Uncle Bob
Shiny paint causes stress.
Believe me, this is not the first time I thought of that.
Doug's headers not fitting - frustration
- Thread starter Uncle Bob
- Start date
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Uncle Bob
Shiny paint causes stress.
I bought uncoated expecting they would get beat up going in anyway, so they weren't that much $$. But still.
Uncle Bob
Shiny paint causes stress.
I started with the engine/trans on a plain old cart and k-frame, and even then they would hit the PS box. Knowing it was all going to change once it was bolted to the car I thought that was because the engine wasn't sitting on the k-frame like it would be once it was all bolted in the car.
Then I put it in and tried to shove the TBs in place.
BTW that's a nice fixture you've got there
Uncle Bob
Shiny paint causes stress.
The last time I had already beat the headers up so I thought measuring was moot. Now I know that wasn't enough so I will try to measure it today.
How the heck will I move the engine over, if it needs it? I'm a one-man band here. Right now it seems to always go back to the same spot on the k-frame no matter how I try to pry it. 500 lbs of steel aluminum and rubber has a mind of it's own.
I hate headers on an a body. Here how I solved my fitment issues, courtesy of Ryobi….
453's on my 70 Dart, ps box was too close the to tubes, went to a 16:1 aftermarket manual box
New 1.03 torsion bars required dinging for clearance, both sides
Schumacher mounts on a 360 magnum, slant 6 k frame
1/4 in of washers under the drivers motor mount
New 1.03 torsion bars required dinging for clearance, both sides
Schumacher mounts on a 360 magnum, slant 6 k frame
1/4 in of washers under the drivers motor mount
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Uncle Bob
Shiny paint causes stress.
motor mounts:
Super-Cuda
MOPAR .. Move Over, Plymouth Approaching Rapidly!
Ok, try this.
Unbolt the driver's side engine mount.
Use a bar or an engine hoist and see if you can move the engine to a position that clears the header tubes.
If the headers now clear, maybe you can shim between the motor mount and the K-Frame to get the clearance you need.
Your problem is engine location as there area number of members on here with the same setup as you with the same headers that had no fitment issues.
Cheers!!
Edit: I just noticed something else from your pics. That section of the K Frame that the motor mount sits on looks like its bent
downward. K-Frames are notorious for bad or cracked welds.
I wonder if this is your problem?
Uncle Bob
Shiny paint causes stress.
I don't remember seeing any cracks but will look again. One thing, those photos were with the k-frame on the cart, so it wasn't sitting level to begin with.
TBH, now that I'm stepping back from it, I think that is where this whole fiasco started. Will know after measuring and/or lifting it up and prying it over.
340sFastback
Well-Known Member
The original welds on my k frame look like some pot smoking hippy in the 60s welded it up. And mine is sloppy requiring shims between mounts to get the headers to fit. Back in the 80s I ran Hooker Headers, didn't know about sloppy k-frames, and beat big dents in them to fit. Then the internet got invented and learned engine placement in a lot of these cars can be a major problem.
Uncle Bob
Shiny paint causes stress.
That's because it's true.
Super-Cuda
MOPAR .. Move Over, Plymouth Approaching Rapidly!
Yup!
The welds are ****, especially around the steering box mount. Get in a stock mopar, have someone crank the steering wheel hard left or right and look at the steering box.
You can actually see the deflection happening!
Did I hear someone say "poor quality control from the factory "
Super-Cuda
MOPAR .. Move Over, Plymouth Approaching Rapidly!
Absolutely!
Our old Mopars were never supposed to last this long.
The manufacturers wanted them replaced every 3 years.
340sFastback
Well-Known Member
If the k-frame motor mount locations were shifted 1/4 inch one way or the other that was considered within spec when the cars were built. Tolerances were loose and for factory parts that was usually fine. But when we go to put headers on that loop around everything and require extremely precise engine location to work big issues can arise. But some get lucky and headers fit right in while others have major fitment issues.
Uncle Bob
Shiny paint causes stress.
It's not a quality control problem if it meets the engineering tolerances:
.
340sFastback
Well-Known Member
Like if a door gap was 1/8 inch on one car and a giant 1/4 inch gap on the next car rolling down the line quality control would look at it say yep thats fine ship that car to the dealer. Not to mention pot smoking hippies working on assembly plants in the 60s....
4mulas
Fixem'up
Looks like the engine is to close to the drivers side. Is the Centerline of your engine offset to the passenger side frame rail by 1.25”. The difference in measurement from the centerline of the crank to the each frame rail should be 2.5" total.
Ie; if it measures 16.25” from the Center to driver rail and 13.75" to the passenger side you're good. If it’s more or less than the required difference your engine isn’t centered properly. Adjust accordingly
Measure from Center of crank to inside of the frame rail.
Ie; if it measures 16.25” from the Center to driver rail and 13.75" to the passenger side you're good. If it’s more or less than the required difference your engine isn’t centered properly. Adjust accordingly
Measure from Center of crank to inside of the frame rail.
Uncle Bob
Shiny paint causes stress.
I thought so too, because I'm more accustomed to b-body mounts, but the parts that RockAuto lists for a 71 v8 also look thin.
ah k.. yeah just dropping a engine like 1/4" would make headers hit ****.. was just thinking bout it is all
Super-Cuda
MOPAR .. Move Over, Plymouth Approaching Rapidly!
uuh Bob... The engineers were also pot smoking hippies..LOL !!!
This is true... little known fact was Tom Hoover was known as Tom "Hookah"... and that's how he came up with the hemi.. baked out of his skull... Later when the engineers switched to crack they made lean burn
This is an actual picture..
Super-Cuda
MOPAR .. Move Over, Plymouth Approaching Rapidly!
This is true... little known fact was Tom Hoover was known as Tom "Hookah"... and that's how he came up with the hemi.. baked out of his skull... Later when the engineers switched to crack they made lean burn
This is an actual picture..
View attachment 1716250127
And all along I thought " Hoover" referred to the way he sucked back the smoke....
Uncle Bob
Shiny paint causes stress.
Remembering that I've got eyes like Jack Elam so I have trouble with depth perception, it looks to me like the height is right, and the engine needs to move 1/8 to the passenger side. Now to figure out how to do that. I've got a stack of 1/8" shims but am not sure that's going to move it the way I need. I'll find out later.
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