Best 416 small block, 727 auto, TTI installation order?

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rob_robinson87

rob_robinson87

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Ok, I'm at the point where I can now drop in the new engine, new 727 transmission, and install the headers. This is a power steering car and was originally a 318, 904 car. I have all new 340 mounts. Hood is off. The question that keeps going through my head is in what order. I did a search in the archive and found nothing.

Since I have the three main pieces all out, what would you recommend for the order of installation?

Would it be better to get the engine and transmission in and then raise them for the header install, OR...

Lay the headers in, drop the engine in, then install the tranny, OR....

Install engine and tranny assembled while headers are sitting in place????

I'm obviously looking for the easiest install. No reason to create extra work if not needed.

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Easiest install is from below. Bolt everything up,to the K member and together,and simply lower the car body on to it.
 
I did my engine, trans and TTI install by myself. I jacked up rear of car as high as floor jack would go and placed jack stands under rear. I wrapped headers with bubble wrap and used rope to hang headers in engine bay. I dropped the motor and bell housing in without trans (4-speed) and attached the headers. I left the engine hoist attacked to motor (ran bolts through motor mounts but did not tighten). I used a trans jack (Harbor Freight) to roll trans under car and attached to bell. Only took me 2 hours from start to finish.
 
Coming up from the bottom isn't an option now. Still a roller.

As for going from top, it sounds doable if I lay the headers in. I took out the tranny first, then the engine. I may do what you said and go with headers, engine, then tranny. I am having a guy with a 2-post lift helping me, but as you can imagine, he hasn't done an a-body like ours before.
 
I would take off your steering pump and pulleys to give some extra room. Also, borrow or buy a motor lift plate (bolts to carb flange). When you raise the back of the car the front will drop and make it easier to clear that fresh paint on the nose of your car.
 
If you have some friends that can help it makes thing much easier.

Blankets along the firewall and fenders.

Lay headers (still in bags) in place and zip tie them in approximate position against fenders. You'll likely need to move them slightly to get the bellhousing through.

I jacked up rear of car as high as floor jack would go and placed jack stands under rear.
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Great advice here. Helps your angle of attack. Demon408 has great input.

With the trans hooked up, you'll likely need a tilter to get it in by yourself.

Doing it all together, it may be wise to remove the distributor. Oil filter too...

Mark the converter and flexplate on the workbench so you don't have to fight to line up the offset bolt. Nothing like going 0-3 and getting it lined up on the last try... :)

Engine bay looks GREAT!

We did a demon with SB/904 and dougs doing it the way I mention.
 
Make sure you have your transmission lines figured out before you drop that all in there. Reproduciton trans lines will not route correctly around those headers. You will need something custom to make it work. You do not want to be under that car figuring it out once the drive train is in place. TTI should add info on trans cooler lines to their instructions.

I dropped my engine/trans in then put headers in from the bottom. You will have to have steering linkage out of the way. Jacking rear of car up helps a lot. I used a lift plate that bolts to carb which causes engine to tilt way back when trans is bolted up. Then I have a floor jack under car facing front to rear that I line up with trans tail shaft once I lowered it down. The jack on the trans drive shaft keeps trans from scraping the floor and helps level out the engine trans as you lower it down.

I never tried just laying the headers in place but with steering linkage, starter, and oil filter out of the way those TTIs aren't real hard to get up in there.

And like mentioned above put a lot of blankets and towels over all that fresh paint as you drop it in and while bolting everything up.

That engine compartment looks outstanding!! That is gonna be one killer ride!!!
 
The easiest way to do it is to drop the k member, install engine, tranny , headers at once by lowering the car on top of it.
 
1970Duster said:
The easiest way to do it is to drop the k member, install engine, tranny , headers at once by lowering the car on top of it.
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Thats what I said! Less removing the K member.

I still say this is the easiest way..
 
Demon 408 said:
I would take off your steering pump and pulleys to give some extra room. Also, borrow or buy a motor lift plate (bolts to carb flange). When you raise the back of the car the front will drop and make it easier to clear that fresh paint on the nose of your car.
Click to expand...


Oh, the pulleys and pump are off. I did put on the front A/C brackets on there as they don't seem to be in the way. I'm afraid of using a carb lift plate on this older aluminum intake- I'm not sure if the bolt holes are strong enough to support the engine.

I am looking to see if I can borrow one of those tilting engine harnesses. My friend may have one.

Thanks for the replys. I do agree it probably would have been easier to go in from the bottom, but I really don't want to take the front suspension apart again.
 
I have an LD340 intake too. I used the bolt holes that are for a spread bore and ran long studs all the way down in there, put on lift plate, then washers and nuts.
 
It is in!! Thanks guys! Went with 1.engine, 2.tranny, (work on cooler lines), 3.headers! BOY WHAT A TIGHT FIT!!!!
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I will be doing my install soon and could use some advice as well. 440 small block stroker, 4 spd, TTI 1 7/8 headers in a 69 dart 2 door hardtop. I like the idea of pulling out the k member and whole front end and dropping the body on it, as I need to rebuild it anyways, but it could be tough without a lift. Any advice for lifting the body?
 
Make sure you make it like a U-Channel. Needs a brace across the front like the US car toolset up.

If you use a chain and two straight bars, the bars will tweek inward and may mess up the front of your rails/paint.
 
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