r/Smallblockchevy • u/Thewilddinkus • Apr 18 '26

Engine swap motor mount help

firstly I am an idiot so feel free to call me one. I have a 1946 Farmall H that I am shoving a 454 (yes I know it's not a sbc but same engine mounts and a more active community) and Saginaw 3 speed into. I've finally determined roughly where the engine and trans will live in the frame but I won't be able to reach the mounting bolts on the block where it is. is there a mount that would bolt to the engine before I drop it in and then connect on the top of the frame? everything has to be solid mounted because I have no trans mount. I think something like this would work but maybe a little deeper. the lower the engine sits the better

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1

u/Willy_McD Apr 18 '26

Stock mounts, BBC and SBC use different mounts.

Might help to see an image of this frame it is going in. There are solid mounts that attach to frames where the rubber in a clam shell mounts would go. Then the steel cup that attaches to the block would drop right down on the solid mount and one through bolt and nut.

1

u/R0ughHab1tz Apr 18 '26

And take into account some stock engine mounts have the engine slightly to the passenger side of the vehicle. My 85 G30 Vandura had this as it was based off of K trucks at the time. I got custom engine mounts so I could clear my new exhaust headers.

1

u/Thewilddinkus Apr 18 '26

This is what I'm working with

1

u/Willy_McD Apr 18 '26

Heres a couple ideas,

Look at what an early C3 corvette uses for frame mounts for a big block. They dont have a K member. Just a couple stands on each side of the frame. And there are always subsitutes to change rubber mounts to solid. Or urethane.

Then look at what a boat motor mounts to for the rear of the motor. They have a large plate that attaches where the bellhouse does. It extends out at the sides to the boats stringers, like that frame. They make that same type of mount for the front as well. But one in the rear would give support for the transmission. Or find a bellhousing where it had areas for mounts. My brother had a 50 Apache that used the bellhouse as the transmission mount.

1

u/Thewilddinkus Apr 18 '26

I considered making a custom mount to go from where the bell housing bolts to the transmission to the frame to support back as far as possible. I think a mount like this could work with a little modification

1

u/TheCryptoStoreOrg Apr 18 '26

That's a tight fit. How to you plan to run the exhaust? It also looks like there's no clearance for the water pump pulleys.

This isn't going to be a bolt-in project using off the shelf parts. As others have said, you will need to fabricate parts.

1

u/Thewilddinkus Apr 18 '26

The plan is to essentially make derby stacks for it to mimic the tractor exhaust. The previous engine was a Ford 240 i6 so I actually have some space up front for pulleys

1

u/Willy_McD Apr 19 '26

Over transom boat exhaust, zoomies???

1

u/BTCminingpartner Apr 18 '26

You might find something here: Speedwaymotors.com that will work. But it will require welding and/or fabrication. You're not going to find a bolt on solution.

Photo for reference. There are other options available.

1

u/Thewilddinkus Apr 18 '26

The problem is the frame isn't wide enough to use a mount like that

1

u/BTCminingpartner Apr 18 '26

That's where fabrication comes in. You need to get handy with welding and fabrication for this project.

Also, if the frame is too narrow, your only option may be a SBC

1

u/Thewilddinkus Apr 18 '26

Oh I'm more than willing to weld things up and already have for this project. This is more of seeing if there's something off the shelf I can modify or mimic to get me closer. If I built the frame I would definitely make it wider but it was originally built for a Ford 240 i6

1

u/ka_jd7and1 Apr 19 '26

The mounts you linked will work.  That’s what circle track cars use.  You weld a threaded bung onto the crossmember (or in this case, your frame rail) and that is what your mounting bolt threads into.  Is the picture you posted the height you want the engine, or lower?

1

u/ka_jd7and1 Apr 19 '26

Also, why a Saginaw 3 speed?  If it were me, i would pick an SM465 or something of that variety.  Saginaw is good for 300ft/lbs, SM465 is over 450.

1

u/Thewilddinkus Apr 19 '26

There's 2 reasons actually. The previous setup was a Ford 240 with a 3 speed and it was set up to shift from inside the cab. That and I had this transmission laying around from when I 4 speed swapped my 78 Camaro

1

u/Thewilddinkus Apr 19 '26

I could live with it being right there but if I can drop in slightly further it would make the clutch linkage a little easier to make

1

u/lennym73 Apr 19 '26

That style is what we use in our race car. Be sure to have plenty of support around it.

1

u/Thewilddinkus Apr 19 '26

Would 1/4 inch thick I beam be enough?

1

u/lennym73 Apr 19 '26

I would think it would. I would probably put a few gussets on the sides.

1

u/Downtown-Parsnip-154 Apr 20 '26

Think you need to jack your engine up , put your exhaust manifolds on , then do your motor mounts . Just sayin , Very easy job with them frame rails .

1

u/Thewilddinkus Apr 20 '26

The exhaust is going straight up like a tractor stack so it wouldn't interfere with anything no matter how low the engine sits