65 Engine in a 69 Body mounting help

[jamjar101]

Hi, I was hoping someone out there would be able to help me.

I have a 1965 1500 engine to to go in my 1969 fastback and I don't know how to mount it.

I have had the fan housing of the engine and there is definitely no bolts to put on the mounting bar that was used on the later fastbacks.

What brackets do I need to mount the engine? Do I need to prefab them? I think some extra brackets have already been welded on but i don't think they are relevant. And also do I need to support the transmission?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Heres a few pics:








More at http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x98/ ... 010024.jpg

[Marc]

This can be done relatively easily, but it's not something I'd recommend other than as a short-term solution to a propulsion emergency. There is an aftermarket bracket you can buy that attaches to the oil pump studs; it provides the missing three holes where the rear "moustache bar" bolts up. However, on a `65 engine those studs are only 6mm, so it's a very sleazy way to hang the entire weight of the powertrain.
I'm just on a short break at work right now and haven't time to go into detail, I'll try to follow up this evening.
For now, take a look at your oil pump studs. Are they truly 6mm or is it a `68 or later case with 8mm studs?

[jamjar101]

I'll get the fan housing off tonight and check but im pretty sure it was a early case with the 6mm. Do you think I could get the correct mounting brackets for an early engine and the modify the car to fit them? Or would it be viable to use the bracket you mentioned and supplemented this with the rear donut and pipe thing mount if I could get hold of one?

Thanks

[Marc]

...would it be viable to use the bracket you mentioned and supplemented this with the rear donut and pipe thing mount if I could get hold of one?...

That's an option; requires welding in the early rear mount receiver, though. You'd adjust it so that did nothing under normal conditions, it'd just be there to keep the engine from falling out if/when the Mickey Mount failed.

...Do you think I could get the correct mounting brackets for an early engine and the modify the car to fit them?...

That's the only "right" way to do this. The entire rear suspension subassembly from a pre`69 Type III could be bolted in, giving you frame horns to support the transmission. But you would need to weld in pivot points for the IRS control arms.

What's so special about the `65 engine that makes it worth this much trouble? We both know what you really should do is get an engine that's correct for the application.

That's not a `69 clutch release bearing in the photos, it's the `71-up style. Can't tell from the pictures if the cross-shaft has been changed to properly accomodate it, but even if it has I wouldn't expect it to last very long - the late setup uses a guide tube to center the bearing, without that it's just a matter of time before the clips fail and the bearing goes adrift.

[jamjar101]

I was just hoping there might be an easy fix. I bought the car pretty much as you see it in the pics with the engine out. Think I will be getting a new engine, save the hassle.

Thanks for the help

[Marc]

Good. We haven't even touched on the other problems you'd face getting a `65 engine to work.
6V Type III generators are smaller in diameter than the (`67-up) 12V variety - the two huge rear fan housing castings (and the generator strap) are different. Then there's the flywheel issue, the `65 would be a non-O-ring 109-tooth, while you need a 130-tooth (which all come O-ring style) to work with a 12V starter. I won't go into all of the picayune details of what you'd have to do to overcome these differences since you're going to do the right thing and find a more appropriate engine.
I can see from the photos that your trans is a `69 (it's the only IRS box with two drainplugs) so unless someone's put in a `71/early`72 cross-shaft you have the wrong TOB. Even if the cross-shaft has been changed, there's no way to put a guide tube into a `69 box except for an aftermarket tube that plugs into the input shaft seal bore. A picture of your cross-shaft with the TOB removed would confirm my suspicions, but I'm pretty sure you need to find an early-style TOB (and clips).