Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines 55 engine, 53 car mounts

55 261 engine going into a 53 chevy. It'll be mounted using the plate on the front of the engine and the existing rear tranny mount.

Question is the side mounts at the rear of the engine. Will I be able to bolt the 49 side mounts on using the 53 bellhousing or will I need a 49 to 51 bellhousing?

I'm 800 miles from the car and parts right now and I have a chance to buy a 49 bellhousing. Don't want to buy it if it's not needed, but would hate to pass it up if I'll need it.

Joe K, I'd call Buffalo Ent on this question, he may even have a better solution for the side mounts. This man is the Guru on ALL this old Chevy swapping and has some very cool solutions.

Dear Joe;

The 49-54 (stick shift) bell housings are the same & what you need for that era car.

You didn't say "stick or auto" etc.

Side mounts (bell housing) are same on all (37-62). A automatic trans will need a different bell H.

Good luck.

side mounts are not all the same.

for a 49-54 car, use a 49-54 bellhousing. Its the only one with the correct clutch fork angle.
If you are wanting to add mounts to the sides of any of these housings, there are a pair of tapped holes in the front of the housing that could be used for this purpose. Buffalo may allready make something for this, or a better idea, as Jim suggests. If going to an open driveline, use the tranny adapter plate from Buffalo. It will prevent alot of hassels later on.

Dear Joe;

Don't get confused here, they mount the same.

Joe, et al.,

In 1958 I put a 1954 261 in my 1953 Chevrolet 210. At that time, I did not the nerve (or skill?) to drill and tap the bosses in the early 261 block to accept the forward side-mount towers, so I drilled the front frame crossmember to accept a 1951 front mount, and used the stock rear transmission mount, with torque tube. The engine torque caused the engine to really twist, and the front mount failed a couple of times. The rear side mounts on the bellhousing might help. A couple of years later I pulled the engine, drilled and tapped the bosses for the three 3/8-16 bolts on each side. This gave a more stable installation. I also went to an open drive drive shaft with a 1959 three speed with a rear mount.

With Buffalo's adapters, you have even more options. Give him a call.

Does your 261 have the three tapped holes in the side of block? Is it possible the adapt them to the stock 1953 side mount towers?

My 261 (55) was in a dump truck using the rod type mounts from the front corners of the block. There aren't any bosses drilled or not on either side of the block that look like they could be adapted to the tower mounts.

What I think I'm trying to do is use the 49-50 front mounts and the exisitng transmission mount to support the engine. Adding the 49-50 side mounts off the bell housing should take care of the torque.

I can weld or bolt some clips onto the frame for the bottom connection, but I'm not sure how to connect to the bellhousing.

Thanks. joe

Dear Joe;

Dont use the front side mounts, you mount it on the crossmember using 'early' mounts & the side mounts go where the stock ones were. They bolt to the front of the bell housing.

The transmission mount is just extra suport.

I've put several 55-62 engines in that way. You just have to drill the front plate & the cross member and use the early front mounts between them etc.

Good luck.

The 49-51's used a mount under the front of the motor, a mount under the tranny, and they has a pair of "training wheel" mounts on the sides of the bellhousing to account for the torque of the engine. These are not real motor mounts, as they are not supporting any real weight. In '52 they went to the 3 bolt side mounted engine mounts, which took care of the need for the training wheels on the bellhousing.
If you mount it like a 49-51 and use something off the bellhousing to steady it, you will be as good as the factory intended.

Dear Joe;

Please don't get confused by any of this!

These ARE REAL engine mounts. They support the weight of the engine when the transmission needs to be removed and should be there.

"Training wheels" are not related at all.

John, I suggest you actually go look at a 49-51 like I did before I posted this.

Gearhead - your analogy to training wheels is great. That's the exact role I picture the side mounts playing, keeping the thing from falling over when the torque comes on. Guess when I get it ready, I'll just set it in and make whatever brackeets I need to connect the side mounts.

Thanks all. joe

So, guys, one more time for me.

I have a 52 hardtop, with no engine. I'll swap a later 235 (hopefully a stroker version) into it - stick trans. I'll use the front engine mounts depending on the year fo the engine - it wont be a problem.

My question is the rear mounts. Am I correct to assume the factory used the same side mounts on the front of the bellhousing and a transmission mount as the earlier Chevys? Should I keep them?

6inarow, CALL BUFFALO!!!! This man better live to be 150 years old as he is the ONLY source for real answers. See, now I've just shot myself in the foot, because when I call, his line will be busy!

I lost my wife too, her name wasn't ID though and it wasn't in a flood! "That guy can get a wheelchair and roll himself home." OK Toad, we'll take em all on!

OK Jim - thanks for the advice.

hey Jim, that can't be your car! That must be your mamma's car!!

Not that anyone has mentioned this but using the stock trans with the additional torque can bring on a few additional problems. They are the weak point especially the u-joint. If it were me I would consider changing to an open drive line. When I did my '50 a few years back with a '59 235 I used a '60 bell housing and a Vega Saginaw 4-speed with the 3.10 low gear. The rear was a '56 Chev with 3.31 gears. At the time the trans was $50. Drum to drum rear was $100 and the bellhousing was a freebie. The only thing I did was redrill holes in the rear spring perches. Build a rear trans mount and the most difficult was to move the shifter to miss the stock seat; but it was all worth it.

Good luck I'm sure you will like the finished product.........

Thanks for the input. I am not sure how I'll handle the rear and trans yet. I have the saginaw 4 speed and a 3 speed overdrive. I was just uncertain hou to handle the bellhousing and trans mounts