Engine and gearbox - how hard to fit to car?

[patrickt]

In my almost 50 years of monkeying with cars, I have never pulled, nor dropped, an engine in to a car by my lonesome self. I think I could do an ERA by myself, but I still wouldn't try. I don't even want to have to dead lift the TKO myself, which is a hundred pounds. Have someone help you, even if it's your wife. Having that extra pair of hands to just guide the engine down on to the mounts, and not whack the side of the foot box or firewall, is really, really helpful. You've come this far, don't f*** it up now.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by patrickt

....Have someone help you, even if it's your wife......You've come this far, don't f*** it up now.

Pat, I usually agree with the logic of your arguments....but this one, I have issues with

Cheers!
Glen

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by DanEC

I agree with Chicagowil about needing a good heavy duty hoist with a long reach and high capacity. Years ago I pulled a 427/4 speed altogether out of my 66 Corvette from the front and it was all it could do to reach it and snatch it out from the front. And this motor had aluminum heads and intake so not especially heavy. Had to clear everything out in front of the motor including the radiator support.

Originally Posted by xb-60

Don't want to find myself in the situation where I'm 6" too short in my reach. I'll check my hoist (currently disassembled) and report back....

Lucky I checked.
With the boom extended to maximum reach (which de-rates the lift capacity from 1250kg to 500kg) I have a reach of around 1.2m (4ft) and I need around 1.5m (5ft) to approach from the front of the car. Approaching from the side, which some recommend, I have plenty of reach as well as the ability to easily adjust in fore/aft and transverse directions.
Better to establish that beforehand rather than on the day

Cheers!
Glen

[Michael C Henry]

I built this swing set 3" top ridge pipe 4 2 " leg pipes' two welded corner brackets that the ridge pipe and the four leg pipes slide into, Everything fir into the trunk of my 63 Galaxy. The legs were always too short. But I used concrete block to get the extra height. Even then I cheated . I cut the radiator cross support nd slid the engine and trans over the front bumper of the 63 I always had low garage ceilings. When I worked at Craig Taylor equipment they had rigid ( like a swing set0 with I beam bottoms on large metal castor wheels The chain fall hoist was on a trolley . That always stayed there on the shop . I could have used it if only my garage ceiling were higher. I borrowed a portable hydraulic engine hoist only to find it wouldn't work on lifting the engine out of the Cobra replica. My swing set With concrete blocks is what I used on my patio. I had a ratcheting Cyclone chain hoist hook as short as I could.. Not apro set up that's what I used.

[1795]

Glen,

If coming in from the side, the front has to be on jack stands and he wheels removed so as not to interfere with having to move the engine hoist aft as you settle the engine and transmission in place. While it can be done, the last time I did it by myself because I couldn't find anyone to help and it had to be done to get the car ready for the next event, it is a pain in the a@@ and you will use every curse word you know. There is a lot of periods of tilting the engine in one direction or the other and then moving the thing an inch or two and then tilting the engine in the opposite direction for an inch or two, etc..

With that I could be there to help you.

Jim

[xb-60]

Jim, you're welcome to come across to Adelaide to help me
The quite ridiculous thing is that the engine and gearbox would clear if installing it from underneath....but of course that is quite impractical!

Cheers,
Glen