Anyone running a motor plate?

[fetorino]

I'm sure more than one guy on this forum is running a front plate with their FE.

What brand of plate are you running?
Did you cut your own plate?
Are you running a front plate and a mid plate or a front plate and a trans mount?

Chris Alston sells one that looks to be a good starting point but only mounting using the water pump bolts makes me feel uneasy.

http://www.cachassisworks.com/p-130-motor-plate-for-tube-chassis-ford-fe-block-352-428.aspx

[Heo]

I have built some cars with motorplate
I both cut my own plate and bought
plates but i dont remember where i bought
them.
I prefere to use front plate and mid plate
but i have used front plate and trans mount
but then its important to use a rubber mount on the
trans. If you mount the trans solid it will crack the
trans if the chassie is flexing
Water pump bolts are enough, A Topfuel Engine
is mounted to the chassie with 4 hoseclamps
Its Dragracing chassies i have built so i dont know
what works in roadracing thats your car is built for
if i have understad things right

[427fordman]

I ran a homemade one in my fairlane with just the water pump holes for the front mount.  I also had a mid plate in it.  Works well.

[fastback 427]

My buddies 64 falcon tube frame car has the front mounts using water pump mounting holes and a mid plate. Made a cardboard template and took it in got it made and was very reasonable for price. Motor is an all aluminum 482 that robatanick did last year. We'll be installing it this weekend.

[JamesonRacing]

My front plates mount to just the water pump bolts.  I use studs to aid assembly and to ensure full thread engagement.  Mid plate is from Chassisworks I think.  Like others mentioned, using a stock rubber mount on the transmission tail shaft.

[cammerfe]

I've never used a plate-mount with an FE but have done so with a 385 series engine. I got the plate from Jack Roush and had it rubber-mounted with add-ons by WeldCraft.

Jim Dove offers an aluminium timing cover that is heavy-duty and uses not only the water pump bolts but has raised bosses at the cover mounting holes that act as additional pick-up points.

KS

[Ididntdoit]

Ive got an aluminum one that came as one piece but I cut the top couple of inches off because of manifold clearance (made it into two pieces).  I ended up never using it or cutting it any further.  It uses the water pump and alternator holes.  Its for sale if anyone is interested $50 PM Me (sorry if this should be in the classifieds....)

[jayb]

Yep, it should be in the classifieds.  Next time just send a PM to the member who you think might be interested in it.  Thanks, Jay

[mike7570]

I made one for my car almost identical to Jamesonracing. I used 7075 aluminum purchaed from scrap metal yard.
It was sold by the pound. very cheap.

[cjshaker]

If you think about it, the water pump holes should be much stronger than the factory locations. The factory mounts on the side water jacket wall are unsupported inside, so the entire torque force is pulling OUT on the entire outer wall on the left side, while being twisted in a torquing motion on the right side as the engine tries to twist. I always wondered why it didn't just pull the whole side of the block off when torqued on hard.

In contrast, the water pump mounts are being pulled laterally with very little leverage. Since both areas are relatively the same thickness, the strength should be greatly increased using the water pump mounts.

[ToddK]

I'm using a front plate mounted to the water pump holes, as well as a mid plate and trans mount in my '64 Fairlane. Although I bought the front and midplate, I didn't like the ones supplied and ended up making my own plates.
Important to also have some for/aft travel limiters attached to the block.

[machoneman]

2X to Todd K and travel limiters. Never ran a plate in a doorslammer but in dragsters. Even then, one should have a limiter (or 2) to minimize fore/aft movement of the engine and tranny on launch AND deceleration.

Parachute-equipped vehicles (doorslammers or dragsters/altered) usually find out in a hurry that thin motor plates do bend and can even cause the engine to slip forward after a few 'chute hits as the G forces are way higher than at launch....unless its a blown nitro ride!

[bsprowl]

If you use a motor plate using the water pump bolt holes how do you get the water pump pulleys to line up properly?

I see two options: 1) machine the block face the depth of the block plate or 2) machine the back of the water pump which really means you also need machine a spare.

Never heard of either of these being being done so I'm probably overlooking a simple solution.

[JamesonRacing]

I haven't had an issue with the water pump pulley alignment with my front motor plates as I use a Meziere electric pump.  I imagine that by the time most folks are contemplating the need for a front motor plate, they have already replaced the belt-driven water pump with an electric version.  For the cars that retain a belt driven pump, most have implemented an electric water pump drive.

I've found that having the ability to circulate coolant throughout the engine between rounds is critical to being able to stay competitive in bracket races.

[turbohunter]

I've found that having the ability to circulate coolant throughout the engine between rounds is critical to being able to stay competitive in bracket races.

Hmm
Learn something new everyday.