spring question

[thebox]

Wondering how bad the ride would be cutting a coil or two from a stock set of 80 front springs for my conversion to get by with until i end up putting in bags? Also if anyone knows of a good place to get a set of used springs in San Diego? I went to one wrecking yard and they wanted $60 for a used set and that seems a little over priced in my opinion.

[joe231]

i cut one coil plus 3 inches, it rides nice after i trimmed the bump stops

[thebox]

Thats what i was going to start off with to see how it looked and go from there. Now i just have to get my hands on some coils. Probably going to check out pick and pull tomorrow.

[19GMC63]

w/ Joe

Ride isn't great but it isn't bad at all if you trim the bumpstops like Joe said and get shorter shocks.
Let's just say for the price of nothing, it's worth taking away a little ride quality to get the look... especially if your poor, like me.

[thebox]

Thanks for the input just picked up some springs and an 1 1/4 sway bar from pick a part. Looking forward to getting it all installed. I am sure i will be back with some more questions.

[thebox]

what do i have to do about the motor mounts? The ones off of my 61 crossmember are welded on and the bracket from my 283 will not fit onto the mounts from the 80 crossmember i am putting in. Do i need mounts off of a 350 and will it bolt up to my 283?

[mnky30]

the ones from the 350 will work all you have to do is drill some new holes in the frame and cross member.

[thebox]

what about the bracket coming from motor to the cross member mount did I need to get the one off of the 350

[mnky30]

here are a few pics. i used the motor mounts from the 80 front end and the mounts to the 350 on mine worked out fine. i used a front end from a 3/4 ton chevy and the rear from the 3/4 ton also worked out great

[thebox]

Thanks alot for the help. Looks like i will be going to pick your part tomorrow to pull some brackets off of an engine.

[thebox]

OK guys need to know if anyone has done this on a 61 with a 283 because I just dont see how the motor mount brackets from the 283 will line up with the motor mounts on the 80 crossmember?

[joe231]

mount the upper end of the trees to the frame and drill holes for the lower mount.
our '66 283 with a mid '80's front cross member





i would suggest using the forward most holes to mount the trees, it will give you more firewall to distributor clearance. I'm moving ours when I swap in the 700r4

[thebox]

what motor did you get that bracket from? I have some fabbed up triangular mounts coming off of my original crossmember from the PO.

[joe231]

these are factory '63-'66 mounts. the i-6 (except 292) and v-8 are the same

[thebox]

Awesome thanks man i 100% do not have the correct mounts. Now i have to track down some original mounts somewhere. Any body in SoCal have they would like to donate?

[mnky30]

the 282 and the 350 i have have the same mount holes in the block, that is why i used the 80 motor mounts and the mount that go to the block. i have a 60 c10 frame with a 80 x member under it.

[thebox]

Yea i understand what you are saying, but there is no way the 80 350 mounts are going to work with my 283.

i appreciate all the help with this guys. Got the laptop in the garage with me so i can find answers as i get stuck. Working in the driveway at night with halogen lights after work is kind a pain also.

[Captainfab]

Originally Posted by thebox

Yea i understand what you are saying, but there is no way the 80 350 mounts are going to work with my 283.

I see no reason why they won't. A SBC is a SBC, they both have the same mounting bosses on the side of the block. You'll just need to use the bracket on the block, the actual motor mount that bolts to the frame bracket, and the frame bracket. If you really want to go with the original style mounts and can't find the frame brackets locally, let me know, I have lots of them.

[thebox]

I picked up a set of 350 brackets from the local pick a part today and got them on the engine. For some reason my 283 is sitting further back in my engine bay so the 350 motor mounts have to get moved back on the crossmember. Also there is a gap between the top part of the motor mount that attaches to the frame. Did any of you have to notch your frame a little for the steering to clear? I think the PO didn't install the power steering with the correct brackets. Besides those issues i got everything installed except the stuff for the brakes.

[rmoorhead]

take some pics man. hei will make you move off the fire wall anyway.

[joe231]

pics or it didn't happen

oh and

[thebox]

Took some pics this morning and should get them posted when I get off of work tonight.

[thebox]

Well hopefully these pics show the issues i am running into with the engine mounts and steering clearance. Any advice on these problems will be great.

[thebox]

Sorry the last pic needs to be flipped counter clockwise and you can see how much the mount hangs off of the crossmember.

[joe231]

first of all...
the gear box is mounted too high on the frame.
and those mounts look like they are on the wrong sides.
have you tried swapping the passenger's side to the driver's and vice versa?