Thread: Engine placement

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Have a question about my project car. It is a tubed chassised, 1969 VW Squareback, Chevy powered (front engine, rear wheel drive). I have been told many things but need more opinions. If I have my chassis, at ride height and the chassis is level, when I set my engine in place, set a level on the carb mounting flange on the intake, should the level also be at level? That way, the engine will have the correct angle, front to rear. Am I correct? Also, down the road, if I decide to change tire height, how will that affect the engine setting? I know it sounds like a stupid question, but I really need to know.

Chassis at ride height, chassis level (only if chassis will ride level), in other words set chassis exactly how it will ride. Level front to back, raked, or lower in rear. Then carb mounting pad should be level. However a slight ammount out of level won't be that problematic. So unless you are going to drastically change the tire diameters it shouldn't have too ill an affect. Better yet if you know the desired tire heights that you want to run, set the chassis at that height and then level the carb pad.

I would imagine with a tube chassis you'll be running coilovers on the back, most of which are installed with a bottom bracket that has various holes for setting ride height. So, should you go to a different height tire it's easy enough to keep the carb pad level by adjusting the mounting position on the rear coilovers....

You can always tilt the engine by shiming the trans mount.

Great answers,thanks. Wish I could figure out how to attach pics of my project from my Photobucket account.

Here are some pics.

View of rear end picture by murphytj - Photobucket

PROJECTTYPEIIISQUAREBACK093.jpg picture by murphytj - Photobucket

Hopefully, these pics work out.

That should be a fun ride

Should be if I can ever get it done. One thing I have though is T-I-M-E. Anybody that says they are bored when they retire, I have a problem with. My problem is that it seems like I am making a big-ta-do out of my engine placement.

I think you should just get your mounts in, rear in all done but engine, then set that in and shim to level you can chase this till you get tired but anything you do in advance probably won't be exact. It realy isn't going to make that much differance being off a little. I have built plenty cars and always just raise or lower the trans wwby shiming it up or down.

Carb base level from side to side but forwrd/rear lean needs to be set by drive train alignment--carb level/angle fore/aft depends on manifold and is unrelated to drive line angle--you may have to mill/machine carb base on manifold or change manifold

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

I would imagine with a tube chassis you'll be running coilovers on the back, most of which are installed with a bottom bracket that has various holes for setting ride height. So, should you go to a different height tire it's easy enough to keep the carb pad level by adjusting the mounting position on the rear coilovers....

You are correct

OK. Question on mounts. If my mount will be touching on the chassis, like in the attached picture, can I expect vibration though the chassis?

put bushings in the mount with the bolt going through them. Other wise I'd say yes