Powerslave
Somewhere in time
Is anybody using a motor plate in their dart, how did it turn out, were there modifications that needed to be made to mount it?
440 mounted with a motor plate in a 67-69 Dart
- Thread starter Powerslave
- Start date
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inkjunkie
Well-Known Member
K-frame was notched, perches were cut off and tabs welded to the frame....once the motor is positioned correctly....depending on the pan you use will determine if you need to notch the k-frame.......
alot easier then the factory mounts and looks better I think.just set motor and trans in put the bolt in the trans mount set motor down get a piece of 2inch angle iron put it on the back side of the plate weld or bolt to the frame drill a 3/8th hole Therw the plate in steel stick a bolt threw it and your dun....Artie:cheers:
Thats how I did the one in the '67 Dart I built. With MINIMAL shimming, the factory alternator bolts right to the plate, and lined up well with the crank pulley. Very clean install, and you will never break it, and lots more room around the engine sides. I did the same on my '67 Barracuda, and only needed a 1/16" shim on the crank pulley to line up the belts. Moroso deep pan on the Dart, cheap Chinese deep pan on the Barracuda, no notching needed on either K-frame.
DrCharles
Well-Known Member
Hello everyone... I finally joined FABO, although I spend way too much time as it is on Moparts and BBD 
I tried the cheap Chinese pan on my '72 Dart and no way was it going to go in... sump way too far forward. See the pics, would have had to cut half the K-frame off. Pried open my wallet and bought a Milodon 30930. No problem except it's so close to the lip of the K in the right front I think I'll notch just a little bit with the Sawzall.
www.photobucket.com/72Dart
I tried the cheap Chinese pan on my '72 Dart and no way was it going to go in... sump way too far forward. See the pics, would have had to cut half the K-frame off. Pried open my wallet and bought a Milodon 30930. No problem except it's so close to the lip of the K in the right front I think I'll notch just a little bit with the Sawzall.
www.photobucket.com/72Dart
Purple Haze
Well-Known Member
Yep, that's what I did to mine.
69crustydart
Well-Known Member
HemiMark
Well-Known Member
motor plates,elephant ears, whatever you want to call them were and are great for the racers...for the extra room, weight savings, and simplicity...hard to beat. But, for a street ride ....it is nice to damper the driveline vibration.
just my opinion, no charge...and , once again, around here...you get what you pay for.
just my opinion, no charge...and , once again, around here...you get what you pay for.
HemiMark
Well-Known Member
my God, I can't stop laughing.
I have seen plates with a flat foot welded on the bottom, so a rubber or urethane isolator could be placed between the plate and the frame. The only vibrations I ever noticed were at dead idle, and anything with a cam is gonna shake the car anyways, regardless of mounts. I try not to idle around too much anyways. Just my opinion.
DrCharles
Well-Known Member
Or like this... it'll be a long time before I get it fired up, so not sure how much vibration. Basically copied the mount from the tech pages at BBD ;)
Powerslave
Somewhere in time
I think of it as, if your going to put all that money into a gnarly engine then you sure as hell are going to want to feel it and hear it. Motor plate all the way.
x2 and if its comfort your after buy a rolls royce
ops:...............Artie
HemiMark
Well-Known Member
No where in this thread did the OP state he was building a "gnarly" engine.
and someone resize there pics!
Powerslave
Somewhere in time
I said that I wanted to mount a 440 (in the thread title), didn't really specify the build but I consider 440s to be gnarly to begin with, the fact that its going in a little dart make the engine seem all the more powerful (power to weight).
HemiMark
Well-Known Member
It's your car brother! I would install it the way you want. :burnout::burnout:
Burntorange70
Well-Known Member
Here is a few pics I have gathered for when I do mine. Have not got to that pat yet though.
You don't have to remove the inner fenders or add the snout bars.
You don't have to remove the inner fenders or add the snout bars.
Purple Haze
Well-Known Member
If it ain't a drag only car don't use a motor plate.
could someone explain why not to run a motor plate I built my first big block a body in 73 and have used the plate in them all about 8 all together and have never had any trouble because of it..and all were street driven and the slowest one run 12:50s with a bone stock motor other then headers.....just curious to here............Artie
Purple Haze
Well-Known Member
Because there are so many ways to mount it and make it look like the way it should, without having to deal with the other problems associated with the plates.
Not picking a fight, but what exactly are the problems? I have plated the last 2, and won't even consider any other option. If I had to run A/C, maybe I would have to do something else, maybe not, never tried it. I love the simplicity, ease of installment, and strength. I've never busted a motor plate, but I've ripped up plenty of stock mounts. I like the look too.
the67fish
Well-Known Member
My car was alead set up with front motor plate, 1/2 inch thick, I put a mid plate in also but man I have been cussing that 1/2 inch front one, it needs to be 3/8ths.
If it is belt alignment that is the problem, have the water pump housing milled. I have a 1/4" Barton plate, and I just took .250" off the pump housing. The alternator bolts right to the plate, belt lines up fine. It did on the last one too.
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