Another new project

[don-ho]

Hello all, I have been lurking for awhile trying to absorb as much as possible, an absolute wealth of information here. Just finished a 60 MGA (stock) and am now starting a 73 CB 302 conversion. Have spent many hours pouring through all the "how it was done" photos and swapped a few emails with Mantell Motorsports and Fast Cars Inc. My engine bay is empty and I am working with a P-ayr plastic block as my engine is being built by a friend (this sure makes things easier). I have a question about the engine position. I am assuming that the oil pan should be as close as possible to the steering rack, but is the height such that the top of the steering rack is above the bottom of the harmonic balancer? Does it actually fit between the the two? What should be determining the height at the front? Also what determins the height at the back (other than just trying to get everything in)? Currently the aft edge of my bellhousing is about a 1/4" fwd of the heater shelf and the top of the bellhousing/block is about an inch below the shelf. I now have about a 3 degree slant front to back. Its seems like I am close but I want to make sure before I start cutting things up too much. Thanks for reading my questions and Thanks in advance for any and all advice......Don

[rficalora]

Don, the answer to your question about engine placement really depends on what you're planning for engine mounts.  There are really 4 choices...

1.  Probably the most common is how Graham Coles built his car.  With those you'd fabricate the car side frame towers.  The steering rack goes between the balancer & steering rack & it's not uncommon to trim a bit of the oil pan lip for a little extra clearance.  The mounts will settle a little over time so it's a good idea to make some shims so you can raise it up a little to avoid interference problems when it settles.  If you go this route, there's really only one place it fits.  If you can bolt a balancer & oil pan on your plastic mock-up motor, do so & set it in there & you'll see where it goes.

2.  Ted's IFS with integrated motor mounts -- those dictate the placement.  Unless he's modified his design since I got mine, it requires that you clip the corners of the firwall on either side of heater shelf because the motor gets set a little further back than with above approach.  Teds also requires that the frame rail on the left (driver) side be modified to make room for the oil filter remote to fit.  I have pics of this if you decide to go this way.

3.  Pete's kit -- similar to Teds in that the integrated motor mounts.  I'm not familiar enough with it to know if it requires any other mods.

4.  A few folks have extensively modified the firewall to get the engine behind the steering rack.  Leonard Marshall's car is a good example of that approach.

Oh yeah -- welcome to the group!!

Rob

[deltadave]

hey Don
welcome aboard, there's a wealth of information and help here