Project: Agent Orange

[vtblazer]

Being the contactor for the compressor died, any further body work today was out...so playing 'engine mock up' sounded pretty good.

Sits pretty far back for some reason and the 700r lands exactly on the stock location of the factory tranny cross member.

 

[AJs72K5]

Did you move the engine back? Sits awful tight on the firewall for an SBC.

 

[vtblazer]

Did you move the engine back? Sits awful tight on the firewall for an SBC.

As far as I know it's bolted into the stock engine cross member bolt holes in the frame.

I was surprised how far it's sitting back too, and then for the transmission to land on the tranny cross member that's in the stock location, really threw me.

 

[Greg72]

Looks like you could come forward about 2" and grab that other set of holes instead for the engine crossmember....

I'd want more valvecover clearance than what you've got there, I doubt you'd even be able to get those off to do a lash adjustment. Are those valvecovers extra tall for high ratio rockers or something???


EDIT: Any chance you have the DIY crossmember installed backwards? If there's an offset to the mounts from the frame holes it might be setting you back instead of forward....

 

[AJs72K5]

You're on the tranny crossmember, yes. But you don't have the adapter on. You'll still have to move the tranny crossmember back.

Greg brings up an interesting point on the DIY4X engine crossmember. It's been long enough that I don't remember if it'll only go on one way. And if your is backwards...then mine is too.

EDIT: Looking at Jim's on 67-72chevytrucks I'm really confused now.... LINK I think we need some better pics from him...

 

[vtblazer]

Looks like you could come forward about 2" and grab that other set of holes instead for the engine crossmember....

I'd want more valvecover clearance than what you've got there, I doubt you'd even be able to get those off to do a lash adjustment. Are those valvecovers extra tall for high ratio rockers or something???


EDIT: Any chance you have the DIY crossmember installed backwards? If there's an offset to the mounts from the frame holes it might be setting you back instead of forward....

Those two holes the look like you could just slide everything forward are the only two, no other holes in the frame exist for the other mounting bolts, easy fix though.

Not possible to mount the DIY cross member in backwards, there's a taper to it, so flipping it around wouldn't work.

You're on the tranny crossmember, yes. But you don't have the adapter on. You'll still have to move the tranny crossmember back.

Greg brings up an interesting point on the DIY4X engine crossmember. It's been long enough that I don't remember if it'll only go on one way. And if your is backwards...then mine is too.

EDIT: Looking at Jim's on 67-72chevytrucks I'm really confused now.... LINK I think we need some better pics from him...

I was going to pick up the 241 yesterday too,
Would of made things more clear perhaps.

Looked again this morning, we all have the cross member in correctly IMO.

 

[vtblazer]

You're on the tranny crossmember, yes. But you don't have the adapter on. You'll still have to move the tranny crossmember back.

You called it.

 

[GRINCH]

I found during my mock up that the Tranny cross member from my 90 works with the 4l80E/NP 241 combo I'm using on my 72 build. Just have to drill a few new holes in the frame.

 

[vtblazer]

Have this coming soon:

Tall adaptor, mounts directly to the stock transmission cross member.

 

[AJs72K5]

Consider a set of poly tranny mounts while you're at it. LINK

And you can see in this pic why you'll want to consider a clocking ring, too.

 

[vtblazer]

Consider a set of poly tranny mounts while you're at it. LINK

And you can see in this pic why you'll want to consider a clocking ring, too.

I was going to ask you about the ring, saw you took yours out, wanna sell it?

 

[AJs72K5]

I was going to ask you about the ring, saw you took yours out, wanna sell it?

I sent it back to Kert @ DIY4x right after I took it out. It didn't fit cuz of my headers. I'm going to run different headers on the new motor that should give me more clearance (I hope). That said...a clocking ring has already been shipped from DIY4x.

 

[vtblazer]

I sent it back to Kert @ DIY4x right after I took it out. It didn't fit cuz of my headers. I'm going to run different headers on the new motor that should give me more clearance (I hope). That said...a clocking ring has already been shipped from DIY4x.

No worries, ordered one direct.

The t-case mount is 'suppoesed' to be here on Tuesday, wanna keep moving forward, hope it does.

 

[vtblazer]

Turkey day 09 and I get to play in the shop.

Time to decide on engine/tranny placement.

Will trial fit the dizzy and if that's happy, I'll move the cross member back, if not, everything gets moved forward until it lands on the stock mounts.

Still pretty tight to the firewall with the bling valve covers though.

Have a great turkey day boys.

 

[StevoandaRedK5]

Turkey day 09 and I get to play in the shop.

Lucky dog....

 

[vtblazer]

As it worked out, moving the drive train forward 1", proved to be the magic spot.

The bigger picture was to make both drive line length's close enough so that one spare drive shaft works for both.

The 241 shift lever will need to be modified some for clearance but not much.

Even clocked up into the highest position the 241 still hang's 2.5"s below the frame rail but hey it's still a lot better the stock location.

Need to make a dimple in the floor pan for clearance too.

 

[Greg72]

That looks a lot better around the dizzy and valvecovers.

A double-crossmember setup with a skidplate between them will protect the aluminum bits underneath....and I'd say you're done!

 

[vtblazer]

That looks a lot better around the dizzy and valvecovers.

A double-crossmember setup with a skidplate between them will protect the aluminum bits underneath....and I'd say you're done!

Yep, I think pulling out the tall adaptor & replacing it with the shorter one might be in the near future, by making a custom tranny cross member to replace the stock one it would gain another 2/3"s of 'hang' and make for a much better skid plate install too.

 

[GRINCH]

Yep, I think pulling out the tall adaptor & replacing it with the shorter one might be in the near future, by making a custom tranny cross member to replace the stock one it would gain another 2/3"s of 'hang' and make for a much better skid plate install too.

Didn't I see in a pic that you had a crossmember from a later model? On my setup I'm using the crossmember from my 90.

 

[vtblazer]

Didn't I see in a pic that you had a crossmember from a later model? On my setup I'm using the crossmember from my 90.

Correct, I had kept the 90 cross member when I parted out that truck but to keep things easy, decided to use the stock piece.