I am fitting a 3.4L GM engine in my Stag. It all fits well and the project is going well. One question has come up. I don't want to alter the line of the hood (bonnet) with any lumps or bumps and the cross member interferes with the oil pan. I am contemplating cutting the cross member and moving it forward but am concerned that the track arm which is attached to the bracket at the end of the cross member will twist the frame extensions. Any issues with cutting and moving the cross member, while leaving the brackets for the track arm and bracket in the original position?
Thanks
Wouldnt do that!!
youd be weakening the front suspension
better to make the sump clear the cross member
I will have to find a way to work around the engine. The engine is too tall I believe. How did you get your engine to fit without modifying the cross member. It sounds like the Toyota engine has an oil pan that fits in the same dimensions as the original 2.9L engine. Thanks for the information, I was concerned about the suspension once the cross member was cut out.
Hey Pat,
The Stag front X member is a pretty simple piece. Cutting the center out and restructuring it should be fairly easy.
The trick would be to maintain it's rigidity and not compromise it's integrity.
This is important because it's responsible for absorbing several heavy loads from the engine and side loads from the front suspension.
The steering rack also mounts to it. If you clearance the X member will the rack clear the engine?
How much room do you need? And where do you need it?
If the rack clears and you only have to "thin out" the x member. Then there is enough room to reinforce the x member under the steering rack.
Live like you mean it.
Fred
Just catching up on posts. The oil pan on the 3.4 is cut back as far as it can go. But it is only 3/4 inch short of fitting. The cross member is cut and I was welding plates to the cross member ends and extending the cross member forward about an inch. Then using a 2x3 inch tube between the ends. The steering rack moves forward a bit, but appears to work, though I'm not sure of the geometry. Unfortunately the oil pan ends up at about the bottom of the stock cross member so any reinforcement might be sitting pretty low as far as ground clearance.