As discussed in my last article, it was time to install the engine and transmission. These had been fully and capably rebuilt by Dick Maury the previous year and were very close to being ready for installation. My last article discussed final preparations. It was time to install them, a major milestone in the restoration of my 1963 Etype FHC.
I have prepared a short video of the installation but let me set the stage. In general, the engine and transmission are always mated together before installation. You can install the assembly “from the top” using a hoist. Or you can install it “from the bottom”. From the bottom, with the correct equipment, the engine can be staged on a dolly and the car body carefully lowered straight down until the engine is in position. The devil is in the details though.
My first step was to position the body on my Bendpak mid-height scissors lift. The body had to be supported such that the entire bottom of the body from the picture frame (the rectangular frame that attaches forward of the left and right engine frames) back to the start of the driveshaft tunnel was clear. In my case, this involved setting the body on the 4 lift pads in a rearward manner, to the point that light pressure would tip it. I weighed down the back with buckets of sand and added some safety ropes.
As you lower the body, there are some “choke points”. One is the forward most part of the engine, in this case the waterpump, and the picture frame. Another choke point is the output flange of the transmission versus the driveshaft tunnel.
Difficult to describe but an intermediate choke point are the body mounting tabs for the torsion bar reaction plate and the engine/bellhousing, at its widest point. It will become clear as you lower the engine but you start with it a little to the rear so as to clear the picture frame, then you move it forward to clear the transmission output shaft, then you move it to the rear to clear the torsion bar reaction plate tabs, then you move it forward once again to install the tach generator and center motor/transmission mount, and then you line up the assembly to install the front motor mounts. Finally, you jack up the rear of the transmission as far as it will go to install the mounting hardware at the rear of the transmission. At that point you can drop the engine/tranny onto the 3 mounting points. Since you have now added significant new weight to the front of the car, you have to use temporary jacking members so as to allow the hydraulic lift to be re-positioned to the correct lift points for a fully loaded body with motor. It is quite a dance! But all in all, when you have done it once, it is all pretty straightforward. There are a lot more details and photos on my website. Search on “Installing the Engine”.
Regardless, if you don’t have time to spend on all the details, paste this URL into your web browser for a quick tour of the process. Trust me, you will want to watch this video!
This and other articles in this series can be found at my website, http://www.newhillgarage.com. Search on “Some Assembly”.
Video link below:
New Hill Garage 
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