PROJECT - Pimp My Engine Stand . . .

[Roadkill]

Simple, really.  

Although my engine stand is rated at 1,500lb it's looking a bit shabby and I can make it better.

Start point :

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First job is to reduce the height of the main upright that holds the pivot boss . . . although it's nice to have it nice and high, the Caddy motor is big and heavy so I cut 4" (100mm) off to lower the centre of gravity.

Also, there's a bolt on the front that tightens into the box-section upright . . . this is a crappy detail, so after cutting the 4" off, I re-positioned it, marked the position of the bolt hole and drilled a hole just big enough so the bolt would pass through the upright and give a positive location . . . rather than relying on friction . . theoretically . . .

My new crane is black . . and black is cooler than red so re-painting's a must.

After doing the cutting and drilling I stripped it down completely and sanded everything down.
One coat of Hammerite (hammered) last night and another this morning . . .

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Next job is to re-assemble (after the paint's dry) but I intend to replace all 4.8 Bolts (read.  Shit.) with proper 8.8 structural bolts.

. . and then there's a few other bits I intend to do . . .

[Roadkill]

Bolts collected today . . . re-construction begins tonight . . . probably.

[art b]

shiny ....

[Cunning Plan]

[Roadkill]

Assembled the main bits just before going on holiday . . .

It's subtly lower, now.

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Also, as many will know, as Jensen has a habit of hiding my tools I've added plastic bungs to the open ends (I did this to the engine stand, too) . . It's not only practical for me but it adds an extra level of pimpness.

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Total cost of the project, so far is £0 . . . as I've had the stuff "in stock" or in stock at work.

Next stage is designing the plate that bolt to the back of the Caddy block and to the engine stand plate . . .

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Roadkill

Next stage is designing the plate that bolt to the back of the Caddy block and to the engine stand plate . . .

Plate is cut, finished and collected.

Andy is kindly making the spacers required to stand the motor off the plate (to clear the back of the crank) and they should be with me Saturday, meaning this little project should be done and finished this weekend.

Pictures to follow.

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: Roadkill

I've added plastic bungs to the open ends

How did you get them the right size?

[Roadkill]

They do loads of standard sizes . . . I needed 70x70 & 80x80 . . . both of which we have in stock at work.

[Roadkill]

Here's the plate . . . Just gonna run a linishing disc over the edges but it's test-fitted and good to go.

I don't think I'll paint it . . . . but I probably will.



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BTW, the big holes are just for weight saving and providing a hand-hold when fitting the plate.

[Roadkill]

Project complete !

Andy knocked up some spacers for me to stand-off the block from the plate I had made (above) . . . All engine stands use arms on a slotted plate but as I have access to a laser cutter I thought I'd make it all a bit more precise than that.

The plate above bolts to the black, slotted plate in the pictures above.  Then the motor bolts to the plate, with the spacers between.

Spacers :

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Plate and boss bolted to the back of the motor :

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Motor in place :

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. . I could've maybe got away with cutting another 2-3" off the central, vertical stand section to further stabilise it but I think after that you'd need to be a proper short-arse to do anything on it.   As it sits it's low, but not too low for me.

It's worked out perfect.

If I ever pull the SBC in the Camaro again, I'll get another plate made up specifically for that . . . Hopefully build-up a small set eventually.