Installing small block from the bottom

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Have any of you installed a small block in a Duster from the bottom? We have the engine and transmission, headers, and most of the suspension pieces installed on the K-member. We ran it up that way with break-in oil. The plan is to install it from the bottom, but I got to thinking..... will it really fit? There is absolutely nothing in the engine bay at present as the car is a completely stripped shell. So if any of you have done this please share some personal insight.
 

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I plan on doing mine the same way. Made some brackets out of so 1/2 in steel that bolt to the bumper bolt holes. Then I plan to lift it with my front end loader.
 
I have. I JUST did this on my '79 Magnum 2 days ago.

IF you have an engine hoist, use it to pick the front of the car up. Then roll the engine in place and drop it down. It is about that simple. Though a friend would be of help in lining up the K frame. I was jumping back and forth since it was just me all alone.

I didn't have a engine hoist. I had my car up on jack stands. If your jack stand are not all the way up, there maybe a clearance issue. As luck would have it, I had to take my heads off which lowered the engine height enough to roll under the subframe easy. Otherwise, it would not have clears with the heads on.
(The jackstands were also not at full height.)

Once you blot in the K frame, move right to the trans mount. Once that's in, install the front end and let her rest on her own feet.
 
Just did it with a 383 in a swinger a month ago easiest motor and trans I ever did.:cheers:
 

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Yes I have done it.Built a cart to set the engine,trans,and K member on.Then jacked the body way up in the air,then lowered the body back down.Then bolted it in ...easy as pie.
 
If a 2G HEMI fits from the bottom, and they do, just search thru HEMIMARKS threads for proof...a small block most certainly would...
 
No it won't work. It's never been done before.
 
It's close especially if you have headers on it - but yes, it will clear everything (keep the steering column out of the car). That's the easiest and cleanest way to do it.
 
Definitely easier from the bottom. You can have everything bolted up and ready to go. Connect steering, brakes and suspension and voila.......its in!

There are a number of threads where different techniqes were used to tackle this from the bottom. Search this and you might get some good ideas on how to best setup for what you have available to accomplish the install.
 
Best illustrative example I know of - Look at this thread showing HemiMark
and Donnie dropping the original 318 out of the bottom of Jim's Demon and
then dropping the /6 out of Mark's son's Duster sitting next to it. The Demon's
318 then goes into the Duster and a GenII Hemi goes into the Demon.
Notice that you don't even have to remove the hood to do it this way.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=88358
 
That's the way I did it. Saves from dinging up nice headers too. Use an engine hoist to lift the front end, roll the assembly under, drop the car over it. No problem.





 
Just did mine, will never do it from the top again.
 

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Did mine like that. Get 2 6" bolts same size as k member bolts. Cut off the heads and used them in the frame as guides as I raised the engine in. Worked slick.
 
Thanks guys. Planning on doing this tonight if time permits. We just have to install the drag link and then put the left header back, push a couple of other cars out of the way and then it looks like a piece of cake.
 
Well, so much for the piece of cake. There seems to be an issue with either the steering box or the pitman arm. The center link is too low and the left side header will not fit. This is a replacement (rebuilt) PS gearbox and a new pitman arm. I will recheck all the numbers today. Looks to me like the pitman arm should go on the shaft another 1/4 to 3/8 and then everything would clear.
 

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I installed the headers after the assembley was well under and half way in. Also the steering box was not installed after it was bolted up.
As I lowered the car body down onto the K frame, I swung the headers over the fenders and hung them on the end exhaust studs. No oil filter on the engine, starter was in. Naked K-frame.
 
Pilgrim said:
Well, so much for the piece of cake. There seems to be an issue with either the steering box or the pitman arm. The center link is too low and the left side header will not fit. This is a replacement (rebuilt) PS gearbox and a new pitman arm. I will recheck all the numbers today. Looks to me like the pitman arm should go on the shaft another 1/4 to 3/8 and then everything would clear.
Click to expand...

Your center link is too low? Too high would make more sense to me. Do your headers go under your center link or something? Your pitman arm looks right for the install. Mine didn't even go on as far as yours and it's torqued to spec and has all the clearance I need. The thin pitman arm nut on mine is practically flush with the end of the pitman shaft. I don't think that's your problem. Either bad part number on it or something else. Got any pictures of what you're having interference with?
 
That is correct. The center link is too low. The center link goes below the right header, but above the left header. With the center link installed on the pitman arm you cannot put the left header in place. That is an ATSCO rebuilt gear. I checked their specs today, and they say the shaft is 1.25 inches. But the pitman arms listed for 73 Duster are 1.1 inches. That would explain why it only goes on that far. I can't find anybody else's specs for the size of the shaft on the gearbox and the hole in the pitman arm. Since the box came from Autozone and the pitman gear elsewhere, I am going to pick up their pitman arm yesterday, and when it won't fit we can have a little discussion with all the facts in hand. I notice that the gear they list for the 72 has a 1.126 shaft and I see no other differences. If I can't find any other data I may have to use a 72 box, and a 73 pitman. As for measuring, we are measuring with a caliper at the flats on the smallest opening on the pitman arm. The "correct" 73 pitman (Moog K7076) is supposed to be 1.1. As close as I can measure the TRW I have is 1.120. That make it about .125 (1/8 inch) smaller than the shaft.
 
Sounds like you have the hang low style that the center link/tie rod goes through drivers side. You must disconnect it from the steering box, slide link through header and reinstall link.


Check out the instructions for a set of hooker 5901 headers. same deal.

[ame="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hooker-Headers-5901-Competition-Headers-/400600762423?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d45aa8837&vxp=mtr"]Hooker Headers 5901 Competition Headers | eBay[/ame]
 
I understand the process for installing the headers. (And reviewed Jeg's instructions when the fit problem became evident) The point is that with the centerlink installed on the pitman arm, there is not enough clearance to bolt up the header. In lifting the header back in place, the top of the header tubes contacts the bottom of the center link before it gets to the place where it can be bolted up. So either the pitman arm is not going on all the way, or the engine is too high. This is "supposedly" a correct 73 gearbox and a correct 73 pitman arm. The only other variable I can think of (which occurred to me yesterday) is that the K-member is a slant 6 K-member modified with a Schumacher kit. I have written to Mike at Schumacher and will also re-measure that mount today and compare the installed height on the engine with what it would have been on the V8 K-member. The original was bent, but I still have it in the shop.
 
So the engine, k-member and transmission are in finally. Here is what was done. We found (like others have said) that there is a variation in Pitman arm sizes, even when they are the same part number. So we found one that had a hole .120 inch larger. Then cleaned the splines real good on the steering box, which wasn't done by the rebuilder. Don put that on and we then had visible thread on the bottom of the gear box shaft. Then loosened up the motor mounts and rocked the motor to get it at the very bottom of both ends of the mounting hole. Finally (and this is probably the issue in the first place) we lowered the tailshaft of the transmission when we finally realized that it might be higher on the test stand than it would actually be in the car. We got adequate clearance at that point and lowered the car onto the engine, tranny, k-member assy. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.
 

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