a 391FT bored .060 over it has 10.5 to 1 flat top pistons , cam is by crane , mild bracket racing hydraulic cam , it uses a Halley street dominator intake and a Holley 670 Street Avenger carb. heads are 68 390 gt with hardened valve seats and new heavier valve springs , ( can't remember specs ) , I am eager to hear this thing run, any help would on building a simple test stand would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[steve392]

57,
Here's a few pictures of a test stand I made, mostly out of 2x4's and some plywood. I started with a basic rectangular frame and added two uprights for the motor mounts to sit on. These were braced with some plywood. I also added a crossmember in the back that supported the bellhousing. I then added a "dashboard" for the gauges and switch, and some more wood brackets to hold the radiator, fuel cell, and battery.
I also made the stand long enough to accommodate the transmission. It also makes a good storage cart when the engine is out of the vehicle.

Hope this helps,
Steve

[veltboy314]

Originally Posted by steve392

57,
Here's a few pictures of a test stand I made, mostly out of 2x4's and some plywood. I started with a basic rectangular frame and added two uprights for the motor mounts to sit on. These were braced with some plywood. I also added a crossmember in the back that supported the bellhousing. I then added a "dashboard" for the gauges and switch, and some more wood brackets to hold the radiator, fuel cell, and battery.
I also made the stand long enough to accommodate the transmission. It also makes a good storage cart when the engine is out of the vehicle.

Hope this helps,
Steve

Thats a nice test stand!!!

[lt1silverhawk]

Originally Posted by veltboy314

Thats a nice test stand!!!

+ 1 to that! I never thought of using wood out of fear that it would not support the weight of the engine. You don't have build plans by any chance do you?

[57fordft]

Hey thanks , that stand looks great ! I just need to figure out the wiring now.

Thanks again

[lt1silverhawk]

57fordft,

Here are some threads that may be of some help:

engine run-in stand

Engine Testing Stand

Engine Test Stand

engine test stand plans

Good luck!