Anyone put a Turbo 350 behind a TorsionBar 60 Chevy Pickup?

[Legend56BC]

Ok we have the adaptor kit for the 261 to go to a turbo 350 and I bought my daughter a turbo 350 mount for a 63-66 truck I guess now.We have the truck down to the frame and tried to fit the trans mount in but the torsion bars are in the way.Anyone else have a fix for this or should we just modify the trans mount?PS: This is for my daughters 1960 GMC 910 Canadian model truck.Thanks in advance for any help.

[Oklahoma]

I made my trans cross member and mount, pretty simple.

[Legend56BC]

Originally Posted by Oklahoma

I made my trans cross member and mount, pretty simple.

We haven't mocked it up yet,can we use this trans mount and adapt it to fit?



Here is the frame section that we have

[markeb01]

Here's a link to what the factory automatic crossmember looked like for the 60-62. Should be relatively easy to fab a replacement if you know where it's suppose to go:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=369663

[Legend56BC]

Originally Posted by markeb01

Here's a link to what the factory automatic crossmember looked like for the 60-62. Should be relatively easy to fab a replacement if you know where it's suppose to go:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=369663

Thanks for that link,it looks like we can go across were the torsion bar ends and just adapt the trans mount we have,we are just getting ready to paint the chassis and started to check things out and noticed this issue.If anyone has pic's of just a frame with the new trans mount(60-62) I would really like to see it Thanks
PS: we are still running the big six with the front motor mount any length issues with this setup?

[markeb01]

Your 63 trans mount should be easy enough to convert, just cut the ends to fit and weld plates on to bolt in the factory location. I pretty sure you'll have to convert to side engine mounts however. The 350 automatic doesn't have any provision for bellhousing engine support so generally the factory stick shift crossmember has to come out making side engine mounts mandatory. With the factory six cylinder front mount and a rear tailhousing mount, there wouldn't be anything to prevent the engine from torquing over on its side.

Fyi the first link in the thread above http://www.persh.org/pickup/perches.htm shows the various types of side mounts available.

[Legend56BC]

Originally Posted by markeb01

Your 63 trans mount should be easy enough to convert, just cut the ends to fit and weld plates on to bolt in the factory location. I pretty sure you'll have to convert to side engine mounts however. The 350 automatic doesn't have any provision for bellhousing engine support so generally the factory stick shift crossmember has to come out making side engine mounts mandatory. With the factory six cylinder front mount and a rear tailhousing mount, there wouldn't be anything to prevent the engine from torquing over on its side.

Fyi the first link in the thread above http://www.persh.org/pickup/perches.htm shows the various types of side mounts available.

Thanks again! we were going to take out the standard cross member just before we painted it and thanks on the front mount rear mount being unstable....I knew some were in the back of my mind this would be a problem.In my race car I have the trans mount at the front between the rear of the block and in front of the trans and was thinking going that route but if the 261 has mounting bosses in the side that's the way to go.I am up in the office and they have the motor being prepped for paint right now...

[Legend56BC]

Just went into the shop to check out the motor has good clean side bosses so we are on for the side mount and re fabricate the trans mount.I guess I should get my daughter to post her own stuff here she belongs to the Canadian Pontiac forum.

[1Bad62Pro/Street]

I did.....
Well sorta....
Just did a few slight modifications.....
tee hee

[Legend56BC]

[QUOTE=1Bad62Pro/Street;4214837]I did.....
Well sorta....
Just did a few slight modifications.....
tee hee

HEHEHEHEHE...kind of like my modifications on my 68 C10 with a 75 Chevelle Chassis?

[markeb01]

Very cool that your daughter has interest in building her own stuff. Good for both of you. Quality time in the shop with kids is great.

[Legend56BC]

Originally Posted by markeb01

Very cool that your daughter has interest in building her own stuff. Good for both of you. Quality time in the shop with kids is great.

I feel very lucky she grew up around cars and trucks all her life,started 1/4 midget racing at 5,bought her first truck at 16(68 GMC I own now)and built her first car from field junk 58 Pontiac and now that she is in between University course she is getting it done on the 60 GMC

[Bugeyev8]

I ran a turbo 350 and a 700r4 in my 62 chevy with torsion bars for years and years, I welded a 1/4 plate to the x member for the torsion bars and two gussets under it ran it that way for 20 years and eng / 3 trans combos

[skysoldier173rd]

This can be made up in about an hour and installed in about the same. The pictures are of a 350 v8 install with a 700R4 in a 1960 GMC with tortion bars. Used the stock rubber mount and the existing holes in the both sides of the frame. They are drilled in a (. ' .) pattern and I bolted the support ears for the bar using these holes. Rest is merely cutting and measuring. Personally, i always use cardboard to mock it up and then cut. I don't think a 350 trans would be much different. Cost was about $15.00. Hope this helps.

[Legend56BC]

OK we have a few updates since I asked the question on putting a 261 6cly in front of a Turbo 350 in a 60 GMC.I made a new front engine mount from hard rubber and then used the trans kit to mate the turbo 350 to the 261 and we used racing side mounts that I used on my street stock that goes across from the back of the block and in the front of the trans then got the driveshaft in without having to cut it up.Here are some shots of what Tiffany and her boy friend did.Hope this makes sense...

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by skysoldier173rd

This can be made up in about an hour and installed in about the same. The pictures are of a 350 v8 install with a 700R4 in a 1960 GMC with tortion bars. Used the stock rubber mount and the existing holes in the both sides of the frame. They are drilled in a (. ' .) pattern and I bolted the support ears for the bar using these holes. Rest is merely cutting and measuring. Personally, i always use cardboard to mock it up and then cut. I don't think a 350 trans would be much different. Cost was about $15.00. Hope this helps.

So simple.
Thanks for this post.

[slepysal]

Nice work so the tranny is suported at the tailshaft?

[Legend56BC]

Originally Posted by slepysal

Nice work so the tranny is suported at the tailshaft?

The motor is supported at the stock location on the front of the block and the side mounts are at the rear of the block bolted to the frame(so it doesn't rock)and the rear mount is a modified 63-66 aftermarket trans mount that was made to fit in the X member area. The rear steel side mounts are made for stock cars but work here as well.

[markeb01]

Very nice work. I always like to see unique engineering. I've never seen an inline six with an automatic mounted like this. That's a great solution on the side mounts.

[blazer-k5]

Thats pretty Sweet. The tranny mount...the girl ...and the truck. I havnt even considered a th350 behind a inline. Guess I need to get out more.

[jtrichard]

looks great only thing i would do is add an interlock on the left side mid mount so if the mount ever separates it cant roll

[LostMy65]

I just started to tear into my 65 on a 62 frame.
I'll be removing my sm420, so my concern is keeping the engine fixed in place so the th350 gets mounted at its intended level.
This pic will help - I can see he lined the angle iron flush with the bottom of the frame:

[jtrichard]

if you don't have side engine mounts now you will have to put them in as well as a rear cross-member...as for the height look where your drive shaft is now going through the X frame now and make sure it is still in the same place with the turbo350 when done

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by jtrichard

if you don't have side engine mounts now you will have to put them in as well as a rear cross-member

I got side engine mounts already installed.

[jtrichard]

your half way there look at posts 15 through 18 above for the rear cross member they built ...you will need to remove the bell housing cross member you have now and build a rear one and make sure your shaft is in the same place as now.....after that gas, key ,start and gooooo!