57 Ramjet 350 Mounting Clearance??
01-20-2015, 08:46 PM
#1
57 Ramjet 350 Mounting Clearance??
I have been helping a friend restore his 1957 with a new Ramjet 350 motor. Today we discovered that the timing chain cover has a protruding boss at the top that does not allow the stock motor mounting bracket to bolt on flush, The GM Performance Help Line did not have any info on how to modify their parts or the original Corvette mounting bracket. It appears that some cutting of the bracket will be needed after the boss has be cut off on top.
Has anyone done this before and are there any aftermarket adapters available or simple parts modifications to fit the Ramjet 350??
Has anyone done this before and are there any aftermarket adapters available or simple parts modifications to fit the Ramjet 350??
01-20-2015, 10:09 PM
#2
Racer
I have been helping a friend restore his 1957 with a new Ramjet 350 motor. Today we discovered that the timing chain cover has a protruding boss at the top that does not allow the stock motor mounting bracket to bolt on flush, The GM Performance Help Line did not have any info on how to modify their parts or the original Corvette mounting bracket. It appears that some cutting of the bracket will be needed after the boss has be cut off on top.
Has anyone done this before and are there any aftermarket adapters available or simple parts modifications to fit the Ramjet 350??
Has anyone done this before and are there any aftermarket adapters available or simple parts modifications to fit the Ramjet 350??
Dennis
01-20-2015, 10:39 PM
#3
Race Director
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I have been helping a friend restore his 1957 with a new Ramjet 350 motor. Today we discovered that the timing chain cover has a protruding boss at the top that does not allow the stock motor mounting bracket to bolt on flush, The GM Performance Help Line did not have any info on how to modify their parts or the original Corvette mounting bracket. It appears that some cutting of the bracket will be needed after the boss has be cut off on top.
Has anyone done this before and are there any aftermarket adapters available or simple parts modifications to fit the Ramjet 350??
Has anyone done this before and are there any aftermarket adapters available or simple parts modifications to fit the Ramjet 350??
01-20-2015, 11:28 PM
#4
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Feb 2011
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I put a Ramjet 350 in a 62 and encountered the same situation.
Just take a file and file until the proper clearance is achieved.
Another problem you will encounter is that the harmonic balancer might hit the front suspension cross member.
Good luck, it is a great driving setup.
Just take a file and file until the proper clearance is achieved.
Another problem you will encounter is that the harmonic balancer might hit the front suspension cross member.
Good luck, it is a great driving setup.
01-21-2015, 01:37 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
I put a Ramjet 350 in a 62 and encountered the same situation.
Just take a file and file until the proper clearance is achieved.
Another problem you will encounter is that the harmonic balancer might hit the front suspension cross member.
Good luck, it is a great driving setup.
Just take a file and file until the proper clearance is achieved.
Another problem you will encounter is that the harmonic balancer might hit the front suspension cross member.
Good luck, it is a great driving setup.
01-21-2015, 01:55 PM
#6
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The biggest harmonic balancer on an early Corvette was used on 62 340 and 360hp cars (8in finned), and there was plenty of clearance. I have an 8in finned balancer on the SB400 in the 56 and clearance is fine.
01-21-2015, 03:08 PM
#7
Drifting
I have been helping a friend restore his 1957 with a new Ramjet 350 motor. Today we discovered that the timing chain cover has a protruding boss at the top that does not allow the stock motor mounting bracket to bolt on flush, The GM Performance Help Line did not have any info on how to modify their parts or the original Corvette mounting bracket. It appears that some cutting of the bracket will be needed after the boss has be cut off on top.
Has anyone done this before and are there any aftermarket adapters available or simple parts modifications to fit the Ramjet 350??
Has anyone done this before and are there any aftermarket adapters available or simple parts modifications to fit the Ramjet 350??
Here is a link from previous discussions and OV had given more details
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-corvette.html
01-21-2015, 09:13 PM
#9
Safety Car
I don't know if you will run into this small problem or not, but in putting a RamJet 350 into my wife's 62 I had to replace the long water pump with a short one. There was a slight bit of interference between the short water pump casting and one of the bolts holding the timing cover. If you change the water pump be sure to check the clearance before tightening down the water pump bolts.
Charles
Charles
01-22-2015, 11:37 AM
#10
I don't know if you will run into this small problem or not, but in putting a RamJet 350 into my wife's 62 I had to replace the long water pump with a short one. There was a slight bit of interference between the short water pump casting and one of the bolts holding the timing cover. If you change the water pump be sure to check the clearance before tightening down the water pump bolts.
Charles
Charles
Dan
01-24-2015, 10:57 PM
#11
Racer
RamJet 350 into 1957 C-1
Thanks to all for your suggestions and information. I don't have a good close-up of the "protruding boss" in question but have determined that it serves no purpose in our installation and can be cut off. We have also checked dimensions on the harmonic balancer and think it will clear the cross member, If not we will modify as needed. The short water pump will be used instead of the larger one supplied with the Ramjet 350. All these issues are not covered in the Ramjet instruction manual so it is great to have this forum to gather this important installation for C-1 information! Thanks again!!
Dan
Dan
Good luck and please share with pics. if possible.
Thanks,
Dennis
01-25-2015, 09:37 AM
#12
Safety Car
A few more RamJet items:
Hood clearance - On my '62 I lowered the engine approximately 1.5" to insure there was no interference between the hood and the intake plenum. Some of those who have installed this engine into C1’s have reported little or no hood interference problems using the stock engine mounts. Some have required trimming of the horizontal fiberglass reinforcement piece on the bottom of the hood ( don't know if this would apply to a '57)
Exhaust manifolds – My first try at fitting exhaust manifolds was with the stock “Rams Horns”. I found that there was interference between the manifolds and the valve covers. This could probably have been fixed with a little grinding, but I went with some Sanderson cast manifolds.
Computer – The RamJet computer comes with a mounting plate that sits on the rear of the engine. Some have expressed concern about this location being too hot for the computer, but I have mine mounted in the stock location and have driven over 40,000 miles including 12 trips to Carlisle (400 mile trip in hot summertime) and have experienced no problems.
Fuel Pump – The RamJet requires a high pressure fuel pump. I kept the stock tank and mounted an inline pump on the inside of the frame just in front of the tank. If I had it to do again I would use an in-tank pump with baffles or add a sump to the stock tank. My system works fine except when the tank gets low and then the fuel will occasionally leave the intake uncovered when making sharp turns.
RamJet runs rich – You will probably notice that the RamJet runs really, really rich. The only fix for this is to get a new tune for the computer. By tuning my engine I increased my highway mileage from around 25mpg to 30mpg.
Charles
Hood clearance - On my '62 I lowered the engine approximately 1.5" to insure there was no interference between the hood and the intake plenum. Some of those who have installed this engine into C1’s have reported little or no hood interference problems using the stock engine mounts. Some have required trimming of the horizontal fiberglass reinforcement piece on the bottom of the hood ( don't know if this would apply to a '57)
Exhaust manifolds – My first try at fitting exhaust manifolds was with the stock “Rams Horns”. I found that there was interference between the manifolds and the valve covers. This could probably have been fixed with a little grinding, but I went with some Sanderson cast manifolds.
Computer – The RamJet computer comes with a mounting plate that sits on the rear of the engine. Some have expressed concern about this location being too hot for the computer, but I have mine mounted in the stock location and have driven over 40,000 miles including 12 trips to Carlisle (400 mile trip in hot summertime) and have experienced no problems.
Fuel Pump – The RamJet requires a high pressure fuel pump. I kept the stock tank and mounted an inline pump on the inside of the frame just in front of the tank. If I had it to do again I would use an in-tank pump with baffles or add a sump to the stock tank. My system works fine except when the tank gets low and then the fuel will occasionally leave the intake uncovered when making sharp turns.
RamJet runs rich – You will probably notice that the RamJet runs really, really rich. The only fix for this is to get a new tune for the computer. By tuning my engine I increased my highway mileage from around 25mpg to 30mpg.
Charles
01-25-2015, 09:49 AM
#13
Racer
RamJet in 1957 C-1 corvette
A few more RamJet items:
Hood clearance - On my '62 I lowered the engine approximately 1.5" to insure there was no interference between the hood and the intake plenum. Some of those who have installed this engine into C1’s have reported little or no hood interference problems using the stock engine mounts. Some have required trimming of the horizontal fiberglass reinforcement piece on the bottom of the hood ( don't know if this would apply to a '57)
Exhaust manifolds – My first try at fitting exhaust manifolds was with the stock “Rams Horns”. I found that there was interference between the manifolds and the valve covers. This could probably have been fixed with a little grinding, but I went with some Sanderson cast manifolds.
Thanks for the info. I was half asleep and hit the unsubscribe button to this thread. I hope this reconnects me.
Dennis
Computer – The RamJet computer comes with a mounting plate that sits on the rear of the engine. Some have expressed concern about this location being too hot for the computer, but I have mine mounted in the stock location and have driven over 40,000 miles including 12 trips to Carlisle (400 mile trip in hot summertime) and have experienced no problems.
Fuel Pump – The RamJet requires a high pressure fuel pump. I kept the stock tank and mounted an inline pump on the inside of the frame just in front of the tank. If I had it to do again I would use an in-tank pump with baffles or add a sump to the stock tank. My system works fine except when the tank gets low and then the fuel will occasionally leave the intake uncovered when making sharp turns.
RamJet runs rich – You will probably notice that the RamJet runs really, really rich. The only fix for this is to get a new tune for the computer. By tuning my engine I increased my highway mileage from around 25mpg to 30mpg.
Charles
Hood clearance - On my '62 I lowered the engine approximately 1.5" to insure there was no interference between the hood and the intake plenum. Some of those who have installed this engine into C1’s have reported little or no hood interference problems using the stock engine mounts. Some have required trimming of the horizontal fiberglass reinforcement piece on the bottom of the hood ( don't know if this would apply to a '57)
Exhaust manifolds – My first try at fitting exhaust manifolds was with the stock “Rams Horns”. I found that there was interference between the manifolds and the valve covers. This could probably have been fixed with a little grinding, but I went with some Sanderson cast manifolds.
Thanks for the info. I was half asleep and hit the unsubscribe button to this thread. I hope this reconnects me.
Dennis
Computer – The RamJet computer comes with a mounting plate that sits on the rear of the engine. Some have expressed concern about this location being too hot for the computer, but I have mine mounted in the stock location and have driven over 40,000 miles including 12 trips to Carlisle (400 mile trip in hot summertime) and have experienced no problems.
Fuel Pump – The RamJet requires a high pressure fuel pump. I kept the stock tank and mounted an inline pump on the inside of the frame just in front of the tank. If I had it to do again I would use an in-tank pump with baffles or add a sump to the stock tank. My system works fine except when the tank gets low and then the fuel will occasionally leave the intake uncovered when making sharp turns.
RamJet runs rich – You will probably notice that the RamJet runs really, really rich. The only fix for this is to get a new tune for the computer. By tuning my engine I increased my highway mileage from around 25mpg to 30mpg.
Charles
I was half asleep and hit the unsubscribe button . I hope this post hooks me back up. Thanks for the info and keep it coming.
Dennis
01-25-2015, 08:11 PM
#14
Racer
Trying to get all of the issues lined up before I commit.
If you can think of things I don't know or have ne thought about please let me know.
Thanks, Dennis
01-26-2015, 07:06 AM
#15
Safety Car
How did you drop the motor mounts? Does this cause any drive line angle issues? I am planning to use a std. T-10 trans. Do I need to adjust the mount for the trans? The fuel line issue I get, but what about clearance for the hood?
Trying to get all of the issues lined up before I commit.
If you can think of things I don't know or have ne thought about please let me know.
Thanks, Dennis
Trying to get all of the issues lined up before I commit.
If you can think of things I don't know or have ne thought about please let me know.
Thanks, Dennis
Charles
01-26-2015, 11:49 AM
#16
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Feb 2011
Location: Middletown Ohio
Posts: 2,892
Received 167 Likes
on
130 Posts
2016 C1 of Year Finalist
Dennis,
When I did the installation in my 62 I dropped the engine a small amount by cutting the lower motor mount rubber cushion's by about 1/2".
For hood clearance I cut the center rib of the hood out in the center for about 6" in with the base of the rib left in place and body worked and painted.
No driveline angle issues .
I used a BW T10 with no issues.
I used 2 1/2" rams horn manifolds which were sort of restrictive but still functional.
I used a Rock Valley tank with a internal pump which was ok but sort of noisy.
On my current EFI Hilborn setup I use an external pump with a 10 micron pre filter and a bypass regulator mounted on a aluminum plate attached to the frame rail.
Great setup which I drove a lot but now gone to California.
Bruce Bursten
513 267-3706
When I did the installation in my 62 I dropped the engine a small amount by cutting the lower motor mount rubber cushion's by about 1/2".
For hood clearance I cut the center rib of the hood out in the center for about 6" in with the base of the rib left in place and body worked and painted.
No driveline angle issues .
I used a BW T10 with no issues.
I used 2 1/2" rams horn manifolds which were sort of restrictive but still functional.
I used a Rock Valley tank with a internal pump which was ok but sort of noisy.
On my current EFI Hilborn setup I use an external pump with a 10 micron pre filter and a bypass regulator mounted on a aluminum plate attached to the frame rail.
Great setup which I drove a lot but now gone to California.
Bruce Bursten
513 267-3706
How did you drop the motor mounts? Does this cause any drive line angle issues? I am planning to use a std. T-10 trans. Do I need to adjust the mount for the trans? The fuel line issue I get, but what about clearance for the hood?
Trying to get all of the issues lined up before I commit.
If you can think of things I don't know or have ne thought about please let me know.
Thanks, Dennis
Trying to get all of the issues lined up before I commit.
If you can think of things I don't know or have ne thought about please let me know.
Thanks, Dennis