souljaboy9768

iTrader: (2)

Installing engine/trans together in my 68 Camaro what's the best place to lift from?

I don't want to mess up anything

Pictures welcomed thanks

luigiandme

iTrader: (2)

The BEST way, IMHO would be the Valley Cover Engine Plate:
http://www.thunderracing.com/shop-by.../Engine-Tools/

Also, you can just run some bolts in the heads linked with a chain and lift from there.

Rocktagon

iTrader: (1)

I've done it multiple times multiple ways and they all seem to work fine. It just depends on your setup, ex. if the heads are on or off, or how much of an angle you would need to install into that engine bay. You can move the position of where the hoist hook connects to the chain on the engine to level it out or angle it. If you have the load leveling attachment that works too.

http://imageshack.us/a/img688/3615/imag0890n.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img10/5664/imag0981l.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img849/1739/imag1025c.jpg

Rocktagon

iTrader: (1)

Just remembered you said the tranny is with it. I've done that too. The only option really is to attach your chain mounts to the heads.

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/4108/imag0925y.jpg

gMAG

iTrader: (1)

With a 67-69, depending upon which motor plates you use, will determine how far your engine hoist boom needs to be extended, in order to place the engine at the right spot.
I have Hooker plates, which put everything far back, close to the firewall.
With this, the standard hoist boom is just barely long enough, even with the boom extended past the last setting (1/2 ton). But, this is the way we put it in.
Using a 'standard' hoist, I placed four grade 8 bolts into the heads. Keep in mind that any bolts inserted into the rear of the heads will need enough room to be withdrawn (from the firewall side), once the engine is in place. You could compensate by placing those bolts to the outside rear, inside rear of heads, or somesuch.
I also attached the motor plates, mounts, & framestands. This made it MUCH easier to manuever, once the engine/tranny were being lowered. An extra pair of hands made this very easy! Once in place, just install your frame stand to frame, bolts.
About the engine/valley install plate. I have one, and didn't find it as useful as the above method.
Oh yeah...one more thing..depending upon how close to the firewall the back of the engine is, may present clearance issues with your heater tubes.
There was no way mine would have enough clearance, so I decided to use a big block heater core, which places the exiting heater tubes much farther toward the pass side.
Good luck to you!

gMAG

iTrader: (1)

Yes, one more important item.
A tilt bar is mandatory, and is a great assist in getting the tranny tailshaft to the correct angles.
Because the tilt bar is connected to your engine at four points, this gives you more control and stabilization, than the valley/engine plate.

scj

iTrader: (89)

I have the QTP valley plate, and love it. So much better than a chain and bolts. It's much safer and easier too. Something about bolts and chains to lift on cast aluminum doesn't settle with me the right way. If there were so much of a hairline crack near that area on the head, I could see the weight snapping a chunk of the head off and killing or severely injuring someone. Not that I've heard of this happening, I wouldn't want to find out the hard way though. My plate only has one lift point in the middle, but you can move the plate to different bolt holes on the valley to distribute the weight differently. There is a version of the valley plate that has 3 different lift points on it though. Not sure what brand though.

gMAG

iTrader: (1)

I see that some enjoy the valley plate, but I don't want to have to adjust the position of the plate, after finding that it didn't provide the correct angles, the first attempt. It doesn't provide adjustability, in motion. I didn't find the valley plate to provide left/right & front/rear stability of the weight.
The tilt bar allows you to adjust angles & weight distribution on the fly. And as far as cracking aluminum, it's not going to happen, as long as your bolts are inserted as far as they can be. With weight distributed (approx 550 lbs), without accessories, gives a little over 125lbs per bolt.

1BAD98LS1

iTrader: (33)

I have the QTP valley plate myself, does a great job and like said before it can be moved foward or back depending on your application. Very easy to remove after the engine is in place in the engine bay as opposed to reaching around the back of the cylinder head.

gMAG

iTrader: (1)

It appears that the QTP plate users all have 4th gen cars.
Please keep in mind, that those with a standard hoist will possibly need to extend the boom farther (for a 1st gen) than the last setting, which is 1/2 ton.
In the 1st gen, using the QTP, and a standard hoist, you would have to bolt the plate as far forward in the valley as possible. Because of this, there will be alot of weight hanging rearward, and a problem maneuvering the whole thing into position.
I don't doubt that the the plate works, but I've tried both, and found the plate not very useful in a 1st gen, which the OP owns.
If the OP is using an overhead hoist, the plate would be more functional.

gMAG

iTrader: (1)

From another angle...for the people who own 4th gen cars....the QTP was made specifically for those cars, due to the lack of rear engine bay room.
The rear of the LS1 is practically underneath the cowl area. This is why bolts and chains are not effective on these cars.
LS1 in a 1st gen, and LS1 in 4th gen is like apples and oranges.

souljaboy9768

iTrader: (2)

We'll I ended up going the route of rocktagon, only difference was I used and engine leveler. I'm running a Christ alston chassis in my 68 and ill be unbolting the subframe from the shell and installing and making sure everything. Lines up with tranny mount before trying to install subrame back in car. Thanks for the help