After arrival of a second child in February and my job responsibilities increased to regularly requiring 50+ hours/week, I have decided to move my DIY Corvette engine project over to some professionals (since I haven't touched it since Nov 2007 when I removed and disassembled the engine with the help of my more experienced brother).

Here's my dilemma:

With the engine removed and the transmission/drive shaft currently supported by a stack of wood, what kind of prep is needed to flatbed the car minus engine? Can the transmission temporarily "hang" without causing damage? Or is it a relatively simple procedure to unbolt the transmission and drive shaft and transport the car with them removed? Note the car is on jack stands (not a lift).

The car is a '70 Convertible with a numbers matching L46, still with the high compression heads. It's not a trailer queen (ie intended to be driven and enjoyed) - so I'm also in a bit of a dilemma as to whether to rebuild this engine to keep it like it was in 1970 or commit purist blasphemy and have it modded to a 383 that runs on pump gas. Another thought is to save the original heads, leave the bore alone (engine problem was a rod bearing), and mod it for performance to the max while not doing anything that could be irreversible if I were to resell to a purist who wanted to restore it to NCRS standards someday. It seems "resto-mods" don't kill the value all that much, but I would welcome opinions contrary to that thought.

Thanks in advance for any advice on transportability and what to do with the engine.

I know I'm ignorant, so please be kind (like how much of a 383 conversion is stroke vs. bore that wouldn't be reversible for the NCRS purist?)

 

On a numbers matching, my opinion is build it to '70 spec's, or replace it with a "fun" motor and keep the original for future use, but don't mod the original. Just my opinion.

Dean

 

The transmission just needs to be unbolted from the crossmember, speedo cable and shift linkage disconnected, slide it forward and down, on a floor jack. Unbolt the driveshaft from the diff and that comes off. Then it's ready to flatbed.

As far as the motor goes, only you would know that the motor is a 383 because it would look the same from the outside and it could easily be reversed. It's your car, enjoy it. There are plenty of NCRS museum pieces around for posterity.

 

I use a brace that spans the engine compartment with 2 straps to hold the trans. while the engine is out.(Looks a little like the braces used in a front wheel drive car.)If your plans dont require removal of the trans. then removing it is just extra work that it sounds like you will have to pay to have put back in.

 

A length of angle iron or some other bar across the frame rails at the front of the tranny will work fine.Just drill a couple of holes through it and bolt it to the bell housing and you are ready to tow.

 

GOOD IDEA!