I've had this car since 1968. It was a small block, but was swapped for a 427 years ago. It has been parked for quite a while, now I'm doing a restoration. I've replaced the frame mounts and the engine mounts, but I can't get the bolts in the transmission mount. The engine is angling to the passenger side about an inch. I know that the engine is suppose to lean to the right, but this is something else. I've measured the frame as best that I could and it doesn't seem to be out of alignment. I bought a cowl hood before I disassembled the car, and noticed that the air cleaner didn't fit the hole in the hood, it seemed to lean too far. That was the reason for replacing all of the mounts. My thought is to enlarge the holes in the frame mounts so the engine can turn a little, but I don't feel good about that. Has anyone else run into anything like this before ????

 

do you have a BB transmission cross member. is it in right

 

Normally your can just loosen the motor mount bolts on the frame and use an alignment tool to pry the engine in place. An inch error at the trans mount is less then a 1/4" error at the motor mounts. That is 1/8" per mount. A factory mount has that much play in it. Performance mount might take a little more elbow grease.

This is a common procedure.

 

The holes don't seem to allow any movement. Looks like I may need to enlarge them for myself

 

The holes don't seem to allow any movement. Looks like I will need to enlarge them myself

 

I haven't changed the cross member since the car was new. Camaro Central shows all of the transmission mounts and cross members to be the same for that generation. I have had this car together for a long time, but was using rubber mounts then.

 

Crossmember is different for BBC.
Engine frame mounts are not opposite, pass side is shorter in height, thus engine to pass side and in keeping the drive line angles parallel, trans crossmember is over to pass side.


If using a THM400 automatic, the above applies.
If using any other trans, same style of SBC crossmember, but trans mount holes are to pass side.
ID of BBC crossmember is a five-sided access hole on bottom vice four-sided hole for SBC

 

You could also try these; Moroso Chevy motor mount shims. I bought a set to lift my BB 454 about 1/4" which should help my header interference problems. My engine sets to the passenger side as it should be, but long tubes have two rub points... quick steering PS box corner bolt, and passenger side upper control arm rear tube bolt.



I haven't installed yet, but will try them before I order new ceramic coated headers. There are three (3) shim sizes, 1/16", 1/8", and 3/16" so you can mix and match as needed to lift and level the engine. Honestly don't know how it'll affect the rear. My car has a modified rear crossmember that works with the BBC and the Borg Warner Super T10 trans.

 

Thanks for that. I did enlarge the holes in the mounts slightly, and that gave me just enough movement to align the transmission mounts. I found it curious that the mounts were slotted enough for me to be able to "roll" the engine. When I bought a cowl hood, before I disassembled the car, The hole in the hood wasn't even close to fitting the air cleaner. I'll be interested to see how well it fits now. With a level across the valve covers, it was way off, now, I can "roll" the engine back to level if necessary. I use to think that I knew everything about this car, it's embarrassing to realize how much I don't know. Of course 35 years ago, we would hack anything together just to make it run.

 

Here's a picture of a BB that was shimmed for header clearance. I think Matt said about 1/4" on the driver's side... maybe his motor was off-kilter too? Now its good.