Early Front Clip Removal?

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eekvonzipper

eekvonzipper

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I pulled this motor by myself for Winter refresh...
I'll likely be by myself when I put it back in, in the Spring.
The task pushed me and my Lift nearly to our limits.
Really don't wanna hurt myself or my Core Support going back in...
How big of a Task is it to remove the Inner Fenders and Core Support?
I would love to take it off the stand and swing it right in onto the Frame Rails
with lotsa room to work.
Is it then Feasible to replace the Inner Fenders with the Motor already there?

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I was planning to clean all this up and do a Respray anyway...
and I have some Restored Fenders and a Bumper to Install too.

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Man, that's Awesome! But it's beyond my scope to tell you that. The only early A I had was a 63 Dart GT /6.... was gonna slam a 1st Gen. 030 over 12.5 392 in her. Motor got stolen, so I sold the car. Many stories, even w/ the slant! On the cars I AM familiar with, they don't unbolt, bit I'm sure You know that. Maybe a Lil spot welder?
 
Aah, So I'd have to Drill everything out?
Yeah, that's farther than I want to go to be able to Drive it this Summer...
I guess That's out.
Thanks Man!
 
eekvonzipper said:
Aah, So I'd have to Drill everything out?
Yeah, that's farther than I want to go to be able to Drive it this Summer...
I guess That's out.
Thanks Man!
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Hey Brother, No Problem! Well, like I said, I ain't no expert in the Early A's, but the others need drilling. I bought a Lil Spot Weld cutter for my old rides donor...

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To answer the OP question and add to Ironracer’s comments, inner fenders and core support are all spot welded together and wioukd ve a helluva job to remove everything AND not damage the panels too much and then install everything back would as bad.

I have removed and installed engines with and without transmissions basically by myself ir with the wide carefully operating the hoist. It can ve done without even removing the hood! Get another body (or 2) to help. Better yet remove and install through the bottom- so much easier!
 
Take out the K frame and suspension in one piece, make yourself a sled to mount the engine to the K frame while it’s on the ground. Use your hoist to lift the front of the car and lower it over the whole assembly. Easier than temoving the front clip, and that’s the way it was done at the factory.
 
If you must install an engine/trans assembly from the top, consider lifting the rear of the car to help cut down the angle. Possibly fab a thin guard that is taller than the top edge of the core support and another for the firewall? Maybe install the crank pulley after the assembly is in?
 
If you can’t put it in from the bottom you could what I did. I put the trans and engine in bolted together from the top. Your big problem is the fact the hood was left on limiting the height you could get. I also have an adjustable engine cradle to help. And yup I did it my self.
 
cosgig said:
Take out the K frame and suspension in one piece, make yourself a sled to mount the engine to the K frame while it’s on the ground. Use your hoist to lift the front of the car and lower it over the whole assembly. Easier than temoving the front clip, and that’s the way it was done at the factory.
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Something like this. My sled's chinsy but it worked.

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Once you get the fenders, grill and bumper and bumper brackets all off, you wil be able to reach into the engine bay MUCH better. No need to remove the core support, as has already been mentioned, it is part of the body shell and you'd have to drill out spot welds to remove it. I think once you unbolt everything and get it off, you'll be happy with what you can get to.
 
Daves69 said:
If you must install an engine/trans assembly from the top, consider lifting the rear of the car to help cut down the angle. Possibly fab a thin guard that is taller than the top edge of the core support and another for the firewall? Maybe install the crank pulley after the assembly is in?
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Wow! Now, I've pulled the Valve stems, to drop the front.. but Man, that's thinking Outside the Box! I'll remember that as long as I live! Thank You! ( not that this applies to me, But Knowledge is Power!)
 
Ironracer said:
Wow! Now, I've pulled the Valve stems, to drop the front.. but Man, that's thinking Outside the Box! I'll remember that as long as I live! Thank You! ( not that this applies to me, But Knowledge is Power!)
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No need to remove anything except the hood, once the hood is out of the way the engine will slip in from the top without difficulty in less than an hour if your car or lift are free to roll. If you are working on rough ground I wish you the best of luck, you'll need it. Your car is a unibody, the fenders and grille support will unbolt which will do you no good. The radiator support, firewall, and inner fenders are welded to the frame and each other, don't mess with them. If you have a car hoist and already have the front suspension and k member out then putting it in from the bottom makes sense, otherwise it is hood off and slip it in from the top, there is plenty of room to do it and the process is described in detail in the factory service manual.
Steve
 
Col_Steve said:
No need to remove anything except the hood, once the hood is out of the way the engine will slip in from the top without difficulty in less than an hour if your car or lift are free to roll. If you are working on rough ground I wish you the best of luck, you'll need it. Your car is a unibody, the fenders and grille support will unbolt which will do you no good. The radiator support, firewall, and inner fenders are welded to the frame and each other, don't mess with them. If you have a car hoist and already have the front suspension and k member out then putting it in from the bottom makes sense, otherwise it is hood off and slip it in from the top, there is plenty of room to do it and the process is described in detail in the factory service manual.
Steve
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I've done it ROUGH ground many times. A 6' Pinch Bar works wonders, as well.as a Solid Bro
 
I have removd/installed many engines with trans attached by myself, with an overhead hoist/cherry picker. Just took off hood/ I have to finaggled it several times but just gotta take your time. Nelps to have a helper!!
 
Ironracer said:
I've done it ROUGH ground many times. A 6' Pinch Bar works wonders, as well.as a Solid Bro
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Me too, that's why I quickly recommended a smooth surface:) 10-4 on the 6' pinch bar and Solid Bro. Lifting the rear of the car a couple of feet higher than the front helps a lot too. Engine room is a tad narrower on the early A, otherwise it's the same fairly easy job early or late.
 
Col_Steve said:
Me too, that's why I quickly recommended a smooth surface:) 10-4 on the 6' pinch bar and Solid Bro. Lifting the rear of the car a couple of feet higher than the front helps a lot too. Engine room is a tad narrower on the early A, otherwise it's the same fairly easy job early or late.
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Now that is a slick trick, raising the rear... I also bought one of those load levelers....
 
Ironracer said:
Now that is a slick trick, raising the rear... I also bought one of those load levelers....
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I use one as well, they are a great tool but do add considerable height to the hook point. My shop has a high ceiling with chain falls on an overhead track so that extra 8" or so doesn't matter to me here. Though with a cherry picker and a heavy deep oil pan big block it is hard to get enough height to clear the radiator support and not tip the picker over from having the lift arm too long. Did one like that at a friends garage that has a lower than normal ceiling and couldn't use the leveler because the picker arm hit the ceiling, took the front wheels off and let the front down AFAP, no dice, oil pan wouldn't clear the rad support. Had to go back to the three hole carb plate attachment. So we put the wheels back on it and pushed it outside so we could change the setup. Of course it was raining cats and dogs so we had a wet car to work on when it came back in. I could have moved the chains from the intake bolts to the holes in the ends of the heads for a lower attachment point but the engine was going in fully assembled with alternator PS pump, and A/C compressor on it. Fun times...What's next? :)
 
Col_Steve said:
I use one as well, they are a great tool but do add considerable height to the hook point. My shop has a high ceiling with chain falls on an overhead track so that extra 8" or so doesn't matter to me here. Though with a cherry picker and a heavy deep oil pan big block it is hard to get enough height to clear the radiator support and not tip the picker over from having the lift arm too long. Did one like that at a friends garage that has a lower than normal ceiling and couldn't use the leveler because the picker arm hit the ceiling, took the front wheels off and let the front down AFAP, no dice, oil pan wouldn't clear the rad support. Had to go back to the three hole carb plate attachment. So we put the wheels back on it and pushed it outside so we could change the setup. Of course it was raining cats and dogs so we had a wet car to work on when it came back in. I could have moved the chains from the intake bolts to the holes in the ends of the heads for a lower attachment point but the engine was going in fully assembled with alternator PS pump, and A/C compressor on it. Fun times...What's next? :)
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It was a Pain in the *** doing the 66 sat pull. 4 guys w/ a 4x4 lifting for clearance, and going back in the Duster w/ an 8 qt pan and the brake booster too? Man, I shoulda grabbed a 6 qt... but, that's what I had.and I love manual brakes... so I should have bought the Dr Diff kit, and had that crap ripped outta the way.... live and learn, I guess. Outdoors in the start of Tampa during rainy season. It helped, I have a folding cherry picker, and have a custom, 12v battery powered Big *** crane... stole the extension arm off of...
 
barbee6043 said:
I have removd/installed many engines with trans attached by myself, with an overhead hoist/cherry picker. Just took off hood/ I have to finaggled it several times but just gotta take your time. Nelps to have a helper!!
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It would help to have the mast of the hoist closer to the center of the engine. Your setup with the bracket and chains is too long. An engine lift plate bolted to the intake is a far better idea.

383 106.JPG


This is a 383 and a 727 that I installed myself.

383 107.JPG


Another idea is to cut the core support above the radiator opening. You could cut a section out of another car a couple of inches wider per side and bolt it back together after the engine swap. The upper section of the core support does not provide as much support for the unibody as the lower section does.
 
Kern Dog said:
It would help to have the mast of the hoist closer to the center of the engine. Your setup with the bracket and chains is too long. An engine lift plate bolted to the intake is a far better idea.

View attachment 1715874743

This is a 383 and a 727 that I installed myself.

View attachment 1715874744

Another idea is to cut the core support above the radiator opening. You could cut a section out of another car a couple of inches wider per side and bolt it back together after the engine swap. The upper section of the core support does not provide as much support for the unibody as the lower section does.
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BRO, I like that! Hence the 4x4.. ( and 4 Brothers) but to make a modern bolt on/ off upper? SWEET!
 
I have taken out many, many dozens of Mopar engine and I have NEVER cut out the darn radiator support. And I am probably NOT the sharpest tack in the box! Probably not the dullest either.:poke:
I have always done it with a chain hooked to th engine as close to it as possible. I would catch it with the cherry picker's hook to give me the angle I wanted. I always had to redo that a couple of times. Like said helps to have a helper. Like JPar says, a carb late is nice, I never have had one. Must e a Chevy thing!!LOL
With the hood OFF you can take them in and out, with trans attached and never scratch the paint. Disclaimer: Your results may vary.
 
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