Motor mount issue driving me crazy

[ESP47]

1968 Barracuda with a 408 stroker, magnum 360 block. I originally bought these 1973 van mounts because I read on here that the thicker mounts work best with Dougs headers and the Borgeson steering box. Turns out they're too thick and I can't get the distributor installed without the plug wires rubbing on the bottom of the wiper motor. Also the pinion angle is way out of whack with these.

So I bought a pair of the thinner standard thickness mounts and now I can't get the engine to drop back onto the k frame. It's like the studs are centered too far toward the oil pan on each side and I can never get both mounts to set in at the same time. I don't have a reference pic but I compared the two rubber mounts and the stud is in a slightly different spot on the van mounts. Those ones dropped right in.

I also have a pair of aftermarket what I thought were 340 mount brackets but now I'm questioning myself on whether I have the correct brackets or not. I've spent hours trying to get this engine to go in and have undone half of my work and I'm still no closer to getting this thing in. I have the brackets installed on the back side of the ears (toward the rear of the car). Anyone have any ideas on what's going on or whether or not I'm using the wrong parts? Thanks.

 

[mbaird]

Make sure they aren’t upside down . IIRC the studs will be in a different position if the mounts are rotated 180*.
I have run combinations of thick and thin mounts but never had a distributor issue .

 

[mbaird]

Might also try loosening the nuts so you can move mounts around to get them in the bracket . Then tighten them afterwards .

 

[mbaird]

Thick mounts might also throw your driveline angles off . Check angles afterwards if you end up using them .
BTW…I run same headers on my 68 Barracuda .

 

[ESP47]

Thanks mbaird I think I must have either one or both on backwards. I have the raised rubber bumps lined up in the holes of the mounts. Does that passenger side mount look right to you? I wouldn't think the mount would overhang the bracket by that much.

I definitely think I had the driver side mount on backwards. I found some better reference pics and will copy that tomorrow and see what happens. I'm thinking I may have flipped that one on my install after I removed the thicker mounts and that's what's causing my whole issue.

Thought about loosening them and tightening them after like you described but I didn't want to break a tab since everything was just so ill fitting.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I wouldn't think the mount would overhang the bracket by that much.

This is the driver side on my Duster from below. No they don't fit neatly like you might expect.

This is how it looks from the top

This is the driver's side. It looks like the stud/nut goes through the innermost hole on the bracket.

I see in this photo that you have had it the other way around. Hope changing that fixed it.

Looking at other photos of mine it looks like I installed them so the top stud is in the hole closest to the engine. The locating hole in my brackets was much smaller than the bolt hole so it was obvious which way they went.

 

[4spdragtop]

I don't see 340/360 mounts in any of your pics?

1968 Barracuda with a 408 stroker, magnum 360 block. I originally bought these 1973 van mounts because I read on here that the thicker mounts work best with Dougs headers and the Borgeson steering box. Turns out they're too thick and I can't get the distributor installed without the plug wires rubbing on the bottom of the wiper motor. Also the pinion angle is way out of whack with these.

So I bought a pair of the thinner standard thickness mounts and now I can't get the engine to drop back onto the k frame. It's like the studs are centered too far toward the oil pan on each side and I can never get both mounts to set in at the same time. I don't have a reference pic but I compared the two rubber mounts and the stud is in a slightly different spot on the van mounts. Those ones dropped right in.

I also have a pair of aftermarket what I thought were 340 mount brackets but now I'm questioning myself on whether I have the correct brackets or not. I've spent hours trying to get this engine to go in and have undone half of my work and I'm still no closer to getting this thing in. I have the brackets installed on the back side of the ears (toward the rear of the car). Anyone have any ideas on what's going on or whether or not I'm using the wrong parts? Thanks.

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[ESP47]

Yep stupid me. I had the bracket on backwards and the biscuit on backwards, which put the stud almost close enough to drop in the k frame but not quite. Flipped both around and it dropped in easily. Thanks for the help.

 

[mbaird]

Yep stupid me. I had the bracket on backwards and the biscuit on backwards, which put the stud almost close enough to drop in the k frame but not quite. Flipped both around and it dropped in easily. Thanks for the help.

Do you know how we knew what the problem was? Lol

Been there Done that….

 

[ESP47]

Do you know how we knew what the problem was? Lol

Been there Done that….

Haha well I'm glad I'm not the only one!