Rebuilding my 87

[87OldYeller]

Well i dropped in the engine and transmission tonight. Must say with no fenders and core support it is so easy. *L* Here are some pictures.

[fptransport]

man that makes me jealous,  what motor mount plates did you use?  did you installed the eng-tranny together and if so where did you hook the hoist to?

[87OldYeller]

trans-dapt 4572 engine mount adapters $47 seems to put the engine nicely against the firewall with plenty of clearance, they're  from summit as well

[fptransport]

cool man, I was trying to re search a post I read about a adapter someone used and moves the engine forward, that way you can re use the transmission original crossmember and eliminates the need to re do the drive shaf, where are you going to hook the break booster vaccum hose to?

[87OldYeller]

that i do not know yet.. hrmm good thing to be finding out though. I will post as soon as i know

[Captkaos]

There are engine mounts the move the engine forward force you to move the transmission forward.  You DO NOT want to do this as you have to build a completely new driveshaft since the old one is too short. 

90%+ engine plates mount the LS motor in the same position as the SBC so your transmission location doesn't change.

[fptransport]

thanks captkaos,  ..I am 5.3/4l60e combo,, I guess I ll find out when I go for the install


87oldyeller , good progress man,, keep up the good work

[Captkaos]

Doesn't matter what the engine/trans is.  If your truck didn't have a 700R4 in it, this will cause you to have to get your drive shaft shortened, which is MUCH cheaper than a new one.  AND you have to move the crossmember back.  If this is on a 82-87 truck the holes are already in the frame, you just have to move it back.

Moving the engine forward may help a little in a TH350 to 4L60 situation, but then your fan shroud is worthless along with the clearance at the front of the motor.  Since the 82-87 trucks (which are identicle to 73-81 as far as frame) came with the 4L60(700R4) it makes no sense to move more weight forward in my opinion, and it also just looks wrong when it is mounted.

This is with the forward mounts (which are targeted towards 67-72)


This is with SBC location plates (S&P)


I am actually going to move mine back another inch for weight distribution.

[87OldYeller]

Doesn't matter what the engine/trans is.  If your truck didn't have a 700R4 in it, this will cause you to have to get your drive shaft shortened, which is MUCH cheaper than a new one.  AND you have to move the crossmember back.  If this is on a 82-87 truck the holes are already in the frame, you just have to move it back.

so a driveshaft out of one with the 700R4 would fit in with out having to be shortened? It is from a 84 chevy SWB truck

[Captkaos]

If the transmission doesn't move, yes.

[87OldYeller]

what am I doing Wrong. got the engine brackets bolted up the way it look like it should. But the 4L60E will not bolt up to the cross member. I tried moving it back but in order for all the OEM Pre-Drilled holes in the frame to line up the transmission corss-member is to far back for the transmission to bolt in. i got a few pictures here. can anyone who has knowledge of this swap tell me what i am doing wrong? I think i have the engine bracket right maybe i do not?

engine bracket




with tansmission cross member in rear most place where bolt hole line up.



Any Help?

[Captkaos]

Move it back towards the pan.  From the picture it looks like you need to put it back where it came from.  Did it have a 700R4 before the swap?

[87OldYeller]

turbo 350 but the transmission mount had been modified to be longer so i am not sure.

thanks

[87OldYeller]

Move it back to wards the pan.  From the picture it looks like you need to put it back where it came from.  Did it have a 700R4 before the swap?

Hey thanks a lot. I swear i tried it. Cause i wanted to see if it would fit before i moved anything. but is is all bolted in now. I wound not having to move it it is in the foreward most position.

[87OldYeller]

Here is some of what I got done today







doesn’t look like much but removed all the old fuel lines, cleaned the frame some, bolted in the core support, got everything lined up and bolted in. Now just to wait on my wiring harness and computer.