The engine sliding into its new home


Here is the motor and trans on the way in for the first test fit. This probably wasn't the best time to stop for a photo shoot. I hate the idea of my 600lb. engine dangling precariously above my fiberglass bodied car.



As you can see, the motor and trans seem to fit nicely. Believe it or not, the transmission tunnel is plenty big enough for a T-56 trans. Good thing these cars were built with enough room for a big block. There are a few more obstacles to overcome. The two heater fittings on the water pump fit right up against the suspension arm mount. It should be as simple as removing the fittings and installing some 90 dedree bends.

I decided to move the whole engine/ trans combo forward a few inches for a number of reasons. It seems to fit a little better and with the new motor weighing so much less than the original, I can afford to do this and retain approximately the same weight balance.



Here you can see one of the fuel rail covers. Notice the cool chrome plate behind the throttle body. I picked this up from Street and Performance to plug the EGR hole. The enging bay still needs a lot of cleaning and prepping before the final install.