82 front suspension on a 66 questions

[munchieu]

I found a 82 donor truck. I want to roll the 82 front end under the 66. crossmember and all. I heard to do this I need to make two holes larger and drill two fresh holes. After looking at the trucks I can see where it needs to be done. My question is what to do with the motor mounts? the 66 was a 6 cyl and will now be a 350. the motor mounts off the 82 do not fit the two top bolt holes of the 66 frame. Where do I go from here?

[66 lwb cs]

Not trying to be a smart a$$ but you may have to fab something up or draw it up and make it out of cardboard as a template then take it to a local welder and have him cut and burn it together. Only other option I can think of is look in the junk yard for a truck same vintage as yours and rob the motor mounts out of it, if it was an 8 cyl. Or maybe try some of the parts vendors they may sell a conversion kit with mounts. Just trying to help hope I did,

[63MOUSE]

i have a 63 and i put the front end from an 84 suburban on . you have to drill one hole and elongate one hole and put spacers on top of the frame, you will see how thick you need when you bolt together. done it on 2 trucks for the newer front end and disc brakes. works great, no welding or cutting, just some drilling

[Clyde65]

Why do all that? change the spindles and your done....other than brake lines.

[munchieu]

Originally Posted by Clyde65

Why do all that? change the spindles and your done....other than brake lines.

Want all the updated a arms.

[1966Stepside]

I actually just finished this exact same swap (same year donor and everything, not that it matters) so hopefully i can help out some.

The best bet for motor mounts would probably be to grab some from a junkyard and clean em up and use those. My 66 had a 350 already with the old 66 crossmember and A-Arms. the mounts don't look like anything special, so I would bet they are factory mounts from the truck the 350 came from (Which was a '76 1/2 ton from the block numbers). They bolted directly in to my frame, and it doesn't look like any work had been done previously to make it fit.

Long story short, go get some v8 mounts from a junkyard 73-87 truck. Should be dirt cheap. Bolt them in directly and win! If you have any other questions about the swap lemme know. I haven't taken mine to an alignment shop yet or anything, but I'm not worried, it'd be tough to do it wrong.

Originally Posted by Clyde65

Why do all that? change the spindles and your done....other than brake lines.

The 73-87 (and maybe 67-72, not sure) A-Arms have rubber bushings, which was the deciding factor for me.

[munchieu]

Originally Posted by 1966Stepside

I actually just finished this exact same swap (same year donor and everything, not that it matters) so hopefully i can help out some.

The best bet for motor mounts would probably be to grab some from a junkyard and clean em up and use those. My 66 had a 350 already with the old 66 crossmember and A-Arms. the mounts don't look like anything special, so I would bet they are factory mounts from the truck the 350 came from (Which was a '76 1/2 ton from the block numbers). They bolted directly in to my frame, and it doesn't look like any work had been done previously to make it fit.

Long story short, go get some v8 mounts from a junkyard 73-87 truck. Should be dirt cheap. Bolt them in directly and win! If you have any other questions about the swap lemme know. I haven't taken mine to an alignment shop yet or anything, but I'm not worried, it'd be tough to do it wrong.



The 73-87 (and maybe 67-72, not sure) A-Arms have rubber bushings, which was the deciding factor for me.

I have the mounts from the 82. the two bottom holes obviously mount up because its the 82 crossmember which is in the 66 now. the top holes do not match.

[1966Stepside]

Would you happen to have a pic? I'm surprised the holes aren't lining up for you. I don't know if the '82 was offered with a 6 cyl, but could it be possible that you have v6 mounts? Just tossing out ideas, since from what I've read and from personal experience the motor mounts should be a straight bolt in.

To verify: When you got the crossmember into the truck you got the bolts (3?)that go through the bottom of the frame and bolt the crossmember to the frame to line up? If so, then I'll admit to being stumped. That should locate the crossmember and the mounts should set right in place. Pics if you've got em, if not some more info on how the holes are missing (too far forward/back or not reaching all the way to the bolt holes in the frame) would give us a better idea of what's needed to get it all together.

[munchieu]

Originally Posted by 1966Stepside

Would you happen to have a pic? I'm surprised the holes aren't lining up for you. I don't know if the '82 was offered with a 6 cyl, but could it be possible that you have v6 mounts? Just tossing out ideas, since from what I've read and from personal experience the motor mounts should be a straight bolt in.

To verify: When you got the crossmember into the truck you got the bolts (3?)that go through the bottom of the frame and bolt the crossmember to the frame to line up? If so, then I'll admit to being stumped. That should locate the crossmember and the mounts should set right in place. Pics if you've got em, if not some more info on how the holes are missing (too far forward/back or not reaching all the way to the bolt holes in the frame) would give us a better idea of what's needed to get it all together.

pics coming right now.

[munchieu]

bolted to bottom of crossmember





does not line up at top. nowhere near close. These mounts are from the 82. cant use the 66 monts cuz there 6 banger mounts

[kieth]

Originally Posted by munchieu

Attachment 754371

bolted to bottom of crossmember

Attachment 754372

Attachment 754379

does not line up at top. nowhere near close. These mounts are from the 82. cant use the 66 monts cuz there 6 banger mounts

I used motor mounts from a 91 suburban, the engine, the front crossmember, power steering box, itc., had this same problem, we trimmed the truck frame and redrilled new holes on the crossmember. Here is a link to my pictures. Kieth

http://kieth.smugmug.com/Trucks/66-G...03189305_KyUKk


If you will scroll thru the pictures u can see what we did to make the later motor mounts work. Kieth 918-446-2245 we think this lowered the eng/transmission combo enough so we did not have to modify the doghouse (trans tunnel)

[munchieu]

I guess there called frame side engine stands not mounts

[1966Stepside]

Originally Posted by munchieu

I guess there called frame side engine stands not mounts

I think you're right, but I always either lump them into "engine mounts". If I need to differentiate I call them crossbraces. Everything I know I taught myself so my terminology is often very different from the norm

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Did you try to re-use the mm's/towers that were w/the 66 x-member? You might just need to re-drill the holes in the x-member part??

I was also going to suggest this as what I have on my truck. No idea if this is possible, but do the 350 rubber mounts bolt to the 6 cyl crossbrace?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 1966Stepside

I think you're right, but I always either lump them into "engine mounts". If I need to differentiate I call them crossbraces. Everything I know I taught myself so my terminology is often very different from the norm


I was also going to suggest this as what I have on my truck. No idea if this is possible, but do the 350 rubber mounts bolt to the 6 cyl crossbrace?

Motor mounts = rubber/steel cushion that bolts to the block.
Towers/stanchions are what connects the mm's to the frame & x-member.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by munchieu

I found a 82 donor truck. I want to roll the 82 front end under the 66. crossmember and all. I heard to do this I need to make two holes larger and drill two fresh holes. After looking at the trucks I can see where it needs to be done. My question is what to do with the motor mounts? the 66 was a 6 cyl and will now be a 350. the motor mounts off the 82 do not fit the two top bolt holes of the 66 frame. Where do I go from here?

Did you try to re-use the mm's/towers that were w/the 66 x-member? You might just need to re-drill the holes in the x-member part??

[munchieu]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Did you try to re-use the mm's/towers that were w/the 66 x-member? You might just need to re-drill the holes in the x-member part??

Those will not work because the were 6 banger towers. one side is longer than the other.

[63MOUSE]

Here's a picture of my '63 with '84 cross member and mounts...all '84; spacers on top, had to drill holes like you see.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by munchieu

Those will not work because the were 6 banger towers. one side is longer than the other.

I recommend a board supporting vendor then....
http://www.performanceonline.com/Engine-Mounts-c-455/

I used these in a 68 frame w/a notched 73-up x-member. I only had to elongate 1 hole on each sode of the x-member. My buddy now has them in his 72 Blazer that utilizes a post-73 x-member. His install required trimming the frame lip (it was a 4x4) & drilling 1 hole each side on the x-member.

[Captainfab]

You can use the '82 motor mounts and frame brackets, but you will need a spacer on top of the frame and drill two holes on each side. Just like the pics that 63MOUSE posted. If you were to locate a pair of the frame brackets from a '73-'87 C20, you wouldn't need the spacer on top of the frame.

The alternative would be to use a pair of the original 230/250 I6 and V8 motor mount brackets. I have a few sets if you decide to go that way.

[Str8axle]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

The alternative would be to use a pair of the original 230/250 I6 and V8 motor mount brackets. I have a few sets if you decide to go that way.

I agree. Frame brackets are the same I6 and V8. The only difference is where they bolt to the frame.

[munchieu]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

You can use the '82 motor mounts and frame brackets, but you will need a spacer on top of the frame and drill two holes on each side. Just like the pics that 63MOUSE posted. If you were to locate a pair of the frame brackets from a '73-'87 C20, you wouldn't need the spacer on top of the frame.

The alternative would be to use a pair of the original 230/250 I6 and V8 motor mount brackets. I have a few sets if you decide to go that way.

Captian, the pic I post of the frame brackets and mounts are from a 82 C20.

[1966Stepside]

Wow, that motor mount doesn't look anything like mine! It's tough to say what's going on there. My mount has two bolt holes on the top of the frame and one going into the crossmember. As rusty and aged as it looked, I sure figured it to be original. Maybe the mount I have is some aftermarket piece, since the PO did an extensive *cough* restoration *cough* at some point.

Hopefully someone can identify your mount or point you in the right direction. In the meantime, I'm going to dig around some of my research pages and see what I read about the motor mount being a direct fit....

[1966Stepside]

Yup, what I call stuff in my head and what everyone else calls it is different again.

I should make it over to my shop tomorrow, and I'll take some pics of what I have going on. Hopefully it'll give you some info.

[firenuttz]

when i swapped an 83 x-member into my brothers 64 i used the motor mounts that came out of the 83 and just put a 1/4in spacer in between the mount and the frame drilled the holes and it holds all 600hp of it without issue

[Chevy Fleetside]

Like said above. You can use the I6 towers for the V8. You don't even have to move them. Get new rubber mounts, why use old ones. My 66 was an I6 Truck and I never touched the towers and just dropped in an 87 year model V8. The 66 towers will bolt up to the newer crossmember without even drilling any holes. Was done when I helped a friend with his front crossmember swap.
Here are some pictures of the V8 sitting on the I6 towers. I put new mounts in because the others were falling apart.

Check out this thread with all the pictures and all the stuff we did to get it done. http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/sh...hp?tid/223597/