Crazy engine mount question/idea . . . . . - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

*racedvl* · 12-02-2002, 05:34 PM

We have to admit it, stock engine mounts on our trucks are not the greatest. So here is my idea. If we can take a 73 and up front cross member, and bolt it to our truck frames, why not use 73 and up engine towers, and up grade to the 73 and up mounts? This way we can also have urathane mounts, and the 73 and up are a better set-up. When I swap engines this winter, I'm gonna up grade to a 78 front cross member, and I'm thinking of using the 78 towers and mounts. What do you guys think? Has anyone tried this? Please let me know. Thanks, Jason.

**Yukon Jack** · 12-02-2002, 05:52 PM

Blazerman gave me a scanned article a while back that recommends when doing a big block swap into a 4wd, that you use the 73-up cross member and towers. My question is, are the 73-up cross member and towers different for 2wd and 4wd and big block and small block. The article didn't mention that. I will be interested to follow this post.

*racedvl* · 12-02-2002, 06:48 PM

I know that 2x4 and 4x4 are diffrent crossmembers.

crazy longhorn · 12-02-2002, 07:39 PM

Racedvl, I havent tryed the later mounts on a sb, but dont see why they wouldnt work. you would have to drill the holes on the top of the frame for the stands, & may need to play with positioning of the engine(the 73 up trucks seem to set the eng closer to the firewall),but IMHO a little engine setback is good. I have used late 70's stands, & deisel brackets to mount a 455 Olds in the longhorn.......i got 1 bolthole on the top ea side to line up, & drilled the 2. At the bottom i welded the stands to the 69 crossmember. Good luck.....crazy AL

*racedvl* · 12-02-2002, 07:44 PM

Hhhhmmm. I'm thinking that if the lower part of the 67-72 towers bolt to the 73-87 cross member, that the bottom part of the 73-87 towers should bolt to the cross member, right? Then if ya gotta drill the frame. . . oh well. what does anyone else think?

crazy longhorn · 12-02-2002, 08:08 PM

Drilling the holes on the top of the frame rails shouldnt be a problem,& if you are using the later crossmember, you will have the holes at the bottom.......I couldnt get the later stands to bolt to the early crossmember tho.....(at the rear was the issue)

67cst · 12-02-2002, 08:14 PM

my 67 is sitting on a 85 swb frame....therefore im using all the newer sh!t, i didnt notice a whole lot of difference from the 67 mounts and frame...i got pics of the 85 frame if you are interested

Derek

Longhorn Man · 12-02-2002, 10:17 PM

Jason, if you drill into the frame rails...I recomend a 1/2 inch drill and not a little 3/8 inch wussy one.
Heck, I killed my 1/2 inch one going into the Longhorns frame rails the other day.

crazy longhorn · 12-02-2002, 10:20 PM

1/2" air drill......couple drops of earl, & you can run em all day,or till they wear you out

Bowed · 12-02-2002, 11:36 PM

Quote- " My question is, are the 73-up cross member and towers different for 2wd and 4wd ? "

Yes and right now I am looking in to this . The 73 + 2WD towers go from the frames top rail to the suspension crossmember. The 4WD towers do not leave the frame rails ( the 4WD of course has no suspension cross member ) but the 4WD towers do have a narrow steel brace that goes directly across between them to make up for that lost support . I picked up a set of 84 2WD towers and even though the holes at the top rail match I can see problems at my 67 suspension crossmember . I am going to measure it out to see if I can some how use the frame rail only 4WD towers if the rails are the same height and are the same spacing apart and if it will not put the engine to high it might work .

**Yukon Jack** · 12-03-2002, 10:43 AM

Great information, will need to file this post away for future reference.

Bowed · 12-03-2002, 10:38 PM

To follow up on the post I made above to Yukon Jack , today I took out the 6 CLY towers on my 67 C20 and tried the 84 burb 2WD towers and they will fit perfectly if I redrill 3 of the holes. The bottom of the towers even followed the contour of the 67 crossmember exactly . Then I swung the 454 in to the engine bay , This is a 1977 - 454 with standard motor mounts , it went in and lined up with the holes in the towers so well that I was able to drop the motor mount bolts in by just wiggeling the engine a couple of times and it turned out to be the easiest drop in I have ever done . Like other 67's and a big block the top edges of the valve covers come close to the fire wall corners , so when the engine comes out to redrill the tower mounting holes I will also elongate the holes so I can get some adjustment if I need it . For those of you that are thinking of a BB in a 67 , these towers work.

Blue_71 · 12-04-2002, 12:20 AM

i cant add anything to the mount question, but i can say that i drilled 4 1/2 inch diameter holes in my frame with a hammer drill... so it can be done (1/2 inch drill)

12-02-2002, 05:34 PM	#1
racedvl Account Suspended Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Woodstock, IL Posts: 7,020	Crazy engine mount question/idea . . . . . We have to admit it, stock engine mounts on our trucks are not the greatest. So here is my idea. If we can take a 73 and up front cross member, and bolt it to our truck frames, why not use 73 and up engine towers, and up grade to the 73 and up mounts? This way we can also have urathane mounts, and the 73 and up are a better set-up. When I swap engines this winter, I'm gonna up grade to a 78 front cross member, and I'm thinking of using the 78 towers and mounts. What do you guys think? Has anyone tried this? Please let me know. Thanks, Jason.

12-02-2002, 05:52 PM	#2
Yukon Jack Post Whore Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Rose Hill, KS, USA Posts: 12,686	Blazerman gave me a scanned article a while back that recommends when doing a big block swap into a 4wd, that you use the 73-up cross member and towers. My question is, are the 73-up cross member and towers different for 2wd and 4wd and big block and small block. The article didn't mention that. I will be interested to follow this post. __________________ 1970 Blazer with a 400 sbc and 4" lift 1980 Pontiac Trans Am, 455 Oldsmobile 2012 Kawasaki Concours 14

12-02-2002, 07:39 PM	#4
crazy longhorn Fabricate till you "puke" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ill Posts: 9,402	Racedvl, I havent tryed the later mounts on a sb, but dont see why they wouldnt work. you would have to drill the holes on the top of the frame for the stands, & may need to play with positioning of the engine(the 73 up trucks seem to set the eng closer to the firewall),but IMHO a little engine setback is good. I have used late 70's stands, & deisel brackets to mount a 455 Olds in the longhorn.......i got 1 bolthole on the top ea side to line up, & drilled the 2. At the bottom i welded the stands to the 69 crossmember. Good luck.....crazy AL __________________ 69 longhorn,4" chop,3/5 drop, 1/2 ton suspension/disc brakes,1 1/2" body drop,steel tilt clip, 5.3/Edelbrock rpm intake/600 carb, Hooker streetrod shorties,2 1/2" exhaust/ H pipe/50's Flows , 6 spd Richmond trans,12 bolt/ 3.40 gears....

12-02-2002, 08:08 PM	#6
crazy longhorn Fabricate till you "puke" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ill Posts: 9,402	Drilling the holes on the top of the frame rails shouldnt be a problem,& if you are using the later crossmember, you will have the holes at the bottom.......I couldnt get the later stands to bolt to the early crossmember tho.....(at the rear was the issue) __________________ 69 longhorn,4" chop,3/5 drop, 1/2 ton suspension/disc brakes,1 1/2" body drop,steel tilt clip, 5.3/Edelbrock rpm intake/600 carb, Hooker streetrod shorties,2 1/2" exhaust/ H pipe/50's Flows , 6 spd Richmond trans,12 bolt/ 3.40 gears....

12-02-2002, 08:14 PM	#7
67cst i love summertime Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Kelowna BC Posts: 4,302	my 67 is sitting on a 85 swb frame....therefore im using all the newer sh!t, i didnt notice a whole lot of difference from the 67 mounts and frame...i got pics of the 85 frame if you are interested Derek __________________ 1967 shortbox stepside Chevy, 365 hp 327, th400. GLOVE BOX LIGHTS FORSALE, click link for info http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=273724

12-02-2002, 06:48 PM	#3
racedvl Account Suspended Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Woodstock, IL Posts: 7,020	I know that 2x4 and 4x4 are diffrent crossmembers.

12-02-2002, 07:44 PM	#5
racedvl Account Suspended Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Woodstock, IL Posts: 7,020	Hhhhmmm. I'm thinking that if the lower part of the 67-72 towers bolt to the 73-87 cross member, that the bottom part of the 73-87 towers should bolt to the cross member, right? Then if ya gotta drill the frame. . . oh well. what does anyone else think?

12-02-2002, 10:17 PM	#8
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Jason, if you drill into the frame rails...I recomend a 1/2 inch drill and not a little 3/8 inch wussy one. Heck, I killed my 1/2 inch one going into the Longhorns frame rails the other day.

12-02-2002, 10:20 PM	#9
crazy longhorn Fabricate till you "puke" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ill Posts: 9,402	1/2" air drill......couple drops of earl, & you can run em all day,or till they wear you out __________________ 69 longhorn,4" chop,3/5 drop, 1/2 ton suspension/disc brakes,1 1/2" body drop,steel tilt clip, 5.3/Edelbrock rpm intake/600 carb, Hooker streetrod shorties,2 1/2" exhaust/ H pipe/50's Flows , 6 spd Richmond trans,12 bolt/ 3.40 gears....

12-02-2002, 11:36 PM	#10
Bowed Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: where it's hot Posts: 1,059	Yukon Jack Quote- " My question is, are the 73-up cross member and towers different for 2wd and 4wd ? " Yes and right now I am looking in to this . The 73 + 2WD towers go from the frames top rail to the suspension crossmember. The 4WD towers do not leave the frame rails ( the 4WD of course has no suspension cross member ) but the 4WD towers do have a narrow steel brace that goes directly across between them to make up for that lost support . I picked up a set of 84 2WD towers and even though the holes at the top rail match I can see problems at my 67 suspension crossmember . I am going to measure it out to see if I can some how use the frame rail only 4WD towers if the rails are the same height and are the same spacing apart and if it will not put the engine to high it might work .

12-03-2002, 10:43 AM	#11
Yukon Jack Post Whore Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Rose Hill, KS, USA Posts: 12,686	Great information, will need to file this post away for future reference. __________________ 1970 Blazer with a 400 sbc and 4" lift 1980 Pontiac Trans Am, 455 Oldsmobile 2012 Kawasaki Concours 14

12-03-2002, 10:38 PM	#12
Bowed Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: where it's hot Posts: 1,059	LATTER TOWERS To follow up on the post I made above to Yukon Jack , today I took out the 6 CLY towers on my 67 C20 and tried the 84 burb 2WD towers and they will fit perfectly if I redrill 3 of the holes. The bottom of the towers even followed the contour of the 67 crossmember exactly . Then I swung the 454 in to the engine bay , This is a 1977 - 454 with standard motor mounts , it went in and lined up with the holes in the towers so well that I was able to drop the motor mount bolts in by just wiggeling the engine a couple of times and it turned out to be the easiest drop in I have ever done . Like other 67's and a big block the top edges of the valve covers come close to the fire wall corners , so when the engine comes out to redrill the tower mounting holes I will also elongate the holes so I can get some adjustment if I need it . For those of you that are thinking of a BB in a 67 , these towers work.

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