Engine Removal

[Pvmt-Pndr]

I am wondering if there is physically enough room to pull the engine out if I only remove the radiator and hood of my truck. I have a cherry picker that has some personal touches on and will lift 1k pounds 10' in the air. It looks like it would be an extremely tight fit. Is removing the grill a must do on these trucks to get the engine out and if so is there anything I need to look out for? I managed to get the trans back out again today and will be getting the engine ready to pull within a week or so I hope.

[Airdirect]

The radiator support is also the grill. Easy to remove and you will have plenty of access. Not sure you will even need to remove the hood. That vintage could be different than my 1979, but I believe they are built very similar.

[Pvmt-Pndr]

It looks like you're right. When I was looking at it yesterday it seemed the seams were a bit too tight to easily come apart. I figured out why... they're all caulked. I'll be working on this over time and hope to have it out in the next couple of weeks. Thanks Airdirect

[txagincali]

I pulled the whole front clip for my swap, but if you pulled the Radiator and Grille, you should have no problems.

Just be sure you can get to all of the trans bellhousing bolts first (tight and covered in decades of road grime). I tried to pull the engine and trans together but the tunnel wouldn't clear the hump in the trans and had to undo the front body mount bolts and jack the body up ~2" for it to drop out as one unit. Probably a lot easier if split, but I also couldn't get to a few bolts when I partially tried.

[sweetk30]

not your body style but my 73-87 body style gmc7000 i pulled the core support and all was good .

[Pvmt-Pndr]

Thanks guys! I'll post pictures as a reference for anyone pulling the engine on my era truck when it's all done.

[txagincali]

Just for reference when you are getting into it, here is my 69 with the grille/core support removed but the rest of the body panels on it. I still pulled the hood and fenders off before I pulled the motor but not because I had to, but because I needed them off eventually anyways so it just made things easier when pulling the motor/trans. Mine is a 292, so if you have a 366 or 427, you can account for having less room.

[Pvmt-Pndr]

Perfect. Thanks! At least now I know which seams I'm splitting to get it apart.

[1948ChevyDumpFixer]

One trick I always used on the dozens of Chevy engine swaps I've done....remove the motor mounts first, and install them last. You can easily remove them or install them while hanging on the cherry picker, and it makes manuvering the engine around between the crossmember so much easier.

[Airdirect]

Originally Posted by 1948ChevyDumpFixer

One trick I always used on the dozens of Chevy engine swaps I've done....remove the motor mounts first, and install them last. You can easily remove them or install them while hanging on the cherry picker, and it makes manuvering the engine around between the crossmember so much easier.

I concur, they will slide in very easy without the motor mounts in the way. Once connected to bell housing, you can slip the motor mounts in.