zz383 install gone wrong?

[85elcamino]

Need some help or guidence because I just keep running into problems .. heres the story Started out with a 1985 elcamino stock 305 engine and a turbo 350 trans. Then ungraded to a 8.5 "grand national rearend and shortened the drive shaft 1" for the rearend to fit as i've read.NOw after 2 years I've begun the zz383 install and decided to go with a new turbo 350 crate trans. first problem was the motor and trans went in real tight, then the trans crossmember wouldnt fit i had to cut the mount part off so it wouldnt hit the trans pan. and now the drive shaft is not fitting and looks to me needs to be shortened another inch to fit. MY question to all of you is what happened? how is everything not fitting now when im puttuing back in exactly what i took out.

replaced a 350trans with a 350 trans now the 350 trans crossember dosent fit both have the same 6" tailshaft

I was asuming that the outside of the engine blocks to be the same deminsions as far as length wise goes but i dont know all the mounting locations are the same but everything seems to be sitting back at least an inch further. IS the block longer or engine case longer . from my measurements dosent seem to be but as you can see i'm spinning in circles now because i just don't know anymore someone please help.

 

[rich]

did you use the same motor mts ? did they get bolted on the frame in the correct location only useing 3 bolts i can take pics when it gets light outside

 

[85elcamino]

yes same 3 holes on the frame and even measured the mounting hole on the engine block vs the old engine block its all the same thats why im so confused I mean i can make it work but I don't want to keep modfying things if down the road i'm going to find out somethings wrong. I'm down to only 2 possibilities left either the engine block is longer or the trans case maybe where they bolt together is thicker by just enuff to set everything back Im going to measure more today but maybe ur pictures and maybe some measurements offf ur car would help me out greatly thanx. ](*,)

 

[80superbu]

No difference in the motor or trans. They are all the same block size and trans case size.

 

[stroker81]

I was looking at the pic you posted in the other thread. I am unfamiliar with the motor mounts you bought but it looks like they are mounted on the frame in a different place than they should be. I used stock motor mounts when I had the ZZ383 in my car and they use the hole in the frame that is highest and furthest forward. It looks like yours are mounted further back which would explain all your problems.

 

[rich]

your motor mts are to far back as i said before heres some pics of the correct mounting holes

 

[Damon]

Rich's pictures are accurate. The mount is as far forward as possible- to the point that one corner of the mount overhangs the front of the crossmemeber. I recall you other thread as well and it does look like you've got them mounted about an inch further back than where a stock set of mounts would go. Tough to tell since you're using a completely different style of mount than the originals.

 

[iwannawheelie]

X2 on the mounts

 

[85elcamino]

you guys are right on the mounts i re checked the mounts and found that they were wrong i feel ilke an idiot I did it on the ground even though I own a lift and couldn't see. everything s good still have to clearance the pass. side headers on the lca but I guess somewhere down the road the car got 2 wear holes in the frame and i had it wrong from the get go but didn't see the mount sticking off the frame rail like that on the forward holes guess now i know thanx for alll ur help

 

[rich]

glad i could help you out sometimes it takes another set of eyes to figure it out