k-member or motorplate?
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Joined: Feb 2011
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From: richmond va
k-member or motorplate? hey all new here as ya can see this is my first post. anyways just picked up a clean 94 roller was a v6 5sp but looking to do a bbc 6sp swap. im starting a "list" of things i need to start getting/saving for and in my head im going to do the body and susp first and the last thing im gonna tackle will be the motor and tranny but im dead set on a bb and nothing is gonna change that. soooo to start the susp i need to decide if which is better a k-memeber (motor mounts) or a motorplate? which do most people who have performed this kinda swap prefer and why? alot of insight is helpful as im thinking this is the 1st key componet to purchase and plan the rest of the front susp off of as a basis. and fwiw i tried the search but was unsuccessful with point blank answers as it seems alot of these swaps or abandoned for some reason or just not updated. thanks for the help
Have you done a search? there is someone who did a BBC in a 4th gen. I can't remember who it was but he had head gasket problems or something.
There are a few out there if you look hard enough.
Good luck with your build.
There are a few out there if you look hard enough.
Good luck with your build.
Yea, but that is a small block, not a big block.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: richmond va
ok earlier when i posted this i had already done a search and was short on time, so did a short search and only typed in motor mounts vs motorplates and it turned up empty well today was a "sick" day from work (daughter sick and cant go to daycare.....single dad). so today i did a search of bbc 4th gen and it turned up 4 pages, looked at every post and it seems to go both ways on this but no reasons said or debated why one chose which way over the other. so for a car that will be driven on the street and track when im off (railroad life) what would be the best route to go? i dont know the benefits of motorplates over motor mounts so maybe someone could enlighten me thanks
Best way to search is to use google I found. But there is a write up in this forum at the top on what to do and such which I kind of followed. I completed my swap but changed a lot of stuff so mine is a little different from others. But it is complete with some small things to clear up. I just broke my starter and got a new one so working on that issue.
Anyway to answer your question I went with the K-member swap. It made life easier. I actually wish I had less people helping me because I feel that I would have gotten further without advice from people who work on vehicles for a living. The K-member swap will allow everything to work much more easily without fabrication to other things as much. Fabrication will still be needed no matter what since it is an engine that was not suppose to go in our cars.
I have heard of some big block swaps using custom made motor mounts but that on you. K-member swap will make it stronger and lighter in the long run and more room to work in you car with.
As far as not changing your mind goes just try and think it through before you buy that motor. I think a small block would have been better in the long run if you have an endless supply of money then awesome but otherwise nothing like a rapid small block with some sort of power adder to make it perform like a big block. Your list will grow and grow and grow. If any questions, feel free to ask.
Anyway to answer your question I went with the K-member swap. It made life easier. I actually wish I had less people helping me because I feel that I would have gotten further without advice from people who work on vehicles for a living. The K-member swap will allow everything to work much more easily without fabrication to other things as much. Fabrication will still be needed no matter what since it is an engine that was not suppose to go in our cars.
I have heard of some big block swaps using custom made motor mounts but that on you. K-member swap will make it stronger and lighter in the long run and more room to work in you car with.
As far as not changing your mind goes just try and think it through before you buy that motor. I think a small block would have been better in the long run if you have an endless supply of money then awesome but otherwise nothing like a rapid small block with some sort of power adder to make it perform like a big block. Your list will grow and grow and grow. If any questions, feel free to ask.
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We build a BBC k-member that will allow you to bolt the BBC right into a 4th Gen f-body. The k-member gives you plenty of clearance to run headers. Here is a picture of it, if you guys have any questions let me know.
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Find a Quality alignment shop near you!
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Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: richmond va
campton thanks for the advice i am def trying to make sure ive got everything planned out to a t before i start. right now i think my steps/goals to follow in order are do all susp 1st then interior and body then focus on motor/tranny (ci etc) thats the plan anyways but this is my 1st step deciding on the motor mounting aspect and then ordering front susp off the choice. so in your opinion its better to mount the bbc by motor mounts instead of a motor plate? the only reason im asking about a motor plate is i have no experience with them at all! and just dont really understand the reason/pro/benefit from doing them. so id like to get i nfo before i rule that option out.
bmr thanks for your post i have def spent a ton of time on your website browsing. i will be placing calls to you as soon as i have a lil more money and know in stone what i need/want. a few questions i have since you guys are "susp experts" whats the difference between the standard tubular bbc k-member and a turbo bbc k-memeber? i see its like a 100 bux dif in price so was just curious as to whats the benefit of the turbo version..........plus as a susp company what would be recommended for a street/strip car as far as motor mounting options? 1. solid motor mounting k-member or 2. motor plating using a non motor mount k-member? thats what all this is about and the main question in this entire post as i am just lost and clueless as to what benefit to a motorplate would be and wether or not i should go that route! once i know i can based off expert (people who have used both and identify the pros/cons of both) then i can really get started cause id know what damn k-member to order to start my front susp.
sorry to everyone if its trying to be explained and i just aint picking up on whats really being said lol
bmr thanks for your post i have def spent a ton of time on your website browsing. i will be placing calls to you as soon as i have a lil more money and know in stone what i need/want. a few questions i have since you guys are "susp experts" whats the difference between the standard tubular bbc k-member and a turbo bbc k-memeber? i see its like a 100 bux dif in price so was just curious as to whats the benefit of the turbo version..........plus as a susp company what would be recommended for a street/strip car as far as motor mounting options? 1. solid motor mounting k-member or 2. motor plating using a non motor mount k-member? thats what all this is about and the main question in this entire post as i am just lost and clueless as to what benefit to a motorplate would be and wether or not i should go that route! once i know i can based off expert (people who have used both and identify the pros/cons of both) then i can really get started cause id know what damn k-member to order to start my front susp.
sorry to everyone if its trying to be explained and i just aint picking up on whats really being said lol
Both have there advantages. I have a bmr kmember in my car (sbc swap) which is amazing when it comes to bolt in simplicity. But with the engine sitting in the factory location it makes things hard on us carb'd guys. I had clearance issues to overcome with a rpm airgap manifold. When I went to a bigger sbc and needed a super victor to optimize plenum volume I needed to find an extra .690" of clearance which I did by lowering the kmember a half an inch and removing the neoprene bushings beneath the motor mount posts.
The pros of the motor plates are deffinately the weight and costs but the cons are rather large. First is fabrication and fitment. Second is you would also want to run a mid plate which takes a different converter. Third and most important is without a kmember you have no way of running the factory control arms. (although BMR makes a k member for motorplate cars as well which primarily is just a link for the front steering and suspension.
The pros of the motor plates are deffinately the weight and costs but the cons are rather large. First is fabrication and fitment. Second is you would also want to run a mid plate which takes a different converter. Third and most important is without a kmember you have no way of running the factory control arms. (although BMR makes a k member for motorplate cars as well which primarily is just a link for the front steering and suspension.
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with a motor plate set up you still run a k-member you just get rid of the motor mounts . the plates (front plate mid plate) are the motor mounts, as far as the converter it can be shimed to put it where it should be. i went with the bmr set up that comes with the big/small block mount just because it made it easy for now , i may put a plate set in later if clearence becomes an issue
