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Does anyone make Drop-Engine Brackets

2K views 19 replies 12 participants last post by  Harley#356 
#1 ·
I know they make them for moostangs but cannot find any for a lightning during a moderate search on google.

My new intake of choice may not clear the firewall with the DOHC build I'm putting together, so looking for alternate solutions before I resort to massaging the firewall or altering the head or manifold. This pic below will show you what I mean and this is without the 1/2" manifold adapters, so it would definitely hit the firewall with them installed. I see there is maybe 1" between the oil pan and frame, so if I could even get a 1/2" I think I'd be good.

Worst case, there isn't too much of the firewall I'd have to adjust.

Vehicle Tire Automotive design Auto part Car





Thanks,

--Matt
 
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#3 ·
Contact ruslow

He may still have the drawings for his....on second thought you may not want to fool with that....i believe his were down an inch back an inch to help with weight distribution(road racing)...so youd have to have the drive shaft modded....


3/4" on the firewall is no big deal
 
#6 ·
I remember the autofab mounts saying they were suppose to drop the motor but actually most guys report the opposite. I believe part of it is due to the harder bushings not sagging as much.
 
#8 ·
This. It likely didn't lower the motor because the stock mounts were already allowing the motor to sit lower than normal due to being worn out.
 
#7 ·
My engine didn't change with the Autofab polly mount
 
#9 ·
yup, I replaced my factory mounts with new stock ones and it lifted everything up about 3/8", just from being fresh. I had to go to town on the firewall again when I installed them. The autofab ones just put it back to where it would be with new factory ones, and just won't sag over time.

Massage the firewall, it's especially easy for yours since you can use a bottle jack and push it up. A lot easier than a sledge and hammering it back.
 
#10 ·
Got it. Thanks for the quick responses fellas.

What is the best method to push in the firewall even-like with a bottle jack so it doesn't look like it was done by a neanderthal with a ball-peen hammer?

I do have one more option that I may look into. The fabricator that is going to build the turbo kit may be able to modify how the motor mount bolts the the block and shift the bracket up and over to give me a little room but test fitting that will be a pain in the dick so maybe not.
 
#13 ·
like I said use a bottle jack to push it up. You want to hammer yours up, not back, with how that intake looks like it's sitting. Going up doesn't look as bad when you're done because any imperfections are underneath. And you can put a plate on the bottle jack so it pushes a larger area at once.

The wiper arms are behind that area, so you have to be careful how far you go. Pop the plastic cowl off and you can see exactly what you have to work with.

THe best route if you're going for a really clean engine bay though is get it boxed out. They could easily cut that whole section out, get rid of that weird half indent that's there factory, and make it loop up further to clear your intake.

Here's some pics of mine. I went a lot further than you'd need to go cuz I run a 2.6KB and just switched to a 3.2KB that sits back further, so I went with room to spare.
 

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#11 ·
Matt...

I haven't done it, but an old hotrodding trick was to get a deep SS roasting pan, cut the firewall to the flange size, and rivet the flange to the firewall, bend/shape the excess to fit. Once the motor is in it'll look awesome, bc of the formed flange and rounded corners. I saw one or two back in the day. One guy used a deep steel cooler, folded sides to make flange.

Look at the picture, use your imagination.

Mike
 

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#12 ·
Hell to take it a step further, I might just see if my guy will cut the firewall to shape and weld some plate back up to it. Been thinking of painting the engine bay while it was apart anyhow.

I've never had the wiper cowl off, is there anything that sits back there, wires or electronics?
 
#14 ·
so does this mean the truck has lost the use of wipers now
 
#19 ·
yeah well now i feel dumb for having wipers on a truck that lives on drag radials :shitstormretarded [smilie=om
 
#20 ·
hahaha you know what, all these years and I never even thought of that argument. My truck with no wipers, but all season tires & rain-x or optic-armor windshield is probably more streetable when the rain hits than any truck WITH wipers but rolling around on DRs lol. I could still do 70 mph in the rain and hitting puddles and not even pucker haha (other than over my truck getting dirty lol)
 
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