I am just about complete on my rolling frame which also includes motor and trans. I would like to start engine prior to dropping body. I will have exhaust and radiator all in place but I need either pictures or wiring diagrams to complete. Anyone who has done this please give me some input.

 

Supply 12 volts to the ign. and to the large lug on the starter. Jump the starter at the solonoid. I think thats it. Hope I didn't leave something out, but I probably did!
Good Luck...It's an exciting time!!!!

 

I've done this several times and this has worked very well for me.

I have a piece of peg board with an old engine wiring harness rigged up complete with oil pressure, water temperature, volt meter, ignition switch (with a key) and a tachometer. A lot of this came from the junk yard and there is liberal use of tie wraps.

All this stuff mounts easily on the peg board so it acts like your makeshift dashboard.

The pegboard itself rests on the drivers frame rail and bolts to the upright on the radiator core support where the inner fenders are normally bolted. I notched the bottom of the pegboard so it would fit over the A-arm. I attached it at the rear to the bracket that the brake proportioning switch mounts on. Its mounted solid and does not flop around.

All the wiring is easily accessible and you can start the engine like you normally do by just turning the key.

I rigged a garden hose up to the bottom of the radiator with some fittings so that tap water enters the radiator where the drain petcock nomally screws in.

Get a radiator flush kit and use the piece that mounts where the cap is supposed to go with some large clear tubing to carry water away from radiator and out to the driveway.

Leave the thermostat and thermostat housing off. Turn on the water and fill the cooling system from the bottom of the radiator. Let it fill slowly until you can see water at the thermostat hole, then turn the water off, put the thermostat in, and connect the top radiator hose.

Turn the water back on and let it overflow the raditor. Adjust the tap water feed as necessary so that the radiator is always overflowing and you won't have to worry about overheating the new engine.

Works like a charm.

 

if you have the engine wiring harness installed, get a battery cut-off switch and install in the battery circuit. run a wire from the alternator output to the harness where the two wires (resistor and start) goto the distributor. put a disconnect in this line so you can stop the engine( if you don't have this disconnect, the current will feed from the alternator to the distributor and you won't be able to shut it off). hook up a remote start switch. be sure to oil-prime the engine if it's been sitting a while, and plug the oil sender hole if it's a hydraulic line!
if you don't have the engine harness installed, hook up the battery and remote start switch as above, and run a wire from 12v to the distributor, using a disconnect or switch. you will pass more current thru the points than normal without the resistor wire, but it'll be ok for a few minutes.