This guy's good.

John B.

Yep, Nate's a really cool cat, pretty damn smart. Makes a fine copilot on an adult beverage run too... Seriously Nate, let me know if I can help in any way. Looks really good so far. I'm sure when it's done it'll be a work of art <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Ha ha. Weld burn thru. Must have been in WWFF's welding class at Embry-Riddle...

It's really a nice project, Nate. Let me know if I can help.

Just ask Frank. I get first chance to break all new engine mods...

Is the 3.0 exhaust the same size as the 3.5?

Burn through!?!? That's just where I skipped over a (now) unused hole...and on the other mount I skipped the part around the joggle so I'd still have space to get the bolt seated. I will admit I took a picture of the "pretty" side...I was having a helluva time getting warmed up welding today. I did weld the inner and outer sides of the mounts though, the factory was just on the outward facing joints.

I just measured the exhaust...looks like maybe 1/8 larger for the 3.5L. 1 7/8 vs 1 3/4, I could be off though.

I definitely appreciate all the offers of help! Anyone is welcome to stop by and check it out if they're interested.



Do I seem like the kind of guy that's afraid to cut his firewall to fit turbo's?

Now the big question Nate, are you using the Gen1 transmission? and if so, are you keeping notes on the measurements for those hybrid motor mounts? I would be very interested if you could knock out a set for me when the time comes when my 3.0 finally gives up the compression ghost (one cylinder is already singing its death rattle). <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, my plans are to use the Gen 1 transmission...for now. But I do fully intend to use the Gen 2 eventually, maybe even pretty quickly after I get the engine going. I like to "compartmentalize" projects...get one thing working, then the next, then the next. But as it stands, the rear face of the engine (where the bellhousing mounts) is in the same position as the 3.0, I didn't try to move things forward or backward.

The mounts are pretty easy to make as long as you have the Gen 1 engine brackets, Gen 1 rubber mounts, and Gen 2 engine brackets. When I cut the triangular part of the mounts off the Gen 1 brackets, I cut the weld right at the engine plate...so there's really no change in their "length". If you look closely in the pics, you can see that the joggle in the Gen 1 triangular piece goes perfectly around a bolt on the Gen 2 engine plate...and on the opposite side of the same triangular piece, the side is shorter...but there's a bulge on the Gen 2 plate that makes up for it. It's almost as if the pieces from the 2 generations were meant to fit together. I don't exactly have any measurements, I basically just used my truck as a welding jig...which I suppose I could do again if needed.

Ok, I also had another thought...
One might be able to use the additional length of the Gen 2 transmission to their advantage for a v6 turbo setup. If you mounted the tranny so the output is in the exact same location as the Gen 1, that would mean the bellhousing would be forward quite a bit... I guess it's 6 of one, 1/2 dozen of another...easier to mess with driveshaft lengths? or engine mount locations?

Afraid? Not at all..... it's just a matter of desire. I have no desire to cut up my truck and no desire for twin turbos.

But it doesn't bother me that others have a different point of view - and I think your 3.5L swap is great. It's good to see what issues you're running into fitting the block - because what I see in combination with what I already knew has caused me to re-think my plans to build a supercharged 3.5L stroker motor. I'd probably never finish it.

Frank <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

That wasn't meant as a slight against you Frank...I just realized how my comment sounded. I misread Ed's meaning of "break", and just remembered the story involving the literal meaning.

Eddy had a hand in the dispatching of the first S/C Frank motor, but I finished the job. He said it was a bearing sammich that took it out, but I know better... I tried to tear up the 2nd one, didn't work out though. Much to my dismay, Frank builds a damn stout motor...

Totally diggin this swap. Wish you'd posted it and I'd seen it before sending my 3.0 to the machine shop....

Heh, sorry... This actually all came together pretty recently. I'd been thinking about it for awhile, but only found a suitable donor a few weeks ago, after many weeks of searching. Everything I found in Atlanta got snatched up pretty quick, even with me calling people the day they'd post on Craigslist. I ended up having to go to Tennessee. I just finished the scavenging off the 95 about 2 weeks ago, and just started fitting things in the Gen 1 last Sunday.