Engine placement

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As others have mentioned, the transmission cross member/mount is a key location. Everything else is referenced off the crankshaft snout center line. Either Schumacher or TTI had the crank CL to frame rail measurements as well as the crank CL to K-member.
 
Does it matter which trans crossmember you are using? Are 6 cyl and v8 all the same?
 
Jim Lusk said:
If your '69 big block handles like a pig you built it wrong for handling. With modern tires and shocks, added sway bar and bigger torsion bars these cars can handle well with a big block. And, quite frankly, if you don't do the same thing with the slant, it will still handle like a pig...


383/4sp

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Nah - Its about compared to what you compare it against. I was referring to like vehicles built to carve roads like M3 Bimmers or M5s I have owned and driven. Yeah I got double adjustable shocks, sway bars, bigger torsion bars, heavier springs four wheel disc and all that jazz - and yes the car does well for what it is but its still a pig. I love it which is why I keep dumping money in it and have owned it since I was 15.

The 69 does fine for what it is BUT reality is when you take a car like the 69 Dart and throw a big block in it and have to connect the unibody etc and start with a 57/33 weight distribution its will only handle so well. The car was manufactured crooked for chrissakes. Which is why in stock elimator and many types of racing enthusiasts correct the geometry of the drivetrain.
 
Broke Farmer said:
Nah - Its about compared to what you compare it against. I was referring to like vehicles built to carve roads like M3 Bimmers or M5s I have owned and driven. Yeah I got double adjustable shocks, sway bars, bigger torsion bars, heavier springs four wheel disc and all that jazz - and yes the car does well for what it is but its still a pig. I love it which is why I keep dumping money in it and have owned it since I was 15.

The 69 does fine for what it is BUT reality is when you take a car like the 69 Dart and throw a big block in it and have to connect the unibody etc and start with a 57/33 weight distribution its will only handle so well. The car was manufactured crooked for chrissakes. Which is why in stock elimator and many types of racing enthusiasts correct the geometry of the drivetrain.
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I've owned great handling cars (E46 330Ci convertible with sport suspension) and 2000 Miata. The handling of both of those cars appeared to be as identical as I can tell, but the weight of the BMW made it FEEL more sluggish in the corners, but it would likely have waxed the Mazda on a big road course. The Miata basically went wherever you pointed it with confidence. My son's big block Barracuda handled about the same and felt more nimble than the heavier 330. The Barracuda also beat many good autocross cars regularly.
 
16.25 c/l to driver side frame rail.
13.75 c/l to passenger side frame rail.
Is this correct?
 
I thing I would look for the correct K-frame and mod from there. Good luck in your endeavor. I moved my engine back also, 64 Dodge to 66 K/frame, about 1-5/8 or so. Also there is aftermarket K's. Moving eng/trans back makes a big difference in weight over axle at launch. john
 
Uncle Bob said:
FWIW on the engine height - my engine sits high in the front on a pair of elephant ears. If the K-frame isn't cut for the oil pump, it's necessary for the front to be higher than level.

Mine's up so high there's room to fit a finger in between the oil pump and the K-frame mounting bracket. Maybe that's a little bit too much I guess but it's the way it came to me. Planning to change engines, and if it stays B/RB I will use a TransDapt kit so it bolts to the K-frame (after cutting for the oil pump)

You can kind of see it here - the camera was level with the fender.
View attachment 1716046412
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So how can you tilt the engine back this far with the trans bolted up and mounted to the trans crossmember correctly?
Isn't the engine supposed to be level front to back? If not, what should the tilt be?
Or does the engine tilt back like this naturally when all bolted up with the trans bolted to the crossmember?
 
Crank centerline is not level. It slopes to the back, but I'm not sure how many degrees. All you need to do is look at an intake manifold, which is angled the other way so that the carb is level.
 
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