Motor Mounts & Steering Tab 99% Done!

Lots of cutting and welding today. First I welded on some mounts to help support the motor mounts. I had to make sure the supports cleared the pittman & idler arm.
Next I made plates to weld into the center of the motor mounts just to add a little extra beef to the mounts. It was probably overkill, but I KNOW they won't be falling apart any time soon.

I'm switching from a manual steering box to a power steering gear box. The original box only had 3 bolts which held it to the frame. The new power steering gear box had 4. The 4th bolt had nothing to grab on to which probably would have been ok, but since i'm welding on the front end, I decided to fab up a 4th mount for it the box to bolt to. It came out pretty damn good if I don't say.

Next up...... grinding smooth all of my welds and priming everything. Then I will put the engine back in place and start working on the exhaust system.

Engine Mounts Almost Complete!

I completed the inside portions of the engine mounts tonight. I was having a problem welding upwards...... the slag kept falling down into the gun, prohibiting a good arc. I thought I had the wire speed too fast, but it was actually the opposite. I wasn't feeding the wire fast enough to create the arc. With the wire speed increased, welding became much easier.
Driver side engine mount.

Passenger side engine mount.

Both engine mounts almost complete. Tomorrow I'm hoping to weld in the center cross supports on the mounts and then grind them smooth.

Engine Mounts 50% Done!

I first tack welded one side of each engine mount into place and then removed the engine so I could get to the mounts easier.
Here is a view of the half finished driver's side engine mount.

And here is the half finished passenger's side engine mount.

Both mounts are now 50% complete. The other side of the "triangle" will be finished tomorrow night.

Engine Mounts......

I've been working on getting the engine perfectly positioned to create the engine mounts. I first had to weld 2 pieces of quarter inch flat stock together to form one 2.5" wide piece of flat stock.
I then squared the engine up with the frame and leveled side to side and front to back.

Where I will be welding my mounts into place, I had to grind off the paint leaving a nice smooth clean metal surface. This was done on both the passenger and driver side.

Tomorrow night I will be welding the mounts in to place. With the engine permanently mounted, next up will be the exhaust.

Mocking Up The Engine!

3 very productive days! I set the engine in to place and realized I will have to fabricate some higher motor mounts. The engine needs to rise up about 2.5" so the transmission will line up correctly with the X member on the frame. This will allow the drive shaft to go thru the X member without any obstructions.

Once the engine was set into place, I also realized that the springs are too big........ Even with me standing on the front of the frame, the suspension is still resting on the upper control arm rubber. If I jump up and down, it moves nice and smooth, but they are just too tall. By removing 1 coil from each spring, it should lower the front end about 1.5 - 2", giving more room for the suspension to travel.

Rollin'... Rollin'..... Rollin'.......

Tons of progess the past 2 days. I installed the new quick ratio power steering gear box.
Installed the passenger side inner & outter tie rods.

Installed the driver side inner & outter tie rods.

View of the completely overhauled steering components all put together.

Once all the steering was assembled, I was then able to easily roll the frame out into the driveway for the first time since January!

I then mounted the new master brake cylinder into place. Now I can start to run brake lines.

Tomorrow I am hoping to get the engine mocked up into place. I realized the new power steering gear box uses METRIC bolts to connect it to the frame. For WHATEVER reason, Lowes & Home Depot do NOT stock grade 5 or grade 8 metric bolts...... I used regular 10mm bolts to hold it in place so progress can continue until I hit up the bolts store later in the week.

On another note.....I hit up 2 flee markets early this morning with my neighbor. I picked up (3) brand new shocks for $10 total. They will work perfectly for the rear axle. I also picked up slightly used chrome valve covers for $8. Great find!!!

Frame Down On All 4 Tires!

Well, after 4 rearends.......... I finally settled on a 58" mounting to mounting surface, 50-60's Chevy 10 bolt with center drop out. I now have it all mocked up in place and it appears as though it should be a very close fit with only a possibility of slight modifications to the rear fenders, if any.

New idler arm is now bolted into place. Tomorrow I am hoping to get the rest of the steering installed............ and then the engine put in place.