440 motor mounts

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mechanic190

mechanic190

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I plan on using Schumacher mounts in my small block to 440 conversion in my 72 dart swinger. My question is, what would using the stock c body mounts out of either a 66 new Yorker or 71 imperial cause for problems? Basically why cant I use these mounts? Kind of thinking about just going front motor plate instead of mounts, I just want to make sure I can get the engine in the correct place before welding up a set of elephant ears in the wrong spot. Also since I'm sure its a no go on the mounts, would it be possible to throw the engine and trans in the car, mount the tanny down and use one or the other mount to figure position and then fab up elephant ears
 
The 66 New Yorker and 71 Imperial use the same 440 mount brackets as the 66-72 B body and the 70-74 E body. Many many years ago before conversion mounts were available with instructions for $159/pair, we used to do what you propose: Cut the mount ears off of a B or E body K frame (the ears are the same on small block or big block) bolt them to the motor, drop in the motor and transmission, tie down the trans mount, then tack in the ears, pull the entire thing back out and finish the welds. It would drop in like it was made to be there.

I even had a bare big (short) block fabbed up with an empty transmission case bolted to it as a lightweight jig, so the job would be easier. We also did the spool mount K frames the same way, cut off the posts and tacked them back in with the tranny in place.

You are also correct about the motor plate. If the tranny is in right, you can tack in the motor plate mount brackets as well

What I remember most about doing it that way was that it was a HELL of a lot of work! Back then it was the only way to do the job, but is it worth all of that to save $175?

The Schumacher mounts still require a small notch on the K frame for oil pump clearance, but other than that it's a 1-2 hour job setting that motor in place with conversion mounts. Here's a link to the instructions:
http://engine-swaps.com/Pages/InstructionPages/A67BRB.html

BTW, if you have a v8 K frame in your 72, I have a set of the Schumacher mounts (small V-8 to RB V-8 ) that you can have for $50 plus the 440 mount brackets from the Imperial or the New Yorker. If you have TWO sets of 440 mount brackets, I'll trade you even.
 
Hey now maybe I got more energy for work than I do money for the car lol. I might have to take you up on the offer though. I plan on picking up my 440s this next weekend so I'll have to let you know. It's a drag car so I'm leaning towards the elephant ears due to the stiff mounts and not worry about ripping the biscuits down the road.
 
The elephant ears make for a rougher ride due to vibration. I once saw a racer who addressed THAT problem by cutting a large hole in the bottom of the ears and pressing in UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS! He welded two pieces of angle iron to the frame rails and ran a bolt through the ears and the brackets and the UCA bushings and he had unbreakable rubber insulated motor plates!

Another clever idea with elephant ears is to mill the water pump housing exactly the same thickness as the motor plate (which bolts between the water pump housing and the block). When you cut down the water pump housing and then put in the plate, all the pulleys line up like they did on the stock motor!
 
Ok so I didn't get my metal ordered for elephant ears so as I'm standing here looking at my car waiting to go pick up my 440s it looks like the passenger side motor mount is set back further than the driver side. The drivers side looks like I don't want do be cutting it off lol. So with the 440 will I have to move the drivers side? It be great of I only have to cut and weld the passenger side one
 
So both mounts need to be moved to the rear of the car. And on a 72 k frame that is gonna be a royal pain to do the drivers side for sure
 
mechanic190 said:
So both mounts need to be moved to the rear of the car. And on a 72 k frame that is gonna be a royal pain to do the drivers side for sure
Click to expand...

i think i posted is only for the 73 up spool mount k frame and that's is if you are going to use the stock small block A-body k frame. my 73 big block car has the factory spool mount,s, I just got a set of the shumocker(spelling) engine conversion mounts. all i had to do is grind down the top of the drivers side motor mount and drill a new mounting hole. if you decide to keep your factory 72 small block K frame. I would take Greg up on his offer.
also i found these on the jegs website. looks like a nice engine mount.

http://www.jegs.com/i/Trans-Dapt/969/4698/10002/-1
 
mopar65 said:
i think i posted is only for the 73 up spool mount k frame and that's is if you are going to use the stock small block A-body k frame. my 73 big block car has the factory spool mount,s, I just got a set of the shumocker(spelling) engine conversion mounts. all i had to do is grind down the top of the drivers side motor mount and drill a new mounting hole. if you decide to keep your factory 72 small block K frame. I would take Greg up on his offer.
also i found these on the jegs website. looks like a nice engine mount.

http://www.jegs.com/i/Trans-Dapt/969/4698/10002/-1
Click to expand...

also if you want to see how these mounts bolt on before you buy them, click on the link then open the instructions icon. theses look like a pretty much bolt on deal.
 
So both mounts need to be moved to the rear of the car. And on a 72 k frame that is gonna be a royal pain to do the drivers side for sure

Regardless of how you do it, yes you do have to move both towers. The 440 sits approximately an inch further back. Jim Lusk's method (linked above) works very well if you have a spool type V8 K frame. We used to cut off the towers at the base and move the whole thing back! Who knew that cutting it halfway would be so much easier? Kudos to Jim!

Since you DON'T have the v8 spool mount K in your car right now, you would have to put one in, so as I said it is a LOT of work, no matter how you do it.

Conversion mounts are a real time saver. What they basically do is move the motor back on the mounts and leave the towers where they are.

BTW the Trans Dapt mounts posted above look a lot like the Schumacher mounts I have. And that's a very good price.

One last note: The MOUNTS are the EASY part of the swap! Wait until you get into the exhaust, the shift and kickdown LINKAGE, steering, and unless you are using headers, you should probably PUT NEW SPARK PLUGS IN WITH THE MOTOR OUT!!!
:)
 
Well I still have not received the engines I bought so I'm still sitting here on this. Moving the mounts on the k frame is a no go as stated above so I guess I am going to make my own motor plate/elephant ears. Any odd ball measurments I'd need to know to do this or just bolt the trans down and fab the engine up where I want it? Or is the engine gonna be offset to a side or the other? It's going in the drag car so I think I'm gonna drop it in there and mount it as far back on the tranny mount as I can unless there is something that's gonna make me do it differently. Planning on running fenderwell headers just don't have them yet and no kick down cable and an aftermarket shifter with a cable.
 
Again, it's too much work to make your own! I searched "elephant ears" on ebay and found several sets from new to used for a very good price.
Here's a set for $29! (not mine). With these, somebody has already done the engineering for you.

[ame="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Big-block-Mopar-motor-mounts-elephant-ears-A-body-new-/331227667199?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d1eb51aff&vxp=mtr"]Big Block Mopar Motor Mounts Elephant Ears A Body New | eBay[/ame]
 
mechanic190 said:
Well I still have not received the engines I bought so I'm still sitting here on this. Moving the mounts on the k frame is a no go as stated above so I guess I am going to make my own motor plate/elephant ears. Any odd ball measurments I'd need to know to do this or just bolt the trans down and fab the engine up where I want it? Or is the engine gonna be offset to a side or the other? It's going in the drag car so I think I'm gonna drop it in there and mount it as far back on the tranny mount as I can unless there is something that's gonna make me do it differently. Planning on running fenderwell headers just don't have them yet and no kick down cable and an aftermarket shifter with a cable.
Click to expand...

if you get the mounts i posted from jegs you will not have to move your mounts on your k-frame, the off set is built into the aftermarket motor mounts. there is nothing wrong with wanting to make your own mounts, but if i was going to run a engine plate i would get a one piece like what Andy F makes.
His plate puts your engine in the factory location.

http://arengineering.com/products/a-body-cnc-profiled/
 
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