GT engine install

[Gordy]

Will be installing the engine and Getrag 5 speed in my 1970 GT this weekend. I believe the installation should go very smooth. In the past I have drug the engine under the car, somehow got it on a floor jack and managed to get it up and in.
This time I bought a low riding 1000 lb. capacity furniture dolly for $22.00 which with a 3/4 inch piece of plywood across it for the oil pan sump to sit upon, a 4x4 piece of wood towards the front for the front of the oil pan to rest upon, and a 2x4 piece of wood at the rear for the trans body to sit on, the whole works rides steady and stable.
The plan is to raise the front of the car as high as necessary using the engine hoist, lifting on the front suspension crossmember and then to roll the entire assembly under the GT. At that point the car will be lowered onto jack stands.
With the hood removed, the engine hoist will then be attached with hardened bolts to the motor mount brackets while a good floor jack will be placed under the rear trans mount. raising both carefully up so the Getrag shifter comes up thru the trans tunnel openning, and then the trans mount will be secured to the underbody.
At that point the floor jack with a piece of 2x4 on it will support and lift the engine frrom below so the engine hoist can be removed and gotten out of the way so the engine support crossmember can be attached and then secured to the underbody.
I have attached the exhaust header finger tight and hope that can go right on up with the engine, but am prepared to have to remove the 2 bolts and reinstall the header after the engine is up if clearance becomes a problem.
Other than that, the starter is in, the distributor, the oil, plugs and wires, Synthetic gear lube in the gear box, pretty much everything but the alternator will already be attached. The intake will go on last as that is not a problem and I still need to make sure the gaskets and spacers are all modified to work well with the Weber 38 and Bob Legere ported intake.
All in all it should be the smoothest and cleanest engine install I have ever done.
Afterward that furniture dolly will be used to keep a spare engine on and mobile in my garage, and for the little it cost, a guy can't even build one by the time you buy the wood and the casters etc.
Will let you know how it all goes this weekend!

[baz]

been an awful long time since i put a cih in a gt but i seem to remember the front end needs to be up and in to clear the cross member before the gearbox goes up into place

as i say an awful long time ago but

[Gordy]

I think you are correct-o. The crank pulley and oil pump cover need to go above the suspension cross member. With the hoist lifting on the motor mount brackets it is way back heavy on the hoist so by raising the hoist more than the trans mount, it should give the needed angle to then pull the front of the engine over the cross member before raising the trans (and shifter) up ito attach the trans crossmember to the underbody. Good point and helps me to visualize just what will be taking place in advance! Any other observations are welcomed!

[oldopelguy]

Seems to me trying to install the engine with both the header/manifold and the distributor makes it too wide to fit properly. Usually one or the other has to go, I usually remove both myself. Been a while though...

[Gordy]

Could be....header is ready to come off in a minute. Don' want to mess with the dizzy since then the fuel pump needs to come off as well. Header won't be a problem to undo and the intakes not on yet.

[broszzy]

Gordy, I just put my motor in Monday almost the same way. I had the crossmember on the header and distributor in also, no problem at all. I had the outside bolt holes of the crossmember about thirteen inches off the ground when is was on the dolly then when u drop the body down you can start all 4 outside bolts in the body mounts


Pat

[wlkelley3]

I don't know about header installed but I just put my engine back in my GT last Sunday. I have original stock intake/exhaust and left the dizzy in. Just had to removed the carb and the dizzy cap and it fit up there nicely. Thought about using a hoist to pull it up but got a little lazy (didn't want to remove the hood and mess with realigning it when I reinstall the hood. I used 3 floor jacks, one under each side of the engine crossmember and one under the trans. Raised the nose of the car up high enough to slide the engine undern then lowered the car some, leaving enough room to be under the car to hook up the mount bolts. Went in without a hitch. Don't forget the engine front has to go up over the suspension crossmember first before leveling the trans/engine. Of course you knew that, though.

[Gordy]

Thanks for all the helpful imput. Looks like a lot of Opels are getting their engines put back in here lately!

[markandson]

I am also on the brink of installing my engine with getrag. I have to finish my fuel injection system and then in it goes, hopefully within the next month.

[Gordy]

Got the engine up and in yesterday. Not as smooth as I had envisioned. The legs of the engine hoist tend to get in the way of the floor jack and engine dolly below the car. Header had to be undone and "hung" in the bay area as the engine came up. Alternator bracket, which I had put on already became an issue with steering shaft and would have just as well been put on after install. Was able to pry and lift to make that clear. The bolts that go into the trans tunnel area that support the brackets that come off of the engine crossmember were a bear. Ended up removing all 6 of the bolts that go up and in to the frame rails below to get the crossmember to have enough flex and give to finally get those lined up with the holes. Next time I would put those in first! Header bolts were a bear to get in for some reason. Fought the rear bolt for 45 minutes and then took them all out and put the rear bolt in first and at least had more room with the front bolts to get that all together. Need to get all the hoses put on, the fuel line hooked up, and clutch hooked up yet as well as some of the wiring.
Also need to get a thrust spring that will fit an automatic or Getrag so I can install the drive shaft if anyone wants to sell a spare.