FE front motor mount plate?

[fe66comet]

Has anyone used a front motor mount plate on a FE? I found one on Jeg's site but they shure are proud of it. I am wondering what all would be effected by installing it other than pulley alignment?
              http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/m20ProductDisplayView?pageSize=10&resultCatEntryType=2&searchTerm=&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&productId=2488787&storeId=10001&sType=&pgGrp=search
 

[cammerfe]

That price is a joke. The picture doesn't show in the Jeg's page but all a motor plate requires is an appropriate piece of aluminium and access to a drill press. If it worries you to hang the engine by the water pump bolts, Dove makes a heavy-duty front cover in which all the perimeter bolts run through bosses that stand up with their ends in a common plane. The plate then goes in front of the cover. Altogether you won't have anywhere near $400+ in it.

I welded 'ears' on the corners of my plate and used the rubber out of flathead motor mounts so as not to be metal-on-metal.

KS

[fe66comet]

I did find this one but the blue thunder deal sounds like a good option. I found a plate for $139.00 same water pump mounted deal. I am installing a electric pump so I could remote mount it and use studs to support the plate maybe? I am definetly using isolated mounts, the car will be a cruiser/ racer. Why have a car you cannot drive on the street.

[ScotiaFE]

Well it does cost about 230 plus bucks approx. for a chunk big enough to start with. Approx 2' X 4' X 1/4" should work.
Then you would need saw and drilling capabilities and not small hobby stuff either.
You could hack it out though no problem. It's a full fab job at any rate so plan accordingly.
Hard mounting on the street is a rough ride though.

[fe66comet]

Do yo have a pic? As usual no pic on the BT site. I am fabricating everything on the chassis so that is not a big issue. I would rather cut aluminum than steel anytime.

[JamesonRacing]

Here's a pic from Carls Ford Parts

http://carlsfordparts.com/parts_images/specials/FE%20timing%20cover.JPG

I'm using a similar timing cover on my race car, but it is a modified HM marine cover.

http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq183/dajameson/101NIKON_455.jpg

[fe66comet]

I had to stop looking I might short my phone out with drewel. Nice ride, I see where the mounts hook up with the bolt holes on the bottom. Eventually I found the one like on Carl's, is that actually a motocraft part as shown? The blue thunder part wins the cool bling factor for sure. It appears that with either part my anti balancer might need to be messed with. I had my spacer machined to make every thing snug for adding my crank trigger and custom serpentine drive I am building.

[fe66comet]

I found a really nice part from Glenwood Marine out of California. Pricey at about $350 but definetly a well designed part and hardened alloy also.

[Ididntdoit]

I have one in the classifieds you can have for $50 shipped to your door!

[mike7570]

Build your own, you need a saw (I used a band saw) a drill, some files and patience. I bought some 7075 aluminum at the scrap metal yard by the pound. Probably only spent about $30.00 on the whole thing. You can make it out in the pictures coming off the water pump.

[fe66comet]

I think I will go with the Glenwood Timing cover mount. It is a much nicer part than I could ever produce as being hardened extruded aluminum. Also it is out of the way of everything and does not block air flow.

[TomP]

I made my own for the Falcon i used to run. 1/4" thick and a piece from the salvage yard like Mike.
I made it fit behind the timing cover so it uses more bolts than just the water pump. That makes a bunch of other problems like can't use a mechanical fuel pump, the water pump is now 1/4" ahead of where it was so pulleys won't line up and the oil pans front bolts not lining up. I slotted the holes and flattened the lip for that last one.

The timing cover idea is OK, you need to keep in mind the forces on it, you have to hold up the weight of the engine, resist it's torque and the effects of it wanting to push forward and back with G forces. You need a mid mount at the bellhousing and some fore-aft limiters.

[fe66comet]

I am intending on using a mid mount plate, x braces in the chassis, four link rear, new heavier gauge 1/8 front k member, Daytona style strut tower X braces, modified boxes f/r and a 10 point road race roll cage with front struts. The trans mount and engine mounts I am fabricating from 1 ton truck urethane pickup bed mounts designed for tow truck beds. Also beefing up the towers with some 1/8 plates due to the cutting for big tube headers. I am going to then tie it all in with two frame rails from box to box and a narrowed custom 4 link.

[fe66comet]

I was looking into different ways to run my belts for serpentine drive and.my electric pump. If I have an a/c compressor and p/s pump on the right with one belt and the alternator on the left with another separate belt I can miss the front cover and mount the water pump remote. I am going with a fast fuel injection system anyhow so the mechanical pump is eliminated. It looks like it could work out well as long as the front cover mount does not hang too low otherwise I will probably have to make something up. One thing that would be a plus with a full plate is accessory mounting is a price of cake and I can reuse my old cover.