Engine install from bottom?

Please post how you installed your engine from the bottom without a lift? I will install my engine on the K frame in my E body but am curious on what is the best way to do this. Any input appreciated. Pics would be great!

Check out:

www.uscartool.com

Talk to John. He might be a member here(not sure). There are pictures etc on what you need

My goal is the same, though I've not actually done it yet.

My "plan" is to roll the engine/trans/k-frame assembly on my home-made dollies under the car and lower the car down onto the k-frame in the correct location, adjusting the dollies as necessary, to make the k-frame/frame rail bolt hold line up.

The car is support by jack stands now. The rear jack stands are located under/at the mounting locations for the front spring hangers. My spring hanger mount bulkheads are boxed, so they're stiffer, although I don't think it matters. The front jack stands are under the rails by the forward torque boxes. With the rear wheels removed, so that no weight is supported by the rear springs (which makes the front of the car more difficult to lift), I can actually lift the front of the car by the front bumper by hand (OK, both hands). Pretty easy to do since there's no engine or trans in. It would probably be even easier if I put a couple hundred pounds of dead weight in the trunk (say, a Homeowner's Association officer).

Anyway, the k-frame ears might not be high enough to pull this off, but I can always shim up the k-frame on the dolly with more 2x4s. Getting the front of the car up high enough to slide the whole thing under shouldn't be a problem as it's easily liftable by two guys and the rear valence is high enough off the floor it shouldn't hit.

A lot of guys make a rig to bolt to the front frame rails and lift the front with a hoist. I didn't want to go that route, since (1) I don't have the extra steel tubing laying around, (2) I can't weld, and (3) my front bumper was on already to make space for the engine/trans (no matter how big the garage is, there's always a "space" issue).

Additionally, a lot guys will completely assemble the k-frame; including the spindles/brakes. I needed to work on my brakes, so they're already installed. I'll just remove the rotors when the time comes, bolt it all up, then put the rotors/calipers back on. Even with the rotors on the front, I could still lift the front without too much trouble. I'll post a series of pics...

This first one is of the engine/k-frame dolly and trans dolly. The engine/k-frame dolly is actually a generic engine dolly (from Harbor or Jegs, I don't remember) with the uprights removed.
The dolly under the trans is a regular wheel dolly with 2x4s for leveling. All the weight is on the k-frame and under the trans, none on the pan, though it looks like it.
-Marq

This one is of the front of the dolly. It looks like the casters are attached to the 3/4" plywood, but they're part of a steel frame engine dolly. You could probably just as easily make a dolly out of 1" plywood and 4 casters. I had to taper the front so that it would fit between the outriggers of the engine hoist. Obviously needed the engine hoist to get the engine mounted on the k-frame in the first place. The k-frame has a small skid plate on it, so it won't rest level on the plywood without the 2x4s underneath. Didn't matter, though, as I needed the extra height anyway, so that the control arms, tie rods,and lower ball joints would sit above the engine hoist outriggers also.

Side view of the k-frame and dolly...

You can more easily picture the control arm and tie rod clearance here.

Still have to get the headers, among other things...

You can see why a lot of guys put the brakes on first, then slide the whole thing together. Here, my brakes are on (and work, so far.) But I'll have to remove the calipers and rotors to put the suspension back together. The upside is that I won't have to crack open any brake lines to rebleed the brake system. The spindle is supported by the upper control arm and held in place by 2x4 pieces.
It's a static load, so I don't think it does the bushings any harm.

Great pics. I have already made a dolly also very similar to yours. I was just wondering how high I have to get the car to roll it under without a lift. Thanks

Nice setup! Love the 5 speed! Are you lowering the car from jack stands?

The location of the rear jack stands.

A B-body probably has more of a rear overhang than an E-body, so you might need to put some weight in the trunk to use this method.

It's not perfectly clear in the pic, but the upward edges of the cradle of the jack stand are fore/aft rather than sideways to (theoretically) prevent the car from sliding off the jack stands when it gets tilted up.

I was going to remove the wheels from my rotisserie so I could roll the motor over the center bar and use the rotisserie as a lift. But now I have access to a lift.

I've done it three times now.I set the oil pan on the dolly that way the K can move a little hanging by the motor mounts, makes it easier to line up the K bolts. After it's bolted in and sitting on jack stands, I install the spindles and lower control arms.


Look Mom, no front wheels or jack stands!

This time I did it sitting on a creeper with the back wheels on the ground.

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Check out:

www.uscartool.com

Talk to John. He might be a member here(not sure). There are pictures etc on what you need

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I have my engine and trans on the K frame dolly (uscartool). I plan to plop my /6 with trans on it after the hemi goes in from the bottom.