I think I might run into the same issue, as i have the same problem just by test fitting the mounts with no engine weight.

 

I only had to open up (grind) 1 hole on the passenger side. I had to because the metal tabs on the urethane insert were already seated in their grooves on the motor mount (so the holes couldn't move any more). I loosened up the clam shell bolts on the driver side to give a little more wiggle to the urethane insert and was able to get the motor mount bolted up. I tightened up the clam shell bolts afterwards.

 

By nature of their design, poly mounts do not give/settle much under the weight of the engine like stock rubber mounts do and therefore require more effort to install. To compound the problem further, the build tolerances that were employed in the manufacturing of these cars (one of the through-bolt holes in the stock frame stands in slotted to counter this) and the various amounts of wear and frame collapsing/warping that happens over 35-40 makes the same parts fit differently on different cars. You will read posts on this and other forums that report the same mounts basically falling in some cars and requiring some finagling to get them in on others. The nominal build tolerance of the Hooker mounts and crossmembers is +/- .010, which means the differences are in the cars themselves. I've not installed the components with the poly engine mounts yet, but I have mounted up LS engines in four different cars (two 1st-gen Camaros and two 3rd-gen Novas) using the production Hooker engine brackets and rubber clamshells with no issues whatsoever.

In thinking through this further, you may have an easier time attaching the poly clamshell mounts to the engine brackets while the engine is on the sling and then lower everything down on the adapter plates and install the 3/8" bolts that attach the clamshells to the adapter plates.

 

With no weight on the mounts, and just by themselves the bolt will not go through. I tried this when i had to shave a little bit on both ends for the mount to fit on the bracket. I will try with the rubber mounts i have and see what happens. I will try and do this this afternoon and update.
Are the updated version of the engine brackets different from the 1st batch at the bolt hole?

 

No, the relationship of the hole to the ear contour is the same between the current design mounts and the first batch that were made to a previous unreleased drawing. Part of the issue I see would be that the tabs on the poly mounts are oriented differently than on the stock rubber clamshells; the tabs are vertical on the stock rubber clamshells and they are angled on the aftermarket poly clamshells, which may be causing a compatibility issue with the brackets. If that's the case, you can used a rotary file bit in a die grinder to either enlarge the hole in the ear slightly or modify the tab notches in the bracket ears to allow the poly mount to move closer to the hole.

 

I tried to test the rubber mounts but it is uses a 7/16" bolt not a 1/2". So nothing was accomplished.

 

My PS pulley is going to be extremely close to the front bushing area of the driver's side upper A-arm (depending on how much camber I dial in, or it may limit the amount of camber I can have). I have a Corvette front drive system on my LS3. Has anyone else seen this be a problem?

 

The Corvette accessory drive configuration is the least compatible in that area on 1st-gen F-body/3rd-gen Nova applications. You can swap out your power steering pump pulley for the slightly smaller one used on the Trailblazer SS to gain clearance. The trick to using that pulley with the Corvette set-up is to not install it quite all the way down on the shaft so the belt will line up properly. An employee here ran that pulley through the entire Power Tour last year without any issues.

 

Any idea on the part #? Sounds like I'm not the only one who has had an issue.

 

I did extensive research on this recently. The pulley needs to have a .66" press fit. Most have .75" and will not fit. The one I used was smaller by almost .75" and give clearance to stock UCA. If you have aftermarket UCA it will only add to the clearance. The pulley I used was from the CTSV setup. This was used in conjunction with all the Holley swap parts.

New Pulley Installed PN - 12578552:

 

Yep, that's the one. There was some confusion around here about the application it came off of, so I checked the number on the pulley itself and it is the 12578552 part you show here on your set-up. You may want to double check your belt alignment as proper alignment of that pulley when used on the Corvette accessory drive set-up usually requires that the pulley be left standing proud of the end of the pump shaft by about 1/8" after installation.

 

Thanks for all your help!

 

No problem, post up some photos of your progress when you get a chance to do so.

 

How does this compare if you are using the mid length headers? Is the geometry the same between the long tubes and mid lengths? Same mod required?

Thanks, Tim

 

No, the scenario is completely different with the mid-lengths and so they won't require any modifications to be compatible with the Ridetech Truturn set-up.

 

Hi Todd, any new info on the 3rd gen nova crossmember?

 

If you are referring specifically to the 4L80 crossmember for a 1at-gen F-body/3rd-gen Nova, then no, that part has not made it through the CAD modeling phase yet. You can install a T56, T56 Magnum, 4L60-4L75, TH350, 700R4, TH400 or 2004R transmission into these cars behind an LS by using one of the two existing Hooker transmission crossmembers for this LS swap application.

 

Sorry, yes I was referring to the 4L80 crossmember for a 1st-gen F-body/3rd-gen Nova.

 

I have a '71 Nova. Taking the Hooker headers out of the equation, is the 302-2 going to require less work with Tru-Turn than the 302-1? From what i see, it would require some minor grinding at full lock. Is this correct?

 

It depends on the engine mounts you are using in your swap. If you are using the typical 1" set-back swap plates that many people have used/are using, then there would be no grinding required to use the 302-2 pan. If you are wanting to use the new Hooker engine mounting brackets and transmission crossmembers with the Ridetech Truturn system, you will have contact between the Ridetech centerlink adapter and the 302-2 pan. Another member on here has successfully installed the Hooker mounts and crossmember in a bolt-in fashion with the Ridetech system by using the Mast pan.