[gibbons]

I don't want to sit under the car to dial in the scattershield for the TKO, so out comes the engine. I will be doing a pan gasket, too, to justify the total pull. I will have a rotating engine stand that holds the block off of the rear transmission mounting face, but what do I do when I need to bolt on the scattershield?

By the way, I plan to do as little to the engine as possible, when on the stands, it will have the heads and intake still on. Will those stands support a big block with stuff still on it?

 

[Dave Murdoch]

Gibbons, I think what you are saying is how to bolt up the scattershield when the engine stand is occupying that space and using the same bolt holes? I just bought and modified an engine cradle ($30 from Summit) to do this. Mount your engine block on the engine cradle. Measure from the ground to the underside of the block at the oil filter flat area and the starter flat area and cut 2 4x4s to that length, these will support the rear of the engine. Then cut the engine cradle segment from the ground up to the bell housing holes in half. Now your block is supported and the engine cradle mounting plate to the back of the block is removed. You can buy a length of square metal tubing from the hardware store and drill holes in it and use it as a sleeve to put the engine cradle back together to be used for just a block. Sorry I don't have any pictures of this. Or buy the $90 engine stand from Eastwood. Dave.

 

[gibbons]

Dave, thanks. I just dropped a cradle in my Summit cart. Better than dropping the motor on the ground, huh? For $30, I will probably just toss the modified cradle when I am done. I don't have motors sitting around, and I am NEVER going to do a quick, easy TKO installation again! :noway:

So, will a twirly gig motor stand hold up a nearly complete big block, cantilevered off the rear by the bell housing bolt holes?

 

[69-CHVL]

I actually did drop the motor on the ground and supported it w/blocks of wood. As long as the cradle doesnt move when rotating the motor, its a nice thing to have.