69L71

With hood clearance being a recurring C3 concern (unless you like L88 Hoods), I was wondering if anyone has looked into lowering the engine in their engine compartment. I watched Troy Trepanier do this on the eBay Mustang and it didn't seem too bad. Aside from a little creative engineering on the engine mounts and some ground clearance concerns, it seems to me that lowering an inch wouldn't be too hard and would open up intake manifold options pretty extensively and keep a stealthy persona.

Has anyone tried this?

LIQUIDDRAGON

what about ground clearance on the oil pan and clearance for the crossmember under the oil pan? there are more options for hoods besides the L88 which i dont like IMHO but that is just me and that is why i went wiith a high rise hood but like i always say to each his own.

69L71

Its all a matter of preference. I don't particularly like the L88 or aftermarket hoods. Too batmobile for me. I like a stock, sleeper look. On a SB car I'd consider a BB hood, but that doesn't buy too much and it still raises eyebrows.

Obviously, whatever you do to lower the engine you need to account for with a low-profile oil pan and pickup. But that's not visible when you lift the hood.

Red_Shift

Besides lowering the center of gravity your engine wouldn't stick out so high. Sounds like a win/win situation. I've thought about this before, and when I go BB I'll look into it. Surprised no one has chimed in yet.

joe73vette

You'd have to chop out the crossmember where the dampener and pulleys are, and should change the differential angle to match the u-joints. Joe

Corz

it's a lot harder then you think..

everything behind the engine will have to be modified to compensate for the different angle

Kim72

I have a 454 with Headman headers. I'ts the headers that hits the speed bumps in the parking lots. Maybe other brands are different.

71coupe

I've brought this up before here. I think it's a great idea, but it would be a big job. In addition to lowering it, you could also move it to the right a little for weight distribution. May also be able to move it back more too.

lostpatrolman

1.5 inches toward the drivers side right?

71coupe

No - passenger side. This would compesate for the drivers weight to "ballance" the car better.

Check out this link:
http://www.442.com/articles/articles.html
Click on "other articles" at top, then click on "72 Ols Banshee desert racer" at bottom of page. This was James Garrners other race car.
The engine was set back 27" & right next to driver for better flying.
Cool piece of Olds history.

lostpatrolman

The engine already sits 1.5 inches off center toward the pass side.

Z-man

If your dates are slimness-challenged, you don't want to move that engine any more to the passenger side...

69L71

I can see the crossmember being a challenge. The damper tucks in there pretty close. I don't think I'd sweat the driveshaft geometry too much. Lowering the engine would cause rotation about the rear trans mount, which is only about 4 inches from the rear yoke. An inch down in the front would only be about 1/10" rise in the rear. That's a VERY small angular change in driveshaft angle. I think the U-joints could handle that.

Schmucker

But having the correct pinion angle helps reduce horsepower loss in the driveshaft. With my coilover setup I have the rear end on a pivot and can change the pinion angle easily with just some shims on the front, but only lower it. I have it tucked up as high as possible under the car for better half shaft geometry with the suspension lowered. I've thought about lowering the engine down as well, but I like the look of the L88 hood so I don't care.

LiveandLetDrive

Maybe I missed it, but I think you guys are forgetting the steering linkage. You can't just lower that, without throwing off the whole geometry... but really it needs help anyway, so why not throw that in the "while I'm at it" bin with the rest

-Chris

lostpatrolman

looks like there is 1.5 inches of clearance for that.

LiveandLetDrive

full travel?

LiveandLetDrive

full travel?

lostpatrolman

hehe, not sure. I dont think the steering moves too far up and down through its travel. Someone should look

LiveandLetDrive

I don't think it does either, but the inner tie rods get closer I believe. How close, I don't know...

-Chris