Mounting engine in chassis

This will apply to engine as well as chassis so I didnt know which section to put in in. I have a front engine plate 1/4 aluminum, a .090 center plate and a crossmember in car for trans. mount. What I am considering is using the center plate, fabbing solid engine mounts from oe block mounting holes to chassis, or to front of heads, (Iron heads) and not using the front plate, giving more clearance for headers, cam changes or just room for maintenance.

Or, use front plate and center plate both. Either way I will use a rubber trans mount on the crossmember. The long 5/16 bolts as the only attachment to front of engine are my concern. I know lots have been mounted this way with no problems and some with problems, but I have the oppertunity now to do it different ways.

What have some of you used with success and what would you have changed on yours if you did it over and what are your opinions on this car? This is an aftermarket chassis car (Alston) race only, 532ci, PG (stock case) 4.30 gear with 17X33 tires. I will also have fore and aft bars on each side.

Bob they say NEVER mount the engine and trans in all 3 spots something will break and most likely the trans for it is the softest metal front and trans or front and back of block leave trans hang. I like the front and trans...

Do not attach motor plates to the heads, use the front of the timing cover.

I would do aluminum front, with a mid plate and rubber trans. Proven to work.

i use the same setup you do but no trans crossmember.the front plate bolts have never been a problem on mine.

69F100 wrote:

whatbumper wrote:I would do aluminum front, with a mid plate and rubber trans. Proven to work.

x2 my trans mount has no pressure what so ever on it mounted in a nuatral postion I use for keep the engine from wanting to move farward or backward

thats what'll break a glide.i never thought about it till i found my crossmember bent,i put limiters on it at the trans first and pulled the bolts outa the tailshaft.i put them back and also put them on the block at the factory mounting points.

This is why I asked. Pros and cons of each. I knew if there were any problems this would be the place to find an intelligent answer from folks who have been there done that. BTW what I was calling fore and aft isolaters are also referred to as limiters.

front and midplate here, no trans cross member or mount, my lateral limiters bolt where the tranny mount would have, and run back to the driveshaft loop................stock case glide here and taihousing.

For whats its worth, my dragster has front and mid plates and uses limiters from the back of the shorty glide to the frame on both sides, No trans mount.

richter69 wrote:front and midplate here, no trans cross member or mount, my lateral limiters bolt where the tranny mount would have, and run back to the driveshaft loop................stock case glide here and taihousing.

i could'nt find a pic of the trans mount but it's same as yours.my front plate is the real wide one so i went with the extra limiters on the block.

Of course with the setup that I mentioned you HAVE to run the limiters on it to stop the fore and aft movement that the plates would allow. Do not let the trans mount be the limiter.

whatbumper wrote:Of course with the setup that I mentioned you HAVE to run the limiters on it to stop the fore and aft movement that the plates would allow. Do not let the trans mount be the limiter.

lot of folks run without the limiters till they break it,lol.like me the shorter plates like you'd use in a stock front half car dont have as much trouble.

Limiters will be on it regardless of which way I go. Be nice if I had some pics of some of yours to get an idea of different ways to trim and mount plates.

I have always used front and rear plates with no transmission mount, with limiters.

Using the trans mount pad as a limiter mounting point is a non issue, its been done for a lot of years on a lot faster stuff than mine. The crossmember putting pressure on the tailhousing during chassis flex is what breaks cases, the compression force appied to it in a launch puts minimal strain on the housing and case. Its all a mtter of physics.

richter69 wrote:Using the trans mount pad as a limiter mounting point is a non issue, its been done for a lot of years on a lot faster stuff than mine. The crossmember putting pressure on the tailhousing during chassis flex is what breaks cases, the compression force appied to it in a launch puts minimal strain on the housing and case. Its all a mtter of physics.

Since I don't build transmissions or have a physics degree I will have to believe you.

The reason I push the trans mount is for the additional bar to stiffen the chassis. Even with the x bar under the car that additional cross bar adds strength.

the bar is fine, just leave the mount off of it lol.

my car dont have any bars between the l/b crossmember and the rack,well the small one for the front loop.front plate is s&w,mid is a comp .090 steel.

Is the .090 steel midplate thick enough if not using a rubber mount on the trans? Seems flimsy and thin to me.

I say this because once all my plates were welded and the engine bolted in the trans cross member took a "set" and has some tension on it now.... I'm thinking of going to a 1/4" aluminum mid plate and ditching the trans crossmember.

my midplate is around .100, its also bolted at the top so I'm sure this makes everything a lot more rigid.

I have a 1/4" aluminum front plate, .100" CM mid-plate, and a rubber trans mount, with the lateral limiters running from the block engine mounting points forward to the frame rails = Zero problems

richter69 wrote:my midplate is around .100, its also bolted at the top so I'm sure this makes everything a lot more rigid.

How does your car weigh 3000 lb is that .500 inch wall tubing.....................

my frame connectors are 2" x 2" .250" wall, lots of extra bars in the cage.........all mild steel...........these old cars aint build like them pop can fox body cars lol

My old cougar was similar, but the mid-plate had 2 bolts in the top only. Shaped like the bell housing elsewhere.