• Welcome to the new SAOCA website. Already a member? Simply click Log In/Sign Up up and to the right and use your same username and password from the old site. If you've forgotten your password, please send an email to membership@sunbeamalpine.org for assistance.

    If you're new here, click Log In/Sign Up and enter your information. We'll approve your account as quickly as possible, typically in about 24 hours. If it takes longer, you were probably caught in our spam/scam filter.

    Enjoy.

Now I'm in for it.

Brian, I have to agree with 260Alpine. Have done engine removals/installs for countless years and not until recently found it MUCH easier to lower the car onto to engine crossmember assembly. Think about it, you can leave all your spark plugs in, headers on etc.
Heck the video that was posted is using the same hoist as you so it can be done safely. We did it on a 1969 Dart GTS restoration and I did it with both Miata engines, one having the supercharger mounted already. As mentioned there are only four bolts that hold the crossmember to the frame. Other than that you are attaching the calipers, spindles, shocks, upper control arms and tie rods. You need to have the car high enough on jack stands to roll the assembly under the car, then you are simply raising the body off the jackstands to get it in place.
Good luck you buddy, you can do it!
 
As always, I should have listened to the wisdom the club tried to share with me. The engine will have to come out again. There is no way to get the headers on once the engine is in. There is plenty of room to work on the front of the engine, but if it has to come out, I will just dress the whole thing, trans and all and bring it in from the bottom. Thanks for trying to tell me everyone. I am done for the weekend, and may not get back to it for a bit.
 
I've put headers on a 260 with the engine in. You have to hold the engine up and remove the motor mounts.
You should be able to get them on. Use an engine plate that mounts on the intake manifold to lift and hold
the engine up. Gets a little tricky getting the mounts back on, but it is able to be done.
 
Brain,
That looks like a tighter fit than the fiirst Racheros and Mustangs. I was going to ask about the transmission install because of the X frame, but you answered that concern.
 
So I am thinking about my path forward. I could probably hang the engine again, pull the mounts, install the headers and move along, but I am thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea to pull the engine and crossmember out and drop in some tiger front springs while I have it apart.
 
Aladin Sane said:
I am going to have another go from the top before I drop the front cross member out.
Click to expand...
I installed the engine in my 66 Tiger from the top. Working with just the engine block it was quite easy. I installed the water pump and headers after I dropped the engine in place. I did the same when I installed a 302 engine into an Alger that I owned. It works.
 
I've done it. Not the easiest but did it that way for years before I had an engine hoist.
 
Well, maybe I should clarify, it doesn't work if you add a dolly below the transmission, and leave the front wheels on and plan on rolling it around on like that!
 
Jay, you should have a dolly under the assembly to move it under the car and the front wheels can not be on the car if you have the crossmember out.
 
Right, that's what I learned the hard way. I did not realize that without the steering cross over, the wheels would just flop! Yes, silly mistake.
 
I think my next move will be to hang the engine again and pull the mounts out. Then I will see if I can get the headers on and the mounts back in. If I can't, it should be easy to pull the engine out the top and proceed to dropping the crossmember.
 
I don't see why you wouldn't just drop engine and crossmember out the bottom as one unit if you need to remove the engine again.
 
As fall rolls around, I will shortly have a little more time to work on my project. I have finished up the bulk of the wiring for my dash. I have started thi king about the wiring g for my electric fuel pump. I went ahead and ordered a relay kit to power the pump as well as a switch to disable it when I dont want the car going anywhere as well as an inertia switch to shut the pump off in the event of an accident. I have seen too many pics of classic cars that burn to the ground and I don't want that fuel pump running if I am in a crash.

I can't believe the engine has been sitting in the car since june.
 
I fabed up a bracket to fit the cardboard glove box to the dash while holding my new fuel pump cut off and inertia switches. I wanted to mount these in the glove box and knew the cardboard glove box would not be up to the task of mounting these switches.

I bent a sheet of 16 gauge to match the contour of the drivers side of the box. I welded this to a straight sheet of metal that runs along the bottom and attaches to another chunk of steel on the passenger side. I welded small tabs on the two vertical sides to screw the entire bracket to the back of the wooden dash.
20251226_114254.jpg

20251226_120419.jpg
I then cut holes in the drivers side of the bracket to mount the two switches. In the end, i painted the whole bracket flat black.
20251227_143912.jpg20251227_143826.jpg

The finished product will have the cardboard and felt liner inside the bracket and that is all you will see from the outside.

Next I need to figure out what I want to do for the door latch. I searched the site and have found a few ways this type of latch has been sorted.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top