Topic: Motor mount issues

[blackta]

My son and I are working on a 81 Trans am and trying to drop a 68 350 h.o. into it. Got the relocating kit and brackets with new clamshell  mounts from Bulter, but we are having a hell of a time trying to get it to in. We can get one side or the other to line up but not both at the same time. Any help on this . Thanks.

[poncho]

My dad and I had this same problem putting a '68 400 into his '78 Trans Am.  After trying tech support from the supplier who said the clam shell needed to be modified, it still didn't work.  We ended up going with this style mount from Butler:  http://butlerperformance.com/i-24452930-butler70-81f-body-firebird-taengine-mount-adaptor-for-1961-1979-326-455-set-bpi-f10774.html?ref=search:http%3A%2F%2Fbutlerperformance.com%2Fsearch.html%3Fq%3Dengine%2Bmounts

We had to persuade the frame mounts a bit, but overall it was MUCH easier.  The engine practically fell in.

[blackta]

Thanks for response. With that other motor bracket did you still use the clam shell frame mounts?

[poncho]

Nope.  They are two separate styles to do (supposedly) the same thing.  The frame mount fits in between the tabs on the engine mount.  On the clam style we bought, we had extra material below the bolt hole that hits the cross member.  There was no chance of the 2nd side to line up after the first one was in.  I'm guessing that's how yours are.  The mounts in the link don't have extra material.  That's not including the modifying that had to be done just to get to clear the exhaust manifolds.  We couldn't even bolt them up.