Built engine brackets. Got all the hardware I needed and threw the mounts down and was just about to drill holes. Then.. threw the idea right out the window. Ordered rubber donut bushings from AA. (haha randii is laughing right now I bet) Reason being was my little platform was not level, and the engine bracket was tilted also, so my engine mount through-bolt would have had to been going through the bracket at such a strange angle it would have been impossible to just "eye it" and get it right. The AA donut mounts will let me mount the engine only having to worry about the x and y dimension to drill one hole. Much easier and I can fine tune height with some big washers if needed. Camaro mount= no adjustment possible.

I learned a very big lesson, never just try to copy the factory design without thinking it through to see if it is the best design...

I'll post pics when its done but here is where I scrapped the idea:


Worked on my tranfercase mount. The center section and bushing kit is from Front Range Offroad Fab. The arms are 3/8"thick x 3" wide and the mount brackets I built of 1/4". I was going to add a long triangular gusset on each arm perpendicular to the main arm but decided against it. That would help lateral forces but I think all forces this system will see will be rotational and/or up-down. Not sure if it needs more beef. The mounts welded to the frame defintely need more triangulation... read on below...









I have to build a new mid-frame crossmember and also support those frame brackets, I was thinking about accomplishing both at the same time.

I was thinking 1"x4" box tube (if they make that size) welded to the frame right were that strip of 3/8"x4" is currently clamped. I could run some triangular 1/4" gussets up the side of the frame to support it, then tie some supports between the crossmember and the trans mount bracket to give those little brackets some strength.

Now I would like to just weld it in and be done with it, but I noticed the output of the t-case is going to hit it if I ever had to pull the trans/t-cases at once (like to replace a clutch). i would rather not make it a bolt-in crossmember but it looks like it might have to be. Maybe I could just make a bolt-in centersection. Any feedback would be helpful.