Installing the engine from below. What kind of stand do you use?

[bull]

After my car is painted and the engine rebuilt I will have access to a car hoist so I thought I would try installing the engine from below, already mounted to the K-member. Since the K-member will be the lowest part of the assembly, what sort of stand should I use to hold it all in place as I lower the car? I thought of using a transmission jack but they don't go very high so I don't know if I'll have much room to get in and install the K-member mounting bolts. That's about all I can think of using because you have to able to move the engine/K-member assy. around when you mount it. Any sort of immobile stand would make the process a real pain in the butt. Suggestions?

[Charger_Fan]

Here's a pic from one of my favorite restorations I've been following.
Linky; http://www.sandysgarage.com/current.html dolly pics on page 127

It's designed to hold the K-member, engine, tranny & front suspension.

[Charger_Fan]

Here's a different approach...a pallet jack!

I'm assuming he had to lower the body from where it is here, because a pallet jack only goes maybe 12" high.

[bull]

How does the guy lower the car back down without damaging that pristine paint job? How did he get it up there? He must have used a floor jack on each side or something. I wonder how he's going to tilt the engine/trans to line them up, or will he just lower the car and crawl around on the floor to finish the job?

I have access to pallet jacks too but I think a tranny jack will go higher. The time I used it (to install a tranny oddly enough) I remember it going up close to 2 to 2 1/2 feet or so. And it has several adjustment knobs to tilt the cargo all different directions as you mount it. So far that seems like my best bet.

[Chryco Psycho]

you can bolt a braket to the bumper mounts or K frame bolt holes & lift the body with an engine hoist

[dkn1997]

you could slide that motor/tranny way furthur back on that pallet jack to avoid it hitting the grill/bumper

[Iceyone]

Are you planning on installing your engine with the hood on? If not then once the engine/transmission is under the car you can always lift it up with a hoist.

[bull]

Are you planning on installing your engine with the hood on? If not then once the engine/transmission is under the car you can always lift it up with a hoist.

I don't know about the hood but it's likely it will be on when I do the install. Still, the hoist I plan on using will accomodate the height with the hood open. I hope to place the engine/trans/k-member on a transmission jack and then lower the car down over it.

[morepower]

i would use a rack and jack stands...but i have an auto repair shop so thats kind of unfair.

[8WHEELER]

Bull I thought you might get a kick out of this, I don't remember how many
engines I changed using this method, but I could do it myself evan taking the
hood off and with the headers going in at the same time. This was my 70 Bee.
And I never scratched anything.
Sorry hard to scan a 23yr old picture.

Dan

[bull]

i would use a rack and jack stands...but i have an auto repair shop so thats kind of unfair.

I have access to an auto shop too. When I say hoist I mean a hoist that lifts the whole car. I figured a tranny jack would work better than jack stands or pallet jack because they're made to manuver into several different angles and positions.

[bull]

Bull I thought you might get a kick out of this, I don't remember how many
engines I changed using this method, but I could do it myself evan taking the
hood off and with the headers going in at the same time. This was my 70 Bee.
And I never scratched anything.
Sorry hard to scan a 23yr old picture.

Dan

I've done them that way too. In fact I've always done them that way and more times than I care to recall. I thought I'd try it this way because so many people say it's easier. Plus I'm thinking about getting a rebuilt/reinforced K-member from Firm Feel so it would be that much easier.

[dodgecharger-fan]

A friend of mine used an old engine hoist and just took the beam off of it.
Rolled it under the car and lowered the car down on top. Much like the guy did with the pallet jack above...


Took about an hour with two helpers...

[bull]

Charger-fan,

Do you have any pictures of what took place later in the process? I'm wondering how they got the car low enough to bolt in the engine? It seems like you wouldn't be able to go that low with the car and I don't see how the guys could raise the engine in that picture.

[cudaken]

 Well, I did not know this thread was here and posted the same question on the main page.  I have came to one conclusion (cuda ken decoder ring needed) is unless you are redoing the front end at the same time, not worth the effort.

When I did DFS 68 Charger, that would have been the way to go. On my Charger, front end was OK and would have been more effort.

When I dropped the 42sick in the Charger, has stock exhaust manafolids and took us 20 mintues to drop it in, two hours to start.

One thing that has struck me with all the great PIC posted. Many people still install the engines as long blocks with tin only.  Hang on all the part's, ALT. PS, water pumps, Dist and wire it first. Much easyer hang all the stuff and wire when the engine is on the stand or floor than hanging over a fender. Engine harness plug's to the fire wall right?

Yea, I used to hank the alt, fan blade and all the wires, then well one day a light went on, it was dim but still a flicker.

                                     Cuda Ken