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finally fitting the motor in my desoto(UPDATE)

Posted By: 65rbdodge

finally fitting the motor in my desoto(UPDATE) - 07/23/11 04:31 PM

it seems like fitting a square peg into a round hole!

it a mock up motor with spare parts i have sitting around

Posted By: cuhemida

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 07/23/11 05:33 PM

what year Desoto
Posted By: moparx

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 07/23/11 06:22 PM

looks like you have a good bit of room around the firewall and the trans tunnel. are you using a truck oil pan ? what steering are you going with ? it looks like the steering column has been changed out. what is it from ? i think i will build a column for my humpback because i will be using a pushbutton shifter and i need a tiny diameter column because of lack of foot room due to the severe engine setback. you are looking good so far !
Posted By: rattler

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 07/23/11 06:55 PM

Thats a Dakota frame correct? Be sure and decide on headers or manifolds now because the shape of the lower control arms makes pipe clearence tight. I used an 88 Dak frame for my 57 truck. I ended up using block hugger headers, but i have a big block to.

Attached picture 6743376-Oldtruck009.jpg
Posted By: cuhemida

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 07/24/11 02:31 AM

don't know why your worried about fitting a motor into your Desoto the first motor my 48 dodge had in it was a big block mopar fit nicely then i wanted a hemi so i picked up a 1957 desoto 341 hemi to tell you the truth it fit better than the big block so lots of room
Posted By: 65rbdodge

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 07/24/11 03:45 PM

its a 47. yes it has a truck oil pan. i am using summit block hugger headers(they are on sale now thats why i have them, $225 ceramic coated) its an 88 2wd dakota front clip, and column. you will need a longer double d shaft, which are easy to find, to use this column. the motor fits in there but its getting it bolted to the frame thats going to require a good amount of time/measuring/cutting/welding.
Posted By: RodStRace

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 07/24/11 04:08 PM

progress!

I like your signature too!
Posted By: poorboy

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 07/25/11 02:44 AM

Have you given thought to shifting the motor/trans towards the rear a few inches, it looks like you have plenty of room between the firewall and the back of the engine? Doing so adds a lot of room for things under the motor and more room in front of the engine, since you are building engine mounts anyway. Gene
Posted By: 65rbdodge

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 07/25/11 01:49 PM

Quote:

Have you given thought to shifting the motor/trans towards the rear a few inches, it looks like you have plenty of room between the firewall and the back of the engine? Doing so adds a lot of room for things under the motor and more room in front of the engine, since you are building engine mounts anyway. Gene



yes, its going to be back further, its just hanging there in the pic. i know i have 33.25" from the firewall to the radiator support which doesn`t give me a whole lot to spare.
Posted By: cuhemida

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 07/26/11 12:28 AM

to pick up more room i moved my Rad. to the front of the Rad suport gave me about 4 inch more and wasn't any problem to move
Posted By: poorboy

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 07/26/11 03:14 AM

The rad does sit back from the grill a ways on these 40s Mopars. With my Plymouth coupe on a complete Dakota frame, I have moved the motor & trans (I'm using a 3.9 V6) towards the firewall 7" and moved the rad back to keep the same relationship to the engine it had in the truck. The rad is almost a foot behind the front edge of the front fenders! Looks right in the car though. Gene
Posted By: CrAzYMoPaRGuY

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 07/26/11 04:44 AM

I have a very similar firewall in my Coupe, I ended up pulling the center of my firewall out and fabricating a new one further back....

Good looking project, keep the pics coming!!
Posted By: fstfish66

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 08/14/11 06:29 AM

following along
Posted By: 65rbdodge

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto - 08/14/11 05:31 PM

i`m working on the trans mount now i should have everything bolted/welded in this week, i'll post pics when done.
Posted By: 65rbdodge

Re: finally fitting the motor in my desoto (MORE PICS) - 08/15/11 08:33 PM

everything is tack welded in place and need to be fully welded with motor/trans removed.

drivers side- welded a length of 2"x3" left over from home made frame connectors.



passenger side welded about a 9" length of leftover dakota frame-



removable trans mount, welded angle iron to the frame and trimmed down the 4speed trans cross member from an 80`s dodge truck. it looks like its welded to the frame but thats where i had to add some metal. i `m using the 4 speed for this build too.



i also need to make some support brackets for under the new motor mounting pads. but there it is leveled and offset 1" to the pass. side.
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