Front Motor Mounts: Enough for a mild 454?

rambos_ride

I know a looonnnggg time ago someone asked to see some upclose pictures of my front motor mounts. I'm thinking of adding some additional mounts in the back at the engine/bellhousing/trans mount (similar to Wes Kitchens) to add a little additional support.

The lower frame mounts are the original Hudson 8 mounts. The engine side mounts were made from the original front mounting plate from the Hudson 8 and I got new (NOS) rubber mounts on ebay a while back - and they look new!

The lower frame mounts were moved back to match and bolted with Grd 8 bolts w/lock washers then tack welded to the frame (originall these were riveted to the frame)

The engine side mounts are also bolted to the block using Grd 8 bolts w/lock washers.

I'm also thinking of a c-shaped piece that bolts to the underside of the frame mount and wraps around the top of the engine mount for insurance in case the rubber mounts want to give way.

Thoughts?

Unknown

Seems to me that if I remember right, GM used front mount motor mounts on the early chevs anyway. Not quite like yours (great fab work by the way) but still worked. The trucks used a heavy cast iron bell housing with the ear type mounts kind of like the hydramatics.:rolleyes:

[Deleted User]

Dan, am I understanding you correctly, are you using a front motormount and a side mount (original to the BBC)? Or are you bolting the front mount to the original Hudson engine mounts? I'm sure its obvious, I'm just having a senior moment!

rambos_ride

jsrail wrote:

Dan, am I understanding you correctly, are you using a front motormount and a side mount (original to the BBC)? Or are you bolting the front mount to the original Hudson engine mounts? I'm sure its obvious, I'm just having a senior moment!

No side engine mounts. Just re-used the Hudson frame mounts and fabricated the engine mount pieces from the original hudson front mounting plate and got new rubber pieces

[Deleted User]

rambos_ride wrote:

No side engine mounts. Just re-used the Hudson frame mounts and fabricated the engine mount pieces from the original hudson front mounting plate and got new rubber pieces

I think then it would cause a problem and make the Hudson motor mount to rigid. Unless in the lower part of your drawing the bottom of the "c" is not connected to the frame, just freefloating. That way the rubber in the mount would be free to move some as the engine was torgueing. I think the disadvantage to the Hudson mounts is that they lay flat whereas, the stock Chevy mount is at an angle, thereby more or less holding the engine center to the mounts in the event one breaks. Bad things can still happen when the rubber in a mount lets go though, but you want try and not allow a lot of side-to-side movement.

I think you'd be fine with your existing mounts and the tranny crossmember mount. Not sure you'd need another mounting system at the bellhousing, would seem to probably get in the way of the exhaust.

Jay :-)

rambos_ride

jsrail wrote:

I think then it would cause a problem and make the Hudson motor mount to rigid. Unless in the lower part of your drawing the bottom of the "c" is not connected to the frame, just freefloating. That way the rubber in the mount would be free to move some as the engine was torgueing. I think the disadvantage to the Hudson mounts is that they lay flat whereas, the stock Chevy mount is at an angle, thereby more or less holding the engine center to the mounts in the event one breaks. Bad things can still happen when the rubber in a mount lets go though, but you want try and not allow a lot of side-to-side movement.

I think you'd be fine with your existing mounts and the tranny crossmember mount. Not sure you'd need another mounting system at the bellhousing, would seem to probably get in the way of the exhaust.

Jay :-)

TO be honest with you I had considered making the motor/tranny mounts solid anyway - but didn't know how the extra torque being applied through the subframe would work with a unibody car without tying the subframe to the rear "frame rails" would you get too much "twisting" action between the front subframe and rear tub?

Solid motor/trans mounts in full frame cars is the ONLY way to go if you ask me! Jay if you've never driven a car with solid mounts it's amazing the difference in response!

Maybe a couple of our Hudson racers out there could shed some light on this?

Unknown

Dan, I don't see why they won't work. You've solved the torque problem of the buscuit type mount with the "C" below to catch it. I still wouldn't make the mounts solid, even though the Hudson has a lot of steel in it, eventually you will get twist. You can put the subframe connectors in it but I never had the problem with the Ford 460. I used a much more "downhome" solution to the motormount flex though. A chain bolted to the header and down to the frame limited the torque over. Seems to me Chevrolet used that same solution except in cable form in the 60's!!:eek: Good luck, for a street car, I think you'll be just fine.

rambos_ride

tristansdaz wrote:

Dan, I don't see why they won't work. You've solved the torque problem of the buscuit type mount with the "C" below to catch it. I still wouldn't make the mounts solid, even though the Hudson has a lot of steel in it, eventually you will get twist. You can put the subframe connectors in it but I never had the problem with the Ford 460. I used a much more "downhome" solution to the motormount flex though. A chain bolted to the header and down to the frame limited the torque over. Seems to me Chevrolet used that same solution except in cable form in the 60's!!:eek: Good luck, for a street car, I think you'll be just fine.

Thanks all for the feedback.

I think my little "c" shaped bracket idea should give me the backup I need for a mild street 454.

This Hudson won't get solid mounts but I will build one someday that does! Then I'll give everyone a knarly teeth rattling ride!

Unknown

I bought the nice motor mounts from Street and Performance for the LS1,but they wouldn't work with the headers from Street and Performance.

I had to send the nice polished ones back and hand fab some out 1/4 steel using the orig. rubber donuts, a real pain , but we got them done and they look and work OK.

Barry