Dropping in a Gen 2 Hemi?

I have never been lucky enough in all my years to do a Hemi swap. I'm considering a 572 Hemi swap in my 70 Challenger. So my questions are for you guys who have done the swap. 1. Will the BB K member be ok with adapter mounts. Or is it better to get a Hemi K member? Not sure but this might be of no concern if the aftermarket block has mounts for BB K member. 2. Is it ok to do the old school drop it in from the top method? No fancy lifts here to drop the car over the engine assembly. 3. It looks like headers will be a bear. Would it work good to lower the engine in half way. Bolt the headers on. And finish lowering it in. Or is it better to set the motor in. And do the headers from underneath afterwards? Any other tips for the swap. Just trying to be ready for anything that might come up during the swap. Thanks

Mounts are your choice. I guess the hemi to RB K-frame work ok. Dropping it in works. Lay the headers in and lower the motor in. Once in place bolt them on. Lots like to drop the K-frame and set it all up on the K and lower the body on to it. Having the torsion bars out helps and gives more wiggle room when dropping it in from the top. Doing it that way just put the left header in place and lower the motor. The right will slide right in from underneath with the torsion bar out. Left would to if not for the gear box being in the way.

I don't see how you will get to all the header bolts dropping in from the top. I can't even see many of mine with the engine in. But I haven't ever tried it from the top.

From the top is OK.
As stated, lay headers in, drop engine, fit headers.
The headers are usually a very tight fit (drag link, clutch crossbar, t-bars, starter).
Header fasteners are accessible but mostly by feel.
We left the T-bars in; might be easier with them removed, but they support the car.
Gotta be very patient & take your time.

I can access all mine from underneath. 1/4 drive and various extensions. This is B-body but E- body should not be much different. Left side is worse but doable.

What size headers? The 2 1/4" TTIs in my Cuda hide several of the bolts on the driver's side really, really well. I have not tried to access them and hope to heck that I never have to.

Doesn't using the RB mounts interfere with some headers?

2 1/8 TTI. Looking at the pictures it sure seems like they are able to access fairly easy.

2-1/8 are not too bad even with power steering, I had t-bar out and lifted that side up a little with a good assortment of sockets and universals. I have never tried the 2-1/4.

hi

i have a moter plate in my 66 , more room to work .

and with that 572 cu in it would control torque much better .

i would NEVER go back .

my plate sits on rubber blocks , no in car bad vibes !

I have installed several sets of Hooker street and race headers in 1970 E bodies, 1970 Cuda and Challengers. I removed the drag link on the steering from the idler arm and the pitman arm and one front steering spindle and laid it out of the way and then installed the headers from the bottom. That was easy to do with a stock Hemi K member, I'm not sure that the header tubes from cylinders #2 and #4 cylinders will clear the adapters mounts you are wanting to use
I did try laying them in the engine bay first before installing the motor once but decided to do it from the bottom after that
Good luck, I call them motors Hemiroids for a several reasons

The header bolts are easy to see/access in the picture. But believe me, the tubes hug the block, almost touch the steering box, the K is in the way, and on and on. I will not say that it cannot be done, and the smaller diameter tubes would make things a bit easier. But overall, the driver's side would be a b-i-t-c-h. Like so many other things on the Hemiroids.

I have 2-1/4 headers with my Hemi in my Challenger but with a tubular K frame and front and mid plates. I can put both headers on from underneath without lifting/removing the engine.

Do a trial mockup of your headers, mounts, and especially DIPSTICK tube before installation. It will help you get an idea of the order you should install them to avoid as many headaches as possible. Some parts/bolts would have been impossible to install had I done them in the wrong order. I also had to do a small amount of clearance grinding on my mega-block for the exhaust and wouldn't have known about it without a test fit. My Schumacher conversion mounts + TTI headers required some K-frame clearancing per the instructions, but maybe other brand's mounts are better.

Last thing... TTI's are expensive because they're worth it.

that's the direction I'm headed, hope it's the right choice (sounds good).

I installed a 528 in my '71 charger. TTI 2 1/8" tubes, V8 k member with conversion mounts. A mockup outside the engine compartment will help a lot. The dipstick tube was a real bear to deal with. Probably took me 4 hours to get all of the bugs worked out. That was the largest PITA. Header bolts with 3/8" (?) heads help ,and could be accessed underneath. Most important though is getting that dipstick tube right outside of the car! I must have removed and installed drivers header a dozen times to fit that tube right. Passenger side is very tight.

I run a vacuum pump so no dipstick tube to worry about during install or removal.