motor mounts mopar

[crackerg]

Alright mopar guru's Please share your wisdom.

As always when you purchase a used modified like I have the motor mounts are setup for a chevy motor.

On my old mod it took quite a while to fab up the mounts to switch from chevy to small block mopar.

THis time around I am hoping for an easier approach and less hassle to make the switch.

I purchased a set of Moroso steel motor mounts and I bought a motor plate for a mopar from Speedway motors.

Here is the question, What are mopar guys out there doing to make the switch on your cars ? Is there an easier way that what I am looking at doing ?

Does any know of a place that makes a set of conversion mounts (from chevy to mopar) ?

Does anyone out there have a reccomended way of making this switch ?

Please provide any advice you have that will make the switch work go easier.

THanks !!!

[sanborn]

The side engine mounts on a small block are not very strong. A severe wreck or a very high torque engine has been known to crack the block. If you look at all the pro engines (Nascar, NHRA, etc.) you will see they are mounted from the front by an aluminum plate. On our iron blocks we have mounted a plate to the bottom two timing chain cover bolts on each side and extended the mount down below the oil pan surface to attach to the front crossmember. That seems to work well in conjunction with a sturdy mid plate.

[340king]

To add to what Sanborn said, I have the front mounts somewhat strong in the vertical direction and slightly weaker in the horizontal direction. They do fold up a bit on impact and allow the engine to move some, but the blocks survive. I have used stock mounts modified to fit the SB Chevy setback. The rear mount is a mid plate that has side mounts close to the cage for strength. I wish there was a better answer.

[WR70]

Just a heads up, but I found that the Speedway mid plate (for SB Mopars) did not have the right bolt pattern and I had to elongate 3 of the holes. And there was no way the block dowel pins would even come close to lining up. I don't use them anyhow, as once I indicate the bellhousing in, I drill and pin the assembly with 3/16 diameter roll pins.
I run a Harris asphalt chassis that was designed for a SB Chevy. After 1 minor collision and one catastrophic one, I will agree wholeheartedly with the above comments. The engine assembly will readily come off its mounts when subjected to massive side impact.
I had left the stock Chevy frame mounts in place and had built poorly designed, cantilevered, Chevy to Dodge style brackets. During a heavy (T-bone) side impact, both brackets fatigued and broke. The cost of my stupidity was: radiator, fan, lower pulley, mid-plate, bellhousing, input shaft bearing retainer, flywheel/starter ring assy, shifter and left side header.
I like Sanborn's technique, as the cast-iron ears for the stock mounts can and will snap off the block in a heavy collision. But at a bare minimum, I would move the Chevy frame mount/supports forward near the Mopar block mounts. Sure it's a lot of work, but consider the financial impact of my scenario. Good luck.

Sanborn- Any chance of a picture of your front mount(s)?

[crackerg]

Sanborn, 340 king wr70,

Thanks so much for the info. Also WR70 thanks for the heads up on the speedway motor plate I will check it against the motor right away.

UB Machine made my last motor plate, so if the speedway plate is as bad as you say I will be calling UB again.

I talked to another racer about 4 hours north of me that runs mopar in a IMCA mod last night and he has a set of motor mounts which bolt to the existing chevy stands.

He had them fabbed up by a shop close to him. He is sending me a set at a cost of $40 bucks a set. He says if I like them he can have more made.

This was a major win in progress! I will repost when I get them.

Thanks to all the info yall shared I will weld in some additional triangalation from the mounts to the forward part of the frame to strengthen them.

Good luck to all fellow mopars circle trackers this season !